stevepake

Well, after I met up with UMD_MaxSE and noticed how there was a good bit more front passenger leg room than in my Accord I got curious and thought that might translate into more leg room on the driver's side as well.

So I went to the local Nissan dealership and sat in a 2001 Maxima SE w/leather seats and I had the same problem in fitting in the Maxima as before!!

I was at the 2000 Philly auto show and I tried to sit in a Maxima then but I couldn't even get in the thing! I thought it was a 5th Gen but now that I've thought about it for a little while I remember it was actually a 4th Gen and that the line was too long to sit in the new (at the time) 5th Gen Max.

Anyways, so it was actually a 4th Gen Max that I tried to sit in at the time and I couldn't even sit down in it for some reason. I'm a big guy: 6'3", 270lb, 34" inseam so it's a lot of leg.

But I had the same damn problem in a 5th Gen. The problem is that the center console on the dash sweeps down to the shifter area instead of sort of being left separated as it is in my Accord. With the more "flowing" design in the Maxima, this gives me a lot less lateral leg/knee room. The problem is that when you have long legs they sorta stick up higher than someone with shorter legs, and then all of a sudden you have almost no leg clearance between the steering wheel, and the sweeped center-dash/shifter area.

D'oh!!!

When i tried to sit in this 5th Gen I couldn't even get in it and get my right leg down to where it should be without releasing the e-brake. The seat wasn't all the way back so I moved it back, and even then I had almost no right leg room. I sat there playing with the seat for a good 5 minutes and couldn't find anything that was workable. I did finally find something that sorta worked, but the seating position was just so weird and I seemed so out of position that it never would have worked.

...and I thought I didn't fit well in my Accord! I fit in a 5th Gen (and 4th gen Max) even WORSE!

So anyways, there will probably not be a 5th Gen Maxima in my future

I'm still going to look at the 2k2 Altima when it comes out, and I'll take a look at the redesigned 2k3 Maxima when it comes out, but no 2k2 Max 6-spd for me

DenMax

I'm 6'6" and 230lbs. It takes some work to get in without tearing your knee open on the e-brake. 36in inseam. But now I'm kinda used to it. Sux though, we wanted you to come over to the good team. hehehahaha. What are you thinking about getting???

stevepake

dayum!!! You're even bigger than I am - and you actually fit!!

HOW???

If you can fit then I can fit so there might still be hope for me

Is just getting in the tough part? How do you have the seat positioned? Like I said, I played around and could never find anything that was both comfortable and had good right leg/knee clearance/freedom at the same time. Is your right leg pretty restricted but you're just used to it? Is it okay on long drives?

There might still be hope...I need some tips from the bigger guys

max2001se

Sorry to hear that the max won't work out. You are more of a maxima enthusiast then I am and I have a max! Maybe in 2k3!

punkdork

I'm only 6'1 or so and I always hit my legs when turning the wheel. I also have problems wedging my legs under the wheel while getting in the car.

DenMax

I've always had Nissans, so I think it's just getting used to not "fitting" in my cars and just dealing with it. I also have my wheel almost all, if not all the way, tilted up. Steve being 270 you gotta a little more meat on your bones than I do. So I can imagine some discomfort. But again if you find a comfy position, sometimes it'll grow on ya. I had to train myself to get into my w/o cracking the e-brake by folding my leg on the way in. Kinda monkey swinging from the a-pillar, wierd but works, and now I can enjoy my max. Also, try renting one for a week or so and see if you can't find a comfy position to drive in. Good luck!!

UMD_MaxSE

iTrader: (1)

hmmm...sorry to hear that Steve. I am also 6'2" or so, but the only problem I have is the same as punkdork's....

My seat is as far back as it goes and reclined quite a bit. Steve, sit in the drivers seat of my car sometime to make sure.....

BTW, did you hook up your mods yet?

stevepake

Will do. Because I'm 270lb my leg is also quite a bit meatier...heh heh. This was preventing me from having any sort of wheel-leg-console clearance or movement when I sat in one. The next time we meet up I'll give yours a try.

Speaking of which...I got my Denso Iridium Plugs installed last week - they're giving me a really nice boost in low-end torque. The AEM CAI is going in on Monday so maybe we can meet up sometime next week for lunch. Any day is good except for Tuesday (and Monday this coming week only). Maybe Paul2kGXE or any other guys in the area might want to get together too.

RussMaxManiac

Sounds like there is more too it. I am 6'0, and I had a friend that was 6'8 sit in my car without a problem. I have way too much extra leg room and actually have to move the seat up a bit. I know someone who is on this board as well that owns a 4th gen, I look up at him, he is like 6'9 I would say, and he fits fine in his 4th gen. So I have no idea what the problem is.

stevepake

Well dammit, then why the heck do I have so much trouble fitting. I'll have to meet up with UMD_MaxSE and maybe some others in my area and see what the trick is because I sure as heck couldn't fit in the Max SE I sat in very well at all.

