Okay well i sold my 96 se a while back and am getting another car. I do not want to have to mod a car much again. I love the look of the new max's but again the front sits too high just to throw some rims on her. I would like to get an 04 or 05 but i am thinking i do not wan to mod again. My other options are the TSX which would get 32MPG but slower and is it as nice? What do u think? Also i could go with like the IS300 what do u all think of those. I know the stock max rides so nice just looks so funny with that front sitting so high off the wheel. I see a lot of you are running the eibach springs what struts... UUH help me please...

 

Get an IS350, that's a nice ride....

 

forgot to mention the 20k range

 

You'll probably get a biased opinion on your next car in a 6th gen forum.....

What are you looking for in your next ride? With your broad request for advice, but no idea about what you want in a car except for you don't want to mod it much doesn't help a lot =/.

 

Just drop it ! My Max sits just as low as any IS350 in the parking lot.

 

Ya i know i get bias but its okay. I want a car that feels nice on the inside. I know the max does feel pretty luxury and rides nice. I want something that gets decent mileage. I just want something that is very quiet in the cabin and i am afraid lowering it will make it loud. I would go with the TSX but the low power scares me after driving a 96 se manual. it was a pretty fast car.

 

Lowering it will help with your gap issue that we share in our opinions with you. It sounds like all you are bent about wold be that gap, so technically, all you have to do is drop her? That's not much modding.

Of course this is all your call my friend.

I have heard the IS's are awesome. They are also a little cramped and have many blind spots.

I am not terribly familiar with the TSX's so I won't jump in on this one.

 

Altima .

 

Bingo with the altima

 

Its nice to get opinions from other members but when it comes time you will buy what you like, and the only way to insure that is to research all three cars and put them through a very intense test drive to get a feel of the cars.

As for the 20K mark they are some nicely equipped Maxima out there for under 20K... I just scored a 2004 for 19K with 26,000 Miles with the SE Driver Preferred Package. But if you want to go with newer car then the Altima would be a great choice. Keep us posted.

 

Don't limit yourself to a good car just because of some wheel gap. If that was the case there are other cars that are in the 20k range that get good mileage. There is nothing wrong with the TSX, my sis has one and its just an upscale version of the Accord. Its nice, power is decent and good for everyday traffic, suspension is nice but the size and price might be a concern depending on buyer.

 

IS300 and TSX are good cars, but a lot smaller and aren't as quick. Altima is also a good choice. Have you driven them all? That would be a good start.

 

Okay well I just went a drove a brand new maxima today with the CVT Tranny. Not the biggest fan.... When did that come out. I found an 06 with 25k on her black se with black leather. Fully loaded without nav though. He is asking 23,500... Ok i want a max again. What suspension will give me the best ride. I see eibach springs and what struts. What are you all doing for camber.

 

lol. I personally think the CVT in the 07 is way smoother than the 5AT in the 6th gen, but i will concede it's weird to drive initially. if you're looking for mpg; find a ten year old 525i and have fun in the twisties but watch the max owners roast you
you want 20k and stay in the nissan fam, your choices are the new Sentra SE-R or the 07 Altima 2.5. get either with a stick and you should be pretty happy maybe?

EDIT: you can land a decent used G35 Sedan for under 20k. Go for that!

 

By the way it isn't that the front sits high. The chassis is level with the ground, the way any engineer worth his salt would design it. The problem with the 6G is that the fender well cutout is too high, purely an aesthetic issue. Reducing the gap by lowering the front more than the rear might make it look better, but it's also going to make the chassis lean towards the front, and bias the weight even more to the front. Some prefer form over function I suppose, or just don't know the difference. Being FWD, it's already got waaay too much weight up front in stock form (62% front, 38% rear if I'm not mistaken), why hurt it even more by slamming the front? Just for comparison, the RWD 350Z's weight distribution is much closer to the ideal at 53/47, which is the main reason a stock Z hands the Max its as$ in the corners all day long, no matter what mods the Max has. Physics dictates it.

Don't buy a 6G with the intention of slamming the front more than the rear. That's just not a sensible solution.
Just my $.02

 

Ah yes Thank you for that explination. Well would lower the whole thing if I got one.... HUmm.... what suspension package will give me the best ride. I thin icould find an 04 or 05 fopr under 20..

ps why does that sun roof not open on the SE weird.....

 

Sorry, from 1st hand experience, your physics is not completely correct. While it does bias the distribution more, it helps in initial traction. And with stiffer RSB, the car can also handle the corners better. Plus the lower front helps with the low pressure vacuum at high speed. But to each his own.

 

Sunroof does open. Skyview does not.



LOWER IN THE FRONT - SITTIN ON PROGRESS SPRINGS

 

Point well taken-but by lowering the front 1.8 inches and lowering the rear .8 inches resulting in a 1 inch difference isn't going to make much of a difference in front to rear weight distribution. Consider the length of the car. Furthermore it can easily be countered with a bigger rear sway bar and stiffer rear shocks.

The bottom line, I have lowered my vehicle with Progress springs, added a rear sway bar, Koni struts, and stiffer rear shocks, and my car handles WAY better than stock and rides smoother (test drove a 2007 a Month ago). I will also add my vehicle is way safer than a stock vehicle due to the vastly superior handling characteristics.

One thing is for sure though, the road noise has gone up by a factor of at least 2. The proximity of the wheels to the body of the car is a big factor I'm sure. With some diligence this can be countered as well. Use sound deadener in the wheel wells and dynomat the front doors.

If you lower the Maxima and want the best ride quality, stick with OEM shocks and struts. When it comes time to change the tires go with the smoothest riding tires available and you will be back at stock ride quality along with improved handling.

I drove a used IS300 recently and was disappointed in the ride quality, size of the interior, and power.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

TSX is a great car. $28K. Its the European Accord with a higher price tag for the US market. Not 32 MPG, more like 24-26 MPG. Nice engine but you have to keep the revs high. Annoying to many. The Altima V6 is close to $28k. Lexus = expensive parts. Should have gone to the car show in the spring.

 

The fender gap in the back looks good. Can springs just be bought for the front to lower it?

 

Test drive.