Let me first begin by saying that before I bought the maxima I was driving around a 97 civic. It was great on gas so I never really utilized 5th gear to its potential. The tank was so cheap to fill up and in combination of a tall 5th gear in a torqueless car, it was just easier to keep it in 4th for most driving. I only used 5th on highways where I could cruise without worries.
I applied a similar philosophywith my shifting when I picked up my Maxima but I quickly realized two things. First, 5th gear is pretty damn short, the drop in RPMs is rather miniscule. Second, and most importantly there is passing power in 5th making constant up and down shifts less frequent. When I drive around town I usually shift it all the way up to 5th and cruise, RPM's permitting.
What I learned is that my gas mileage got a lot better since I started doing this. I love the 5th gear in our Max's. Sure we may lose some gas efficiency on a highway but it seems that we more than make up for it around town.

 

plus hondas suck

EVERONE SHOULD OWN A MAXIMA

B

 

Haha, I dont know about you but I would trade my Maxima for an S2000 in 2 seconds flat.

 

screw an S2000 i used to beat those in my altima. I just love Nissans and hate those little honda drivin fawkers that speed around town in there 1.6L engine thinkin their shat is fast just because it has that damn H on the front. but that is only my 2cents to each his own.

B

 

w3rd..........................

 

Im not sure i know what you mean? Im not to familiar with 5-speed terminology, Im not sure whats short, long? I know gear ratios though. can you try to explain more? how does that give you better gas milage? is it in relation to your civic? tall 5th gear in a torqueless car? It was great on gas so you never really utilized 5th gear to its potential? If you think i dont know anything and you dont want to waste your time. that cool too. Peace

 

When you drive a car with very little torque like the civic you achieve most of your power in the upper part of your RPM band. Combined with a tall 5th gear, basically meaning that your RPMs will be very low when you are in it unless you are doing 85 on the highway, accelerating is useless. If I would throw it into 5th while going 45 my RPMs would be somewhere around 2k RPM. There is very lilttle power at that RPM and attempting to pass anything that is moving becomes basically impossible, even if you floor it. To save myself the hassle of constantly shifting I would keep it in 4th gear.

With the Maxima, there is ample torque in the lower RPM band. Furthermore, because 5th gear is short, the RPMs drop only a little bit instead of much more if the gearing was taller. The result is that the RPMs remain a little higher which sacrifices gas efficiency on highways, but you gain passing ability and overall better gas mileage in town because you cruise around in 5th without the RPMs dropping too low.

I hope that helped a bit...

 

^^^^ - nicely said.

 

i would have to agree!!!

 

I didnt want to call BS on him but I cant imagine him beating an S2000 in an actual race. There is more to an S2000 besides drag racing, too. Take that sucker around the bends one day and tell me your Altima can still hang. That car is sexiness on 4 wheels.

 

altima wasnt stock not at all (sr20det and more). I race a couple when i had it and trust me there was no comparison. The only one that ever beat was this black one with a widebody kit fawker was turbo'd out the ****. he got me off the line i caught him in second once he hit third i was like . Maybe a little and i could have taken him. I wont deny they are nice and they drive really well but i dont like hondas plus im a big guy and that car is a little small for me. I'd take on if i was offered one but i wouldnt trade my max for it. my 2cents

B

 

Touche

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