I’ve been searching around all over trying to find ideas for my car and so far I’ve decided I need rims and Coilovers a cai and a catback and I’m thinking of changing out the headlights for a darker more tinted pair but I’m having some problems and questions, my first problem/question is that I can’t find a eBay cat back from my car all I see is ones for the gen 5 but none for the 99 gen 4 can I use the catback for the 00-03 on my 99 maxima or does it need to be vehicle specific and if so do you know where I can find them, my next question/problem is I can’t seem to find a good cai for the car and if just like to know if any of you know the best ones to get, my next question is Coilovers I can’t seem to find ones for my car either and also how many inches should I drop and does it ruin the ride, my last question is rims I’m just looking for any suggestions one which I should get and also if you know of any other power adders I should add or anything let me know, I really want to make something out of my maxima

 

Do you want to make noise or horsepower? The mods you listed don't make much power. Opinions are like a**holes... I know. I'd start with a 00VI because it actually makes power.

There are CAIs all over ebay. Make sure you buy the one that goes into the fender. You have to cut a 3.5" hole near the battery.

I don't believe anyone has put a full 5th gen catback on a 4th gen. It could be done but it is not a bolt on affair. Exhaust parts have dried up.

Our front suspension does not like huge drops. Anything over 1.5-1.7" is just for looks. Otherwise you start chewing though drive shafts.

 

^ +1

First thing to do though is take care of all maintenance, then mods.

00VI and a y-pipe are your best affordable power adders.

 

Maintenance is all taken care of, it was pretty easy the car has only 70,000 miles on it and the car was garage kept so there was not much to do maintenance on

 

For power I’m gonna do a 00vi if I can find one in a junkyard or online and find out how to do it but i don’t think it should be to hard and a y pipe which also shouldn’t be so hard but rn I’m more focusing on the looks and sound of the car because it’s my daily so I want it to look the part and sound real nice but I just can’t find the parts, everything is for 5th gen nothing for 4th I found a forth gen catback for 400 but I have a feeling I’m getting ripped off and as for suspension I’m thinking of going for a 1” drop all around will that kill my drive shaft, also where would the cai pull air from isn’t the fender completely blocked off from the outside

 

What kind of catback did you find? Sometimes you need to take what you can get.

I had a cheap muffler and a buddy had a Greddy catback. Side by side you couldn't tell the difference. $50 vs $600. Not worth it.

My car is lowered on Eibach springs with Koni struts. It's lowered 1.25" front and 0.75" rear. It's a good balance of looks and performance. You'll be good up to 1.7" drop.

The fender has all kinds of flow.

 

Federal Emissions or Cali Spec Emissions?

How strict is NJ with emissions Inspection laws?

Cali Emissions has a front Exhaust Manifold that isn't friendly to any PreCat to Y-Pipe available configurations that will net you HP. Bypass those and then you have Codes forever. Most states won't pass a car with CEL lights on throwing coides. CatBack? There's still TruBendz. But they'll send you the precut tubes and flanges, you have to prefit and weld everything together yourself.

Most aftermarket exhaust parts lasts 2+ years here in Metro NYC area because of the weather, salt and the likes.

I live on LI and NY forces CARB compliance. After buying everything after the Exhaust Manifolds new (everything), it cost me $2K with removal of the old, new manifold studs installed and the entire exhaust done. Just to get back to STOCK. But at least everythiing was Stainless and no codes and quiet.

Good luck with this. It's gonna get complicated. Before you do anything, find if the Inspection laws will be a huge problem.

If yours is a Federal, Magniflow has a SS Y-Pipe with precats that combine to a 2.5 inch Y-Pipe. They also have a rear Cat that remains 2.5", SS as well. Trubendz after that with a Quality Resonator and Muffler (Magniflow SS) all 2.5" and you'll get results.. Worth the cost? That's only a question you can answer.

 

Slam it till it scrapes the ground. Replace axles once in a while. $130 bucks a set? Pffft, No big deal.

 

NJ is basic fed emissions nothing real strict. Hope the project is going well so far. I love my car and I'm hoping to get to some these mods in the future but it's my DD and my money's tied up in living expenses for the time being.