I am looking into buy a fine car (maxima) and I am not sure if I should get 5 speed or automatic. Shift looks like a lot of work from the passengers eyes and automatic seems almost too easy. I am thinking of getting a 5 speed and learning because of the speed increase and better control that i hear of but i want to hear the disadvantages from you guys. I heard its a real ***** goin up hills cuz if you stall out you just roll right back down the hill. Also, downshifting when coming to a stop, is that hard? Also, turning...what is the deal with that? Any and all input about 5 speed would be very helpful. Thanks.

 

I learned pretty much on this car, and it was cake. I had the basics all setup though from friends cars, but this is my first 5spd, and let me tell you, you learn quick on a hill, lol.

Downshifting you just gotta rev match to be nice on the clutch/tranny, and you will get the hang of it.

Its no different driving wise then an auto, but its much more fun to shift and have that control on the car. Trust me, just practice with the 5spd and you will be fine, and never look back to an auto again.

 

ummmm, i guess the best way i can describe it is like learning to ride a bike, its a pain at first but once you learn youll never forget.

 

I was learning on a friends mustang, kept bogging and stalling while trying to get into 1st. While driving though there was nothing to it...

 

WTF???? I'm sorry, but it just seemed like a bunch of weird questions. The only downside about owning a 5spd is living or driving in the city, cause it's alot of shifting. Course, I've never owned an automatic before. Personally, there are numerous adv. and disadv. on either side. About downshifting at a light, you don't need to do it gear by gear, just downshift when you come to the stop, not necessarily on your way there, cause that will put lots of wear on the clutch. Is this your first car that you are looking at, or just your first standard box that you are considering? It's easier to learn it hands-on, not over the internet though.

 

5 speed is of course more enjoyable with more control. But if you are in bumper-to-bumper traffic a lot, you might appreciate an auto. Also, if other people borrow your car a lot, manual can be an issue...

 

Yeah this will be my first car. Been driving auto trucks and vans and an early 90's hyundai or whatever that my dad beat into the ground (haha). But this will be my very own first car and deffinately first manual. What about turning?

 

go with 5 speed.. no matter what. Traffics can be a pain once in a while... but that's the only sacrifice. Else.. the 5spd has the edge.

 

Stick is a piece of cake.

I could drive it confidently in 2 days with my dad teaching.

The rest after that was just technique improvements.

 

Advantages:

1) Faster
2) Total control of car like already stated
3) more economical (burn less gas)
4) more reliable (auto trannies give out quicker)
5) Fun (driving an automatic is simply that: boring!)
6) Earn more respect from others on the road (sounds cheesy, I know, but it's like that believe it or not. I was 16 when I went to get my driver's license. I took my friends 91 ford probe, which happened to be stick. My point? I messed up on a number of things and thought I wasn't going to pass cause when told to park in reverse I got on the curb and the lady didn't like that. However, due to the fact that I drove stick, the lady had more respect for my driving and she let me repeat everything that I messed up on. Driving a 5-spd was like a "plus" right when she entered the car...I could really tell she was amazed cause almost nobody (at least here in USA) does their test in a 5-spd.

Disadvantages:

1) Your gf will hate you because your right hand is not where it's supposed to be!

 

But.................

does the clutch last? eh.

 

yup, theres some members running on stock clutch with 120k+ miles, and many have had their's replaced at ~90k and found that they could have used it much longer

 

Beautifully Put

The worst thing about a five speed is...well in my opinion nothing. In terms of the whole respect thing, everyone sort of just appreciates a car with a manual, anyone I've talked to anyway, it's almost as if they're surprised that cars are manufactured with a standard transmission. I've been driving manuals for well over a year and a half, and I could NEVER go back to an auto. My job requires me to drive cars all day most being automatics and the redundancy is just annoying. Pretty much just get something you won't end up regretting.

J

 

What do u mean does the clutch last? Of course it does! It all depends on how well you take care of your car that's what it always comes down to when referring no just to the clutch but ANY other component! I know people who drove like crap and had to change their clutch by 50K miles. I know others (my friend has 95 5-spd Maxima) with over 150K and an original clutch WHICH DOES NOT SLIP! He does not drive like a granny..believe me. Obviously if you rev to 5K RPM and drop the clutch in that range say 10 times a day, well then you might only get 10K out of it.

To conclude, I think your question was very vague IMO!!!!!

 

oh and as for turning, there's no difference, turn the wheel n steer, and of course downshift to keep from being in too high of a gear, its a piece of cake dude

 

Most important rule about shifting in a 5-spd is something I learned from my dad who drives a 5-spd for 30+ years now. I also heard many rally race car drivers talk about this....you MUST learn and get in the habit of shifting/down-shifting B E F O R E you enter the turn. This is by far the most important rule. Not that it changes anything or ruins anything if you change gears when turning...you just don't do that - getting back to this "better car control" issue etc.

 

As far as driving in bumper to bumper traffic with a stick, once you get the hang of it it's not that bad.
I can drive in stop and go traffic and almost never have to shift, it just takes technique.

 

i agree that the only disadvantage to having a 5 spd is when you're in bumper to bumper traffic. i am still on my stock clutch with 165k

 

get the stick. i wish i had a stick. automatic is an autotragic. at least ours is. when you stop on teh gas in an auto max it takes like a second or so for it to downshift. major bummer. even with a valve body mod your still not as quick or do you have as much control. basically everything BOSS said, is right =]

 

To me the biggest issue to take into consideration is how and what for do you use your car.
If for example you have a job that requires you to drive your car alot, like I do automatic is the answer (lots of shifting in traffic, meals on the road etc.)
If you are young and most of your time in a car is short trips and playing around stick is the
Learning stick is not hard, I would suggest doing it on a different car though.

