I almost got a Benz Clk 320 before I bought a 2004 Maxima 6 speed.I am so glad I am sticking with the manual transmission, plus the Maxima looks to be a great car for my line of work. I was looking for over 2 months for the 6 speed model and dang it was in short supply. Auto's were plently but I didnt want to go that route...So what's the deal with the short supply?

My understanding is that about 1-2% of 04-06 Maximas were 6 speed manuals. When I was looking for one in 04, one stealership told me there was no such thing as a 6 speed manual. I too think its the tranny of choice. The guy who drove my car from south orange county to where I bought it said it felt faster than the Z of its day.

I've got an '05 Maxima SE, 6 speed. Love driving it, but hate the car at the same time for all the major repairs I've had to do. Getting ready to put in a new catalytic converter.

I bought it only because I happened to stumble on it being in the lot of a local dealer.

When I first bought it, I put premium fuel in it and it was fast.

Damn, you sound like me...except that i have an 04....i love the car but hate it at the same time for the same reason...Nissan needs to do better.

Wow you guys dislike your cars? I felt the maxima was a better daily drive out there vs other cars...so what problems do you guys have?

This is definitely not the standard, I have had my car for over 6 years since new and with 95k now and barely ever an problem!

It does make me feel better to come here and see everyone else's issues that are similar to mine.

All the posts here have saved me a lot of money on doing simple repairs that would otherwise cost me money at the stealership. For example, replacing headlights and fog lights.

Guys, don't feel bad about your cars. I know for a fact that all Maximas that drive out from the assembly plant will not last for same number of years. I don't know why, but it is my personal observation. Some people will get 200k plus miles on their cars with no major repairs, while some will barely get 120k and would have spent on major repairs. I don't know, but I think some cars just happen to last more than others. I am talking here about people who do regular maintenance on their cars.

I have 06 Maxima SE 6 spd manual, no issues, got 43K.

WHAT? I am guessing your Max is not your daily driver. For 43k in 4 years? Good for you!

My 08, which is my daily driver, has 45k and of course, I have only changed tires, oil, air filter and cabin filter! The way I religiously maintain my car, the only major service I will do before I hit 100k, will be to change my brake pads and rotors.

I am hoping and i don't expect anything to go wrong with the car. knock on wood!

Correct, not a daily driver but I do drive it. No so much lately because of the 07-08 front swap.

Are you saying those who have problems do not regularly maintain theirs cars and thats the reason they have such problems? Correct me if i am i wrong.

Nope. You misunderstood me.

For those who faithfully maintain their cars, for some reason, a major part might just still fail with no fault of theirs. That is why though we all maintain our cars faithfully, some people still have some major parts go out. For example, I have been reading on the 7thgen site and a couple of them have had their telescopic steering wheel stuck! Thank God still under warranty and was covered. See? That is what I mean. But some people have never had a problem with their telescopic wheels. I drive a 6thgen and mine has never had any problem, but surprised to find out that about some 7thgens. If that happens after warranty is over, one is stuck with a big bill!

So, for those that do not keep up maintenance very well on their cars, it is likely problems might follow very often.

i wish the 7th gens came with a 6 spd

The demand for the manual went down and nissan realized this and killed the manual.

i have a 05 6 speed manuel maxima and i took it to the dealership just to see what i can get out of it..... they said they have never seen a maxima that was manuel but the down side to it was that it drops the price

When I was looking for a 1-2 year old manual 2 years ago, many dealers told me they didn't exist, as they tried to sell me an automatic.

The real limited 04 6spd Manual was the one with the beefed up Limited Slip Differental Option!!!

My max is a 04 with 87k and still no problems?? I don't Think every single car that rolled off the assembly plant is bad. My sister has a 06 and she had her tranny go out with 75k but the only thing the tranny shop replaced was the valve body acording to them that's the culprit they say they have maximas come in and out and that's the only thing on average they change out and the car runs better and has no hard shifting.

I have an 2006 smoke 6spd with 78k+ miles no problems; met her with 6 miles! Knocking on wood! About to do a break upgrade she doesn't really need but getting it out the way.

Everytime I get an oil change, new tires or etc.. techs are shocked to see that the Max is a 6spd.

I'm still so in love with her!

Is it possible to change a 5 speed into a 6th speed manuel.

Are you talking about your 5.0 gen? If so, this is the wrong place to ask.

Generally, yes you can do the swap. From a financial point of view, its better to sell your car and buy a car with the 6 speed in it.

***Im assuming you mean a 5 speed auto on a 6th Gen. If you are talking about 5 speed manual on a 5th Gen, check the 5th Gen forum***

Reverse back out of the driveway , go back south 1 block and make a right turn into
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)

If you go further North and Hit 7th Generation Maxima (2009-)

you've gone too far , go back down I-95 South and Exit :

5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)


Otherwise the answer is YES you can convert a Auto = Manual

If you look at his profile he's got an 01. So I'm assuming 5spd manual to 6spd manual. That's why I said he is in the wrong place.