Maybe this is similar to the issue I have with the 4th Gen Camry's. I can fit in my dad's 98 LE without power seats, but not at all in my mom's 2000 XLE WITH power seats. For some reason there's a little less room in the Camry with power seats, and it's enough that my knees bang on the dash and I can't drive the car.

Hmm...maybe my leg is extremely long from my hip to my knee, but shorter from my knee to my foot. That would be rather disproportional but it wouldn't surprise me either.

Call me a freak!

UMD_MaxSE

iTrader: (1)

Steve, if you are free next week some time, just let me know. We can meet up. Paul is also in the area so maybe he can come along also. Just drop me a line at my work e-mail address.....

MajesticBlueNTO

iTrader: (6)

steve, i'm 6'1" 210lbs and have very long legs for my height

i actually sit with the seat about 3/5 to 3/4 way back and rest my right leg on the "flowing" console while driving

it didn't take that long to find a comfy driving position, considering my other car is a 92 Integra with the butt-bolster worn down a taste

cheers

ed571

Steve, just take out the front seats and sit in the back while driving

Seriously thou, im 6'3 227lbs w/ 34 inseam too and just have a little trouble sometimes getting in the cockpit and the steering wheel tilt flat out bites! I have to actually lean in and support most of my weight on the armrest with my forearm and wiggle in (Broke my Ford Explorer armrest this way).

Mr. Green

iTrader: (2)

I'm 6 feet and 265lbs and at first the seating position seemed weird. Seat lowered all the way down, the steering wheel all the way up, the seat 2/3 the way back & and the backpart at about 75 degrees. After about an hour of driving it I had no problems, I lean my right leg up against the center console and actually find it to help on long trips.
It just takes getting used to. I've owned 13 cars and had to get used to every one of them.
The renting idea sounded like a good one though.

Y2KevSE

iTrader: (13)

ArcticMax

cause I'm 5-11 and 195

too bad for you tall folks. You will NEVER feel comfortable in an S2000. I sat in one, and I had just enough room. I can't imagine how much tighter it must be for you guys.

and by the way, shame on you if you can't dunk a basketball!

I'm 5-11, but can still dunk a volleyball, I know i can dunk a basketball if I was just a tad bit taller. LIke 6-3 or something.

lee

And I've found a way to fit not only in my 00 Maxima but also in my wife's 96 Sentra (that was difficult . The emergency brake is a real problem for me, too. I also wish Nissan would hurry up and go to a better design for the steering column that will allow more tilt and maybe even telescoping.

Anyway, I do what lots of other people here have mentioned. I fold my right leg on entry, have the seat back as far as it will go, and have the seat reclined quite a bit. My legs are more confined than in my old car (an Oldsmobile 88), but it's not bad at all. I have taken several long trips in my Maxima with no problems.

FtNx

This is a dumb question, but are you sure that the seat was LOWERED all the way and not just all the way back? As I'm sure you know, you can raise/drop both the front and rear section of the seat. I myself am typically more comfortable with the front only slightly higher than the back, which I have to the floor. However, I am 6' (with three pairs of socks on) and find I myself better accomodated in my new (5th gen.) Maxima with both sections to the floor. This is unfortunate, as this is not my true preference. Nevertheless, it's not really a big deal so I'm working it out of my system. I just thought I would throw that out there. Incidentally, I have about a 32" inseam and I can imagine the consequence of a few more inches. Sorry about your dilema.

freeze2k2

This thread has turned into a personal stats. So having said that im 5'9 175 lbs. Turn-ons are hot blondes, stacks of cash, and long tropical vacations. Turn-offs are working full time, high gas prices and sh!tty drivers.

azylstra

I'm 5'11" 135 lbs., have no problem fitting in both J30 and 2k I30. My legs are long 34" inseam but I just put the seat all the way back, the bottom cushion adjusted so the back is all the way down and the front is all the way up. I keep the steering wheel pretty far down with no problem. I think the trick is to lose weight. When I was 200 lbs. it was hard to get in and out of any car and I always had to put the steering wheel way up. Many cars were uncomfortable as well. Life is much easier now and I can enjoy a lot more cars.

Maximam

And now with the '02 Max, the seat is raised so the women can see over the steering wheel. I think the seating position on the 2k1 max is all ready too high.

Mark

Paul6speed

Yeah, we got to meet up soon. Hopefully this week. I want to check out your Accord.

Strange about people not fitting in. I had a problem with my 4th gen, but not my 5th gen. I'm 6-2 280.

nc00max

damn, and I felt short before. I'm 5'7", 155 lbs. Is there anyone else here who's not a basketball star?

stevepake

you guys have given me a ray of hope now!!

