I've got a 95 Nissan Maxima that's been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. Bought it new in 1995, and it was my wife's commute car for some years and then I got the car a few years back. It has 151K miles on the odometer, and has I've been able to fix various bugaboos over the years, like replacing a starter, fixing back power windows, getting new axle boots, and also a new AC compressor. My wife ran that AC nonstop for years! Anyway, the Maxima definitely needs struts and shocks, but the cost of replacing them via a shop, would be very expensive. I do know that you have to compress the front springs with a spring compressing tool, and of course remove the struts as per following instructions. I realize that compressing suspension springs can potentially be dangerous. I had a buddy years ago that worked in service station where a compressed front spring got loose and went through the roof of the station! I.E. you could get hurt bad or even killed by a loose spring. Anyway, I'm 60 years old, and want to hang onto the old Maxima, as it's motor runs like silk, and doesn't drip one drip of oil, nor smoke, and passes the California smog checks with flying colors. Also the Auto Tranny still shifts very smoothly too. The Automatic climate control works just fine. I don't want to invest in a newer car, when I have this one paid for. It's just that the ride on uneven road surfaces is transmitting those "thumps" more and more into the cabin. How much would I save doing the struts myself, and what tools would I need to buy or rent to do the job? I do know that I'd have to invest in a front end alignment after the struts are done.
