ok I'm new to this board, so let me introduce myself. My name is Igal, I live in Toronto and just placed an order for a 2002 6-spd SE.
I have a question about the limited slip option on the SE. I understand that Helical limited-slip differential is not available yet but the salesperson told me that my car comes with the previous version of limited slip diff. Does this sound right? how do I find out if it actually has this option (I know that HLSD comes with metal drilled pedals)?
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Igal, I'm in the same position you are in about the differential. I was supposed to receive my 6spd this week. After many discusion about the differential the dealer finally fessed up that my car was not being delivered with HLSD after repeatedly assuring me that it would. I am now waiting for the Dec. production run which will have HLSD. If you are thinking about buying the inital production run 6spd I can't tell you anything conculsive. Nissan Canada is giving me one version and the dealer is giving me a different version. Note though that Nissan Canada I think is more trustworthy than the dealer. They all along were telling me that the first 6spd's would have a standard or open differential while the dealer was telling crap about all cars have HLSD. The dealer even now still insists that the inital production run has "some sort" LSD but that he didn't know for sure. Personally I thinks Nissan Canada is right and the car is being delivered with an opend diff.

If you are looking for more info on this do a search on the words "HLSD". I along with others have shared quite a bit of info.

Regards,
Rudy

 

When I went to my dealer to test the 6 speed in Calgary he said the initial ones will not have LSD. The HLSD production is November. He also said that will be an extra charge.

 

I'm waiting for the helical limited slip diff, but I would like to know what type of differential is in the standard model.

I found the following to be helpful. I believe a HLSD is most like the Torsen described here:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm

 

The local dealer that I will be getting my 2002
6-spd HLSD Maxima told me back in August that the
first batch of 6speed manuals produced by Nissan
will not be available until November. He can't
even order an HLSD-equipped 6speed until November
at the earliest. Basically, he told that his
first batch of 6 speeds coming in November would
have open differentials. His second batch of
6 speeds coming in the January/February timeframe
will have HLSD. I live in the San Francisco Bay
Area, so I don't know if you'll be getting the
same Maximas up in Canada.

I thought that Canadian Maximas come standard with
some sort of LSD. I guess this not true for the
2k2 Max.

 

I'm in a similar position (here in Ottawa Canada) in that my 6 speed Grey car will be delivered next week, and while I know for sure it ain't gunna have HLSD I was sure hoping it would have a Viscous LSD like the 5 speed cars of 2001. I'm going out at lunch today to drive my friend's black 6 speed (he took delivery yesterday) and was hoping he'd let me do a little tire spinning exercise which might help answer the question.

I know there are some people who've had 6 speed cars for a while, haven't any of you guys done any tire spinning and then checked the marks left on the pavement?

 

So, are the none HLSD 6-spd cars come with VLSD? or any other LSD?

 

Hi, my name is Rick and I just received my 2002 6 speed yesterday and live in Ottawa. My buddy (who has his on order and is extremely envious of me getting mine first when we both ordered them on the same day)and me just did a little test in the parking garage whereby I moderately reved the engine and let the clutch out. To our delight it laid down 2 identical tracks 7 feet long. I figure all the 6 speeds are coming with last year<s limited slip until the helical is available. I am totally satisfied with the performance we saw with this little test and do not see any further advantage to having the helical.

 

THANKS Rick!!! I feel much better about my choice.
Have a great weekend.

 

What Rick didn't mention was that his car doesn't have the drilled metal pedals which in 2001 was an indicator of a LSD equipped car. Go figure, but I sure think after the little lunch hour demonstration there's no way Rick's car could have an "open" diff. since the black marks were so perfectly symmetrical. Frankly I couldn't give a damn about having drilled metal pedals, but I sure was relieved to see evidence of the LSD. And for the life of me I can't figure out what the big deal with HLSD is, and I used to drag race a seven second motorbike so I do have an appreciation for traction issues.

Since there seem to be a lot of differences between how Nissans are sold in the US and how they're sold in Canada I wouldn't be so sure that the conslusions we've drawn with Rick's car today would apply to the US market cars.

BTW I got my fully loaded SE 6 spd. for roughly $34,500 Canadian which translates to about $22,000 US guven current exchange rates. When I build up a similarly equipped car on the Nissandriven.com site it comes to around $32,000 US. Again, go figure.

 

I've been doing a little reading around trying to figure out what the advantage is, to try and justify waiting the extra months until I get my car. If I'm understanding things correctly (no guarantees there), the HLSD transfers more torque to the wheel with traction than VLSD is capable of, and does so more quickly and more smoothly. Will I ever notice the difference in the daily driving I do? Maybe on a couple of my favorite corners, but probably not otherwise. Still, it is convenient for me to wait for the HLSD availability, so I will.