Some of you guys are similar to my size if not bigger and if you guys can fit then I should be able to as well, so maybe I might just be able to get a 2k2 Max afterall

I'll have to meet up with UMD_MaxSE and/or Paul2kGXE who are both in my area and try out this fold-your-right-leg-while-getting-in trick because I absolutely could not get into the Maxima I sat in at a dealership, nor really find a good seating position.

BTW, I figured out what was causing my lower back pain. It wasn't the seating position in my Accord, but rather the old crusty shoe insole supports that I had been using for oh the past 2 years or so without replacing them. These are the Dr. Scholl thingies that some of you might stick in your shoes. Anyways, I put a fresh pair of these shoe-pad things in and now my lower-back pain has all but gone away.

I also found a MUCH better seating position in my Accord that's much more comfortable as well, so the seating/comfort issue is no longer a problem - thank God!

So that's one less reason to get a Max, but it looks like my fitting issues is worse in the Maxima anyways - so at least now I don't have to worry that I might have to trade in my Accord for something even worse - a Toyota Avalon with BENCH SEATS!!!!!

Now that's a nightmare that I wouldn't want to come true!! LOL.

UMD_MaxSE

iTrader: (1)

bench seats?? never......

lee

Hey, bench seats can have their (romantic) advantages...

Y2KevSE

iTrader: (13)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Paul6speed

I met up with Steve tonight. We swapped cars and drove around. Looks like the fit isn't as bad as the previous Maxima he tried on for size. His long legs still do touch the center console though. I'm tall 6-2 and fat, but 1 inch shorter than Steve and I have shorter legs - 32 inseam.

I gave Steve a hell run down a windy road to show him what a Maxima can do with a RSB and FSTB. I think he enjoyed it.

stevepake

Hey Paul, it was nice to meet you and hang out for a bit tonight and thanks for letting me try out your Maxima

Yeah, the way you had your seat set I was able to get right into the Maxima without much trouble, even with the e-brake up, although that was still a bit of an obstacle.

The seating position was real good and comfortable, but my main issue is lack of clearance between the center console, my right leg, and the steering wheel. My leg is very meaty so there isn't much room, but if I sort of fold my right leg a bit so that the right side of my foot hits the pedals instead of dead on then I had enough room, but my leg was still resting against the console.

So I can actually fit fairly comfortably in a 5th Gen, but I really just don't have the right-leg movement freedom and flexibility that I have in my Accord. I felt comfortable enough driving Paul's Max that I could drive one on a daily basis, but I'm just not sure if I'd want to or not. I think 260HP and a 6-spd would be enough to convince me, though. Or even 260HP + a non-short-shifting automagic

Paul let me open it up on his Maxima (thanks, Paul!) and I experienced first hand that crappy 5900rpm shift point. That was really disappointing and because of that the Maxima felt a bit slow and sluggish to me. Later in the drive when Paul was driving he powershifted it at redline and then it felt hella fast just like it should. That would drive me crazy!

God Damn Dude!!!! Holy Shia! Paul was ripping through turns so damned fast on these back roads that I thought I was gonna make a big wet smelly mess in Paul's car!!!

The Accord V6 is setup more for cruising, and that's just fine for me with all of the highway driving that I do. But GOD DAMN CAN THE MAXIMA HANDLE!!!!! Paul took turns so fast that my Accord would have crashed into trees but the Maxima turned almost like it was on rails. I have new found respect for what the Maxima can do in the twisties now!!! My Accord wouldn't be able to do that without some serious $$$ put into wheels/tires and major suspension work.

My Accord V6 may be able to hold its own against an automagic Max in a straight line, but damn if I'm racing I'd better pray we don't hit any turns! LOL ;-)

===============

Anyways Paul, it was nice to meet up with you and thanks for letting me take your Maxima for a spin. I'm glad you liked my Accord V6 too - that AEM CAI Intake is cool, ain't it?? ;-)

Paul6speed

Yeah that was fun. I've actually taken those turns a little faster, but I rather do that alone and not with passengers.

The AEM intake setup on the Accord is sweet. I wish the PRCAI was as easy to install. We have to drill a 3.5" hole in the inner fender. It sounded awesome under WOT. I took a few pics, which I'll upload soon.

UMD_MaxSE

iTrader: (1)

so who won in a straight line?

UMD_MaxSE

iTrader: (1)

BTW Steve: you can take my car for a spin also sometime.....to test out the y-pipe

stevepake

haha, well we didn't line up. Maybe we should have but it was getting pretty late by the time we got done taking each other's cars for a spin. Maybe next time

Stock vs. Stock it would have been real close, but now that I've got some power mods I think I would have taken him - but not if he powershifts at redline - then it would probably be real close again.

Hey Paul - wanna line up the next time we meet late??

UMD_MaxSE

iTrader: (1)

oh, i see... thats cool....would have been an interesting race. next time for sure....