What’s everyone using for replacement shocks & struts? I don’t want to fool with compressing the springs so I’d like the assembly. The lack of name brand options is astonishing. It looks like the choices are either Monroe or Gabriel, and I’m not too thrilled with either choice.
Which is the lesser of the two evils? Or do y’all know a better alternative?

 

By not "fooling with compressing the spring", you've seriously limited yourself, and some of your best available choices IMO.

I think the best value is to get Sachs brand from Rock Auto, or maybe find a dealer that carries Nissan's "Value Advantage" line.
https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/oem-...tra2=&filter=()

But you're going to have to be a fool withe the above. Maybe KYB for the rear shocks?
Otherwise, you can take your chances with Monroe or Gabriel, and others have had mixed results.....YMMV

 

How tough is it to “fool with the springs?” Are the Sach’s an oem replacement? Is there something “better” than oem? I don’t think there’s a Bilstein or anything like that. There’s not even a KYB for the front. Does the SV sport package have different shocks/struts than the non sport? Will the sport fit on the non? I’ve been browsing and I haven’t seen any that are said to be for the sport package yet.
*Edit* On tirerack.com they list the same part number for the Sachs for sport and non.

 

How tough is it to “fool with the springs?” Not difficult at all for me. I have tools and experience.
Are the Sach’s an oem replacement? Sachs is the OEM manufacturer and the supplier to Nissan.
Is there something “better” than oem? Not that I'm aware of.
I don’t think there’s a Bilstein or anything like that. Nope nor Koni.
There’s not even a KYB for the front. I know.
Does the SV sport package have different shocks/struts than the non sport? Yes. Different rate springs, differently valved struts and shocks.
Will the sport fit on the non? Yes, except it's not clear to me with what's up on the 2014MY Max wrt dealer parts catalogs and listings of aforementioned components. (I digress as this will not impact your car).
I’ve been browsing and I haven’t seen any that are said to be for the sport package yet. Sachs no longer offers them, to my knowledge. OEM still does, but depends on which Nissan website you browse or there just could be a finite supply and will be discontinued soon.....dunno, spit ballin' here. If you can find a new OEM set for an SV Sport, get them. It's what I would do if I owned a sport model or if I didn't have a Prixmo.

 

Well shoot. When you said I was “limiting myself” by going with the preassembled variety I was hoping that there would be a few decent “name brand” to choose from but that doesn’t look to be the case. I guess the aftermarket sat this generation out.

 

Sachs is the oem manufacturer, I have been running Monroe OE spectrum for a few years on my non sport SV max. I love em.

 

Good deal man. Thanks

 

In all due honesty, after doing months of research I found that the "Monroe quick-strut complete assembly" works just as good as anything else you will find on the market. I was doubtful at first also but I replaced my 12 Maxima with them and they are working great. Easy replacement also just fyi.

 

Thanks, that’s the route that I’m going to go I do believe.