 

I was spending an average of 2 -3 hours every day in Boston traffic...I had a 5-speed (not a max), and it was very annoying...you can learn to milk the clutch, but even that gets old. When I bought my max, I was glad it had an auto tranny, ...but since then I moved back to Maine...no bumper to bumper traffic..and I wish I could have a 5-speed for the max. The only thing I didn't like about 5-speeds is parking. I didn't feel as confident the car was not going to go anywhere by putting it in gear and e-brake vs. just putting it in park.

 

Advantages:
4DSC translates to manual transmissions, anyone who thinks an automatic is a better sports car either can't drive well, or can't drive at all.
(In theory,) you can drive through water and avoid it from stalling by riding your clutch, throwing some nice revs and keeping the speed down. (Does not hold with CAI or if your intake is exposed to water) .. I've always wanted to do this but never had the chance
More fun, more control, more activity
Heavier car.
Tranny can be beefed up easier, forced induction sounds tempting.

Disadvantages:
Fuel economy on an auto for the Maxima is better on the highway ( ), but is crappy in the city. Auto gearing lets the engine rev slightly lower on an automatic at highway speeds. most cars are the opposite though.
Tranny can't take much abuse with engine output "upgrades"

Oh I don't know .. it's late, I'm sleepy. I learnt to drive a manual on my dad's 1980 Mitsu Lancer and nothing like a 1.4L 5spd FR to wake you up to the joys of driving. I can't live without a manual now (my Max is an auto, my winter beater is a manual).

 

explain please

 

i have an auto.

Go with a 5 speed and just close the thread.

Trust us; we know.

 

let me take a stand for the automagics:

[advantage]
1. autos have better milage
2. there is no "miss gear" issues unless you choose to manually shift from 1-2-D.
3. as a daily driver, the autos will shift more smoother and takes the "luxurious" side of the maxima. the car itself will still produce 190HP at WOT, and they are still fast on the street.
4. if your opponent lose to you in a street race, you'll put them into more shame by beating them with a "automatic family sedan."

[disadvantage]
1-10: i think many people already point out the positives about 5-spd.





yes, i have to admit 5-spd is faster and funner. i understand the fact that driving a 5-spd earns more respect if it's well-driven. personally people respect me when i tell them i attempted to installed my y-pipe, intake and change my oils and spark plugs myself. they respect me as a responsible and safe driver on the road. they respect the passion, research, and hardwork into my maxima. despite the fact my drivetrain is an auto, i still enjoy driving an auto.

 

Advanteges besides the ones already listed :

1) At red light, when a riced up civic pulls up next to you and starts reving that gas saver, you would be able to smoke his a$$ by 1 car more than i would, which would make it a total of 1 mile EXACTLY!

Disadvantages:
Your gf might get 2nd ideas after seeing you play with that "stick" alot!

 

my 2 pennies...

stock clutch lasted 165000 miles....the clutch was still great itself, NO SLIPPING...and i like to beat on it....the throw out bearing is what died on mine, but after 8 years and hard shifting....i cant complain..today i get my car back with new clutch....and i cant wait!!!

 

I think 5 speeds have better gas mileage, of yeah 5 speeds are lighter also.

 

I wish I had a 5-speed but with the amount of driving I do it's just more economical for me to drive an auto....
get a 5-speed if you don't drive for a living.

 

5 speed. Anyone who tells you there are disadvantages other than stop and go traffic is bull****ting or can't drive stick. This is my first stick car and I had only driven one once or twice before this. You definitely need to practice but hills and stuff are easy once you know how to do it. I use the ebrake to prevent rollback on steep hills without even having to think about it. Downshifting is awesome once you learn to double clutch, rev-match, and heel-and-toe...an ongoing challenge.

Driving in traffic really isn't a big deal. You just ahve to get used to not creeping with every twitch of the traffic. You just let the cars in front go a little then put it in first and stay slow. Most of the time this will allow you to keep moving/catching up while the autios are ****ing around stopping 50 feet from the dude in front then creeping up. Once they're finally stopped for real youll catch up and stop too. not a big deal at all.

5 speed is fun and fast...I would never buy an auto again unless it was a truck for towing...and maybe not even then. There are no advantages to the auto except stop and go traffic if you know how to drive.

 

I drove for a living in my 5 speed for awhile....wasn't a big deal at all. I had to drive around and look at phone poles...low speed...stop and go...no problem.

 

5 speed is definetely the choice for performance and mileage reasons.

 

Can't believe you guys haven't posted this yet. If your battery dies on a manual trans vehicle, you can push start it,throw it in gear and run with a dead battery! Guess I've driven one too many beaters in my life!

 

good one, i've never had to do it with my max but when i had my eclipse i had to push start it a few times.

 

A friend of mine's brother had a Trooper with a dead battery o0r bad starter or both....can't remember. He didn't have the cash to fix it so he just always parked on hills. Dude was able to deal with that for quite some time I understand...

 

WHAH!?! I've always been more confident with a standard vs. auto in park. Either way, you should be using the PBrake everytime you park. Apply the brake first, then put it in park or let off the clutch...it helps prevent stress and possible slipping of the gears.

 

I have had both : stick and auto. get the stick. On a practical reliability side: the manual will never let you down. When the clutch starts wearing off it's useful life, after many many thousands milles, you can feel it and schedule a one day down time for a clutch change. The automatic tranny is likely to drop dead in the middle of nowhere with very little warning or none at all , disabling the car for a week or 2 , and requiring you to get a loaner car or rent another one: much much more expensive.

 

With regards to my previous post (about advantages of a 5spd and driving through water):

Source: Tips for Driving In Rain - Smart Motorist