Just got my car guys happy with the 6 speed but the funky left the ring to go into reverse is silly lol..I'll be posting in another post with lots of questions

It was not beefed up or whatever you mean by that. It was exactly like the 5.5 gen manual but with revised internals.

Read further.

The manuals in 6th gens had revised 3rd gear synchros to prevent the typical crunch people had in the 5.5gen manuals.
Also they had a lower final drive since all 6th gen manuals came equipped with 18 inch wheels from the factory.
And not all 6th gen manuals were hlsd. Majority of them were open diff just like the 5.5gen manuals. And in the laters year of the 6th gen nissan stopped offering the hlsd option because most individuals ended up buying the open diff since it was cheaper. And after that production for the manual stopped since sales fell.

Whatever you want to call it doesn't matter, it was better, that's my point!

"For sporty 3.5 SE trim, the engine connects to a smooth electronic automatic five-speed transmission with convenient manual shift mode or -- in the ultimate performance version — the six-speed close-ratio manual stick lifted from Nissan's 350Z sports car. With the six-speed manual, a helical limited-slip differential is optional to boost traction."

How was it better?
The fact that nissan just changed the material they were using to prevent the 3rd gear crunch does not make the overall transmission better. The gear ratios are still the same except the final drive. And like I stated the only reason for the final drive was to compensate for the increase in wheel diameter. And shorter or longer final drive does not make the overall transmision better. All it did was increase the revs again for compensation.
Let me state it again, the gear ratios are exactly in the 5.5 gen and the 6th gen so what you have stated applies to the 5.5 gen as well if you want to look at it that way.

BTW I do not need a quote from the brochure as well. If i wanted that, i could go ask a salesman in the showroom floor of my job and read it from there.

Please don't assume that my post count refers to my knowledge in the automotive field especially with nissans.

Went to a stealership yesturday in marion, IL and asked if they had any 6 speed manual 6th gen maximas, or 5th gens... He didnt know that they made them..
I looked at him and pointed to my 00 maxima and walked away.

Slow down cowboy and lets rehash.

- This is not your thread
- My original comment was directed at the person who posted the thread
- My comment is accurate, the 2004 Nissan Maxima (6th Gen) 6spd were hard to find with the HLSD option!
- Not one post between my first and this one have I mentioned a 5.5 gen or tried to compare it to one, that was all you.
- Most people on this forum want to know what time it is not how to build a clock.
- I also have over 15 years experience owning, driving, modding all kinds of Nissans from Maxima's to Skylines (The 12 years I lived and worked in Japan was a big help).
- Last, Don't assume I ever assume! Be cool Vince...

-Not your thread either but we all post. It not being my thread should not have anything to do with providing correct info. Last time I checked a forum had discussions and not just answers to questions a person makes.
- You original comment of
"The real limited 04 6spd Manual was the one with the beefed up Limited Slip Differental Option!!!"
makes no sense whatsoever. You make it seem that there was a real limited edition of the maxima that was a manual and had a stronger or better hlsd unit. SO I state your comment is not accurate. Plus the vehicle in manual is hard to find with HLSD not "were hard to find with the HLSD option".

You also have not give a reason to why you stated that "your point was that it was better" . That is why I mentioned the 5.5 gen and did a comparison of the 5.5 gen maxima and the 6th gen maxima and to prove to you that it was "not better".

- I don't care about most people. Knowledge is Knowledge and no need for false teaching.

-If you have that much experience under your belt, then you should know better not to post statements like that.

RARE dude... like two in every 100. And i am very glad that I have one

This is my post and the posts about the slip I found really lame, really a **** match on the board? Who cares jeez, someone post some answers my new post ...

The deal with the short supply was that the demand for the manual went down and nissan realized this and killed the manual. Reason being is when the 5.5 gen maxima came out, the g35 also hit the market. The 5.5 gen maxima was replaced with the 6th gen so all the people that wanted to retain the same size of a vehicle started purchasing g35 sedans. Plus the g35 was rwd and was a better performer all around.

So you want me and others to believe is:

1- Within the 6th Gen family, the 6spd manual offered with the optional HLSD was just as easy to find on any other 6th gen 6spd manual without it?

If it was harder to find or a limited amount were made, that makes the car rarer!

2- The optional HLSD is not stronger/better engineered then the standard LSD offered in all other 6th Gen 6spd manuals?

If the HLSD was better, than I use the term beefier!


Last, you're the only one who thinks my original post doesn't make any sense because you're wrapped around the 5.5 and thinking too much into it. Although I respect your opinion, my comment within the context of what was available for the 2004 6th gen 6spd manuals is correct. Try and move on...

You may have cared more if it happened to be a 2004 6spd with the HLSD option that you happened to purchase. As you stated, it was hard to find the 2004 6spd manual, with that said the 6spd with the optional HLSD was even harder to find which makes it, cough, cough, rarer! Good luck, great find, and welcome to the 6th Gen family!

I lucked out. All the Canadian 04's that were purchased with the 6spd automatically came with the HLSD.

BAMM!!!