Guys, it is good to be back...after my 97, it took me awhile to get another Max, but recently, I picked up a 2003 with 131K on it...great condition. Problem here is this. I got up this morning see the car park halfway on a curb (gf was driving it last night) and I pull it out to drop it off for her at her garage...I noticed there is a big splatter on the passenger side (hit a big muddy pothole)-- and as I drove down the street, there is a bouncy feeling on the passenger front wheel...the sound it made was "donk, donk donk..." oh great...she hit a pothole-- question is, from the bouncy feeling-- anyone speculate what it could be? strut? wheel? tire? I keep driving car seems to be going straight-- need to drive it a bit more, but definetely a bounce and that consistent noise on uneven pavement "donk, donk, donk"

 

that sucks bro she didnt tell u????? IMO maybe she bent the rim? did u check all around the inside of the wheel? is there a giant bubble some wheres?

 

sounds like you need a new girlfriend? halfway up curb? and slammed a pothole? dump her or buy her an old civic to beat up on!

 

it could be that the front springs are shot and the control arms are loose as hell, my gf's mom's maxima needs all that stuff, pot hole galore ( you know they have trouble seeing these things)

 

Bouncy feeling is usually struts. Go outside and put your weight on the car. Does it bounce a couple times or just pop straight back up? IDK what springs are like when they are shot...didn't know that happened really..

WAYYY off topic but did you type "G*d" or did the forums edit that....?

 

x2 on new GF.

If the rim isn't bent then check your wheel bearing cuz that could make noise too when it's about to die.

 

LOL-- well as always you guys always make me laugh. Yes, if this happens again I am going to seriously consider it. Someone was joking with me that his wife just ran over their flower bed recently...right after he paid $2k for landscaping. LOL

about the g*d...I typed that...I just didn't want to be interpreted in any negative way.

The "donk donk donk" sound is something that sounds like it is on the wheel...that is my first guess...because it is bouncy-- best way I can describe it. Well, I will take it...and hopefully it won't be an arm or leg...

 

You shouldnt have bought an automatic...that way she wont be able to drive the 6 speed which means right now your car would have been fine! See...always go with the manual tranny.

If you did buy a 6 speed i'll shut up now

 

I never let my gf drive my car.... bad news all around, most women can't drive worth shiat

 

well, I am going to have to say that from my "own" case here only that she gets pretty aggressive with the cabbies...she is tired of them cutting her off and she is quite "nimb;e" with the max...good hp and she knows how to use it. Downside is that while she is playing sppeeeddd demon with the cabbies she tends not to look at the road...ie potholes--

the max is our "city" car anyway...bought it a few months back with 131K on it...in pristine condition...but wish she would take better care of it...LOL

oh well, the joy of living in NYC and crappy roads.

 

lol, don't get me started with cabs...'cause I've got stories!

 

Man I was waiting for a horror picture of a shattered wheel or something.

 

+1.

Manuals generally last longer because of this

 

I agree and I am contemplating one day of pick up a car that I can drive only-- a manual no doubt...it is just the annoying sound of the "doink doink doink" sound...and the bouncing around on that side. I am thinking of going on a road trip to mount rushmore next week...hmmm...gotta rethink this.

Sorry no horror wheel to show you yet. On her last car there was tire that had a bent rim and torn tire...from guess what? A POTHOLE!!

 

Bad strut is my guess...Idk why else you'd bounce.



^ At least you're not this guy.

 

i had the same problem and for me it was the struts? idk but you should check that out and im never letting my girl drive lol

 

LOL, I just taught my gf how to drive stick on my Max. Justt in case I get a little to drunk at the clubs, she'll be my DD hehehehe

 

Does the "donk, donk, donk" increase with speed, or does it only happen only when hitting bumps?

When he said it sounds like its coming from the wheel, it leads me to think that the frequency of the "donk, donk, donk" increases with speed. If this is the case, I would think its definitely a bent rim.

If it was a strut, i would think it would gradually become more bouncy and the noise would happen only when hitting bumps.

Like bigpopa said, take a look at the inside of the wheels. If the rim is bent badly enough to make the donks, it should be a pretty noticable bend.

 

yea..check strut first.

+1 on no girls in the ride. im married and she STILL doesnt drive my car...sorry, im a d*ck like that i guess but..its my CAR.

 

LOL... that's messed up but true at the same time

 

 

im going to take her to the airport later this afternoon so I am going to take it out on the expressway and see what it is...the two things about the rim-- possibly the wheel that is out of round or possibly the rim. The doink doink doink noise is about 35/40 miles when I was driving into manhattan yesterday. But I will put it in higher speed to see what it is.
Another thought is to rotate and move the front set of tires to back and see what/if noise come back...

She is a pretty aggressive driver I tell you...a few times she bottomed out and I am hanging on-- more like "please don't bust up my car!!" LOL-- i agree...people should have separate cars...

 

agreed theres nothing better than girls

 

ok-- I found out what the reason is-- I think...I crawled under the car and turned the front wheels over to the right to get a better look...and it seems like a few of the passenger side plastic undercovers got knocked loose...or the plastic screws seems to be missing-- just wondering anyone replaced them?
I can only imagine that they are 5 bucks a piece at the dealer. LOL

 

wow u must be soo relieved lol u can get them at the stealership i got mine at a place called keystone here in mass it was i wana say $25-$40 somwheres around there for the splashgaurds super easy to replace and they use push pin style screws made of plastic crap. GL bro!

 

yea check the springs and shocks... luckily you can still drive after your GF was do, this is what mines did

 

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