Hello there,
I have currently a maxima 97 auto 170k miles for a year now...I'm satisfied with it , apart from the color (gold) and the tranny (auto)...thinking about getting a maxi 5th gen or 5.5 gen manual....just wanted to ask the 5th gen community whether to go with the 5th or the 5.5 gen...is there a MAJOR difference performance wise between them ? 3 vs the 3.5 L and 5 vs 6 manual tranny ? does it worth MUCH to look for a 5.5 rather than 5th ? I don't race and I am pretty **** about any car I use,even not lettin the wify drives mine............do you think I will regret buyinga 5th rather than a 5.5 ? will I probably be very happy with a decent 5th manual rather than a 5.5 or my current 97 auto ?

your input and experience in 5th gen max will be much appreciated
thanks

 

My personal choice is the 5.5. More power. Better looking front end imo. 5.5's come in 5speed as well btw.

 

3.0 = 5 spd
3.5 = 6 spd

3.5 has oil consumption issues and gearing crunch issues... 3.0s have coil issues.

They are both great cars.

 

2000-01.......VQ30DE.....222 hp......5th Gen
2001 AE.......VQ30DE.....227 hp......5th Gen
2002-03.......VQ35DE.....255 hp......5.5th Gen

Why not try to get a 33 hp headstart going with a 5.5th Gen.....The VQ35 ironically started out as a Pathfinder motor IIrc in 1995....since the pathfinder was growing and getting a bit heavy Nissan needed a higher torque engine to move that suv along with some authority!

 

5.5 / 6MT is the only way to go

 

Plus the 5.5 has additional creature cormforts.

 

95, are you serious?


Anyway, OP, I went from a 95 to an 03 ... You'll love the 5.5gen.

 

If you go 5th gen, find the AE. Period. If not, pass the 5th gen and get the 5.5 gen. From what I hear of the 5.5, aside from the potential oil consumption, the only thing that really irritates people is the sloppy/soft stock suspension. For some reason, people have stated it "feels" sloppier than the 5th gen.

Who knows, but good luck!

 

thanks...I know all the tech spec. ........... I need the personal experience

 

I've got an 01 AE 5spd. My younger bro has an 02 6spd. I absolutely love the AE's looks, wish I had a 6spd, don't mind the .5L difference in engine size. It's all down to personal preference. If I hadn't found an AE I would've looked for a 5.5. I swapped the 5.5 HIDs into my AE, as well.

 

This is pretty good advice. The 2001 AE was the cream of the crop for the 5.0 gen... a little more HP, side-skirts and front-lip, luxury interior.

In addition to 255 crank HP from the 3.5L, the 5.5 gen has HID headlights, clear tails, side-skirts by default. There are probably numerous other details, but those are the things that come to mind.

Considering that it's now 2010, you're best best is to go with a 5.5 gen, since the cost difference between an 8 year old car and a 9 year old car is probably negligible.

By way of experience, as you're asking... I used to own a 1999 SE 5MT. Can't say as I've any significant hands-on experience with a 2000-2001 Maxima, though.

 

Wish I had luxury interior in mine. Mine didn't come with the leather package. Cloth, manual a/c, and manual passenger seat.

 

I stand corrected. I was under the assumption the AE came loaded with everything except nav. Apparently not. Regardless, you and your brother's car is exactly the kind of experience the OP is looking for.

One more thing, OP, the 2003 model had a late-model year option known as the Titanium Edition. It's kind of the 5.5 gen's marketing equivalent to the 5.0 gen's AE. (Not getting the TE option 8 years ago is my only regret.)

 

Was NAV even available in 01?

 

I don't know... gee, now I'm 0 for 2 on what I (don't) know about the AE.

Then again, to say "everything but nav" isn't necessarily incorrect, just misleading.

 

I don't think so. Maybe on the i30, but definitely not on the maxima. The 00-01 i30s had an option for a compass mirror. I just bought one out of a part-out from an 01 i30. Direct plug-n-play.

 

Yea I can understand why you would think that. My AE is the only one I've ever seen that hasn't had leather. I do have heated seats and side mirrors, though!

 

My SE is the only one I've ever seen that doesn't have a sunroof.

That's the Meridian option package.

My '03 rear view mirror has an auto-dimming feature, which comes in handy sometimes. It came standard on the SE and GXE. I don't think the GLE had that... but wouldn't be surprised now to be wrong about that, too.

 

Was it called meridian in 01?

 

That's what the original window sticker calls it.

 

I need that when it's frozen outside. Stupid mirrors never clear up.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but was it the 96 Pathfinder, and it was a the VQ33?

 

According to Wiki...

"The second generation was introduced in 1996 with more rounded styling. .......The engine was upgraded to the VG33E, with 168 hp (125 kW) and 196 lb·ft (266 N·m) torque. For the 1999 1/2 model year, the Pathfinder was freshened. 2001 brought a new 240 hp (179 kW) V6 Engine, the VQ35DE..."

 

My 02 GLE has everything. Navi, heated seats and mirrors and *ahem* the auto-dimming mirror. I tinted my windows so that kinda negated the auto-dim feature...it is a nice feature though.

 

Oh crap. Zero for three...

OP, I have no idea what I'm talking about. Disregard all my posts in this thread.








...but get yourself a 5.5 gen anyway.

 

huh .. wiki is correct.. now let's put our tools away so we don't reinvent the wheel ...again

 

Just swap a 3.5 in your A32 and get it over with.

All the other cosmetic crap can be taken care of.

 

 

It was the VG series back then. Not powerful but really reliable engines.

 

this i know. i got that steering wheel roy.

 

Sweet...

You back in Washington or what? If not, WTF are you doing this weekend? Wife and kid are going out of town.