Ok, let me try to settle this question once and for all.

Stick vs Auto.

I now have a 2k 5-speed, BUT BEFORE, I had a 98 SE Auto.

and after driving many many Maximas, (mine, friends', dealers') for 3 years, this is my conclusion.

AUT0S DON'T FEEL THAT DIFFERENT AT ALL!
Yes, I honestly meant it.
I mean, it simply doesn't feel that different than stick!

Especially if you have a 95 or a 96, Whew!, those suckers are fast!

If you have a 5th gen auto, then it's a little different story, but for the 4th gen, you guys are lucky.

4th gen. autos shift very CRISP, I like that.
Yes, there are some bad things too, like bad gearing and stuff. I wish the 2nd gear was a little lower, have it go up to about 70 mph instead of 80+.

But let's put all that aside. The point is, it doesn't feel that much different than the stick.

I've read the thread below, and this guy said he chose the auto over the stick because he honestly did not feel that much difference after test driving both.
I absolutely agree with him.

If you are an auto owner, and if you have the chance to drive a stick once in a while, it will seem to feel helluva lot faster than your auto. But your brain is fooling you, it feels so much faster because you can hold gears and redline easily. BUT:
if you drive a stick everyday, your brain will adjust and won't give you that false conception.
If you drive an auto after driving a stick for many many days, (like I do when I drive my brother's 98 auto once in a while), the auto will not feel any slower at all.
I mean it, trust me.

weird. When I had the auto, i thought 5-speed was all that.
It is not. It just feels exceptionally faster during those occasional test drives. But drive one EVERYDAY, like I do, and you will realize what I'm talking about.

Heck, sometimes, my cousion's 96 auto feels faster than my 2k 5-speed!

Of course 5-speeds are a tad bit faster due to lower gearings and less internal loss, but what i'm saying is, autos aren't that bad at all because they feel just as fast as a stick when driven hard.
You guys are not missing out. There are many times I wish I had gotten an auto.

Maxima autos feel pretty fast relative to their stick counterparts becasue the VQ is such an awesome engine.
and because 4th gen. are light.

 

thanks artic for telling us this to auto users
like me, now i'm happy
is 95 auto 6.7 too?
that manual right?
then what' auto

 

I traded in a 93 300 ZX 2+2 for my car and while sometimes I regret it, I then remember that the primary reason I wasn't happy with that car was the 5 speed; also the light beige leather interior & suede looking stuff was wearing out fast & bad. But anyways, a stick for someone that does a lot of city driving sucks unless you're young and haven't done that enough. Sure if your performance minded first and like to burn rubber and stuff it's cool. But if you're really performance oriented you'd be driving a beamer or something else. Maximas are 4 door sedans with alot of power for not too much money, that's why I bought mine anyways. Plus lots of reliable experience with Nissan's in my past. This automatic is great and when I stomp on it on the freeway and leave people behind fast I wish I was a fly in there car to hear them say "wow, that car is quick" because IT IS and since most of us are not track racers, there's no need for the 5 speed.

 

Yay, someone who isnt putting down our slushbox! The auto's reant that much slower but there is a diff. Somewhere around a .3-.5 sec difference.

 

I don't argue with ppl that has stick
Vic

 

My comments aren't meant to argue, just to justify my choice that's all. I hear alot of people put down autoboxes so that's why I may sound arguementative, defensive is probably the better choice. Peace.

 

I wanna beleive its true too and someoene who has a stick saying the auto's aren't that much slower or not much diff. sure is reassuring...i've always REALLY wondered only because i have an auto. Love it soo far and am toying with the idea of SC'd next year!????who knows