i've been looking for a replacement for my 02 which was totalled back in may so i decided to only look at 6 speeds because i've always driven standard all my life but decide to get the auto cause of the wife. Well i test drove a silver 6 speed and wasn't to impressed. First of all from reading all the info on the org. most people seem to wanna make the 6 speed out to be so much quicker than the auto and i can tell you first hand it is not. A little quicker maybe but not by a huge amount. The length of the stick shift was like a truck or something, plus the steering felt lighter in the 6 speed. I am still buying the car because its a sweet ride. Loaded w/everything except navi. even has HLSD and plus i need a car like now.....Just felt like ranting this morning.....

 

If you don't like it don't buy it. The 6-speed is way quicker than the auto. They run much better in the ¼ mile stock.

 

Maybe you forgot how to drive a manual transmission. All the statistics show the 6-speeds are faster than the automatic! A good carpenter never blames his tools.

 

Never said that it wasn't faster just not way faster. Nope didn't forget how to drive a standard and never said i didn't like it, just the 6 speed is so over hyped that i was expecting more. Do i want another auto-hell no just thought i'd share my .02 that's it.

 

It's marginally quicker, but not by much, maybe a few tenths. The 3.0 manual vs auto is a much different story with the manual coming out nearly a second faster.

The 6speeds however aren't much different. Stock times are approximately .2-.4 faster. Where they really shine is going 70-mph+.

Glad you're sticking with the Max.

 

What color is it???

 

Silver w/grey leather and 40,000 miles. Dealer was asking 20,000 but with the help of a fellow org member chrOnos invoice i got them to agree to 17,999 and that was with nissan cert. used car warranty 7/100000 miles. The white one is still aval if anyone is looking for a 6 speed in the new england area.

 

Look into instaling a short throw shifter. Makes a big difference in driveability. It lets you shift faster before the motor looses too many RPM. The car feels faster with it.

 

6spds seem to get better gas mileage cause of over over drive on the freeway... a good reason why i would get one since we pay $2.60 for premium here in cali.

 

my only complaint about my 6-speed is the damn clutch travel...it does seem like a truck..i mean, my clutch engages around the same point that my stepmom's audi A4's clutch is when it's fully released....i tried shortening it using that g35 method, but when i did, it screwed up my cruise control, so i had to put it back to normal..it did seem a LOT shorter, but even then, it was longer than i've ever seen on a car....but other than that, i love it! this thing does get up and go whenever you want it to, almost effortlessly...i really have to push the A4 to accelerate, and with my car, i barely have to tap the accelerator...well good choice, and i hope it brings as many smiles to your face as it has done to mine!

 

"Way quicker" is reaching, they're close in pure acceleration, and that's IF the person driving knows how to launch a 3.5 with a stick (high tq and FWD undoubtedly takes some practice).

Good luck with the new ride.

 

i completely agree with the clutch travel...thats the one complaint i have. plus it doesnt seem to engage at the same point everytime. i have always driven cars with manual trannies and sometimes i feel like a newbie driving this thing. i just drive my girl jetta and realize its not me its the car. clutch is perfect on her car.
i didnt like the long throws of the shifter either but i fixed that with the STS

 

I thought I was the only one. My clutsh feels different from day to day also. I might try a fluid flush and see if that helps. Some of the cars could have left the factory with some crappy fluid or even sone air in the line.

 

You know you can adjust the cruise control unit as well if you want to lower the clutch a bit.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....clutch+shorten

 

Yes i notice that. The clutch grabs way up at the top instead of closer to the bottom. Don't understand way nissan made it that way. I also can't seem to adjust the seat comfortably yet but once i do the memory seats will be a plus

 

Deffinately get the 6-Speed the 5.5 gen Auto trannys are total garbage

 

I see where you're coming from, but there are those that have held up.

You have to take care of them .... VB mod ...

jimes has held up through some decent abuse...

Besides he's made up his mind, hes's just ranting ...

 

With all the tranny/driveline mods etc:

The 6 speed bushings, short throw shifter, ES motor mounts, clutch/flywheel and hlsd (which u got already). You get the real difference auto vs stick.
Otherwise, it's not a huge deal.

I know one guy had a modded torque converter on here awhile back, and auti guys got the vbmods, but stock for stock, anyone claiming this huge difference is bugging out, imo. Most guys aren't champion stick shifters here... It definatley hurts on the laucnh if you think about people not knowing the perfect way to launch our cars stick.

The quarter mile times are relatively similar auto vs stock, a few 10ths... Yet, you honestly are expecing a quantum leap difference? The difference is, a stick can be more fun to drive (or more annoying chose your opinion).

 

I totally agree with your reply. Like i said i used to drive a manual mazda protege and my sister owned the exact same car but it was an auto. man her car was slow as hell, but my manual was alot faster, but with 5.5 gen i don't feel the difference is that huge. The only thing i like more with my auto was the steering feel. The 6speed feels lighter for some reason compared to the auto

 

do a search for "free sts". you just move the pivot point about an inch, and it shortens the clutch travel in half. its free too, dont have to buy any kits.

 

From stock dynos back in the day, including mine, it was shown that the parasitic loss on 6speeds is ridiculously high. Once you start modding and free up that lost hp, I think you'll be a happy camper

 

You will get use to the clutch travel rather quickly and then it becomes a non-issue.

 

I am already getting use to it......I am also loving the extra features i didn't have in my other car like the bose which isn't as bad as everyone says and being that the car was a new york car i don't have to get the data dots done again.......

 

the BLOSE will suck eventually, trust me....i also think it sounds pretty good and am very satisfied with it...when it works....i'm on my 3rd HU though, and since i'm out of warranty, if it breaks again, either i'll just have to suffer with a POS stereo or go AM....sucks...

 

My Bose > yours...

 

umm..i'm no expert here, but i thought that it shortened the SHIFTER throw, not the clutch travel...am i missing something?

 

huh???
STS and clutch travel are two diffirent things. there is no free way to shorten the throws of the shifter.

 

you beat me..dam phone ringing!!

 

no, it's just that i can type faster than you kinda weird we saw that at the same time though considering it was from over an hour ago...

 

Anyone here have the SS clutch line in a 5.5 gen? If so did you feel any difference in clutch travel or anything else?