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Thinking of Buying a Maxima...Can't Get Passed the CVT & FWD - Help!
Hey guys I just can't get past the CVT and FWD on this car. Otherwise, I love it. Can anyone help me get past this?
Also, I've heard that when you're using the paddles in DS mode it still shifts on its own before you can even get to redline, is this true? Also looking at Infiniti G35S's - any thoughts? Thanks. |
Get the maxima its bigger and prettier than the outdated g35 , plus cvt is not bad at all ;)
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No it does not shift up, but it does shift down on it's own when you slow down!!!
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I like the CVT and have no problem with FWD. You'll get used to it. Def better car then the G35S roomier and stuff
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Originally Posted by hey32g
(Post 8440745)
Also, I've heard that when you're using the paddles in DS mode it still shifts on its own before you can even get to redline, is this true? |
Thanks for the good info guys. Can it be driven just like a manual, where you have full control of what "gear" it's in all the time?
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Paddle shifting helps you feel like there are gears. The power application is alot more linear. Reminds me of full throttle on an airplane where the speed builds to the RPMs
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I love my maxima. I came from a six speed FWD 4 banger. The maxima is in a class of its own.
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you will miss the feeling of shifting gears but wont miss the speed because its still a pretty quick car when it wants to be. i got used to FWD and CVT very quickly and this car is a blast to drive
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The G series and Maxima arent in the same class, bur they are both very respectable. The CVT is awesome and FWD isnt as bad as other cars. The Max handles very well for being a heavier car with almost 300 horses (at flywheel) and belive it or not the "downshifting" feels like a real downshift.
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It's easier to live with the CVT when you start learning things like how much better MPG it gets instead of just looking at how fast it isn't and how the RPMs are only spinning at 1800 or so at 80 and when you mash the paddle the Tach jumps to redline immediately.
Try not to think of this car in terms of what it would do in the 1/4 and 0-60 but rather think of things like the refinement of how well the FWD handles in the wet or snow/ice-like conditions and how RWD can't compare in those situations. There's more to a car than just sheer speed and shifting gears. |
You need to decide hear and now what is more important to you, a sports sedan that has a rougher ride, worse gas mileage, and is not the best on long road trip (if you have a family of 3+) or would rather have a family sedan with sporty characterisitics, more room/comfortable for the long haul, and gets great fuel economy when not driven like a monster truck.
Plain and simple! |
I used to feel the same as you except the cvt part. Its no different than any automatic in the big scheme of things. This is the first front wheel new car I have ever had and second one in my life. Other one is an 03 civic I use as my daily driver for work. It drives and handles great for what it is. What difference does FWD make on a 4 door car anyway. Now had it been a 2 seater sports car. Then we gotta have RWD and a manual tranny. Give the Maxima a chance. You won't be disappointed.
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Originally Posted by smarty666
(Post 8441218)
You need to decide hear and now what is more important to you, a sports sedan that has a rougher ride, worse gas mileage, and is not the best on long road trip (if you have a family of 3+) or would rather have a family sedan with sporty characterisitics, more room/comfortable for the long haul, and gets great fuel economy when not driven like a monster truck.
Plain and simple! |
I have driven virtually daily since 1949, and drove ocasionally as early as 1945, and have driven many stick shifts, automatics, RWDs, AWDs and FWDs. The CVT takes some getting used to, but has become my favorite tranny. No jerks or pauses associated with shifting. I would avoid any CVT built before the 7th gen Maxima began production. Early CVTs were not good.
I much prefer the pulling of FWD around the curves of roads than the pushing of RWD, which sometimes results in 'plowing.' I don't like AWDs because they have reduced MPG, more parts to go wrong, and if you have a flat tire, most AWD experts say you shoud replace all four tires or risk shortening the life of the power train. I just don't like to be that extravagant. I also find I get better grip in moving or turning on wet or icy surfaces with FWD than with RWD, because 60% of the weight of the car is over the drive wheels. With children and grandchildren, I need interior room. The Maxima has the room I need. |
I drive the Maxima and my wife has the Infiniti. The Maxima is a better car in many respects including the interior room and fuel mileage (17 around town vs 20). I prefer the CVT over her 7 speed auto as its much smoother overall.
The rear wheel drive is fine but not impressive enough for me to want to drive the Infiniti every day. Her car actually has more horsepower but the Max can easily stay with or ahead of her car. There are a few refinements in the Infiniti-the switchgear, shift selector, etc are a higher quality and operate more smoothly. However, the interior quality overall in the Maxima is on par and the seats are actually more comfortable. |
Originally Posted by bk2k3max
(Post 8441204)
It's easier to live with the CVT when you start learning things like how much better MPG it gets instead of just looking at how fast it isn't and how the RPMs are only spinning at 1800 or so at 80 and when you mash the paddle the Tach jumps to redline immediately.
. My RPM while cruising at 80 is more like 2500. Wonder why. |
i had the same reservations when I was car shopping. After driving the Max I fell in love despite the CVT. You really don't notice that you have no gears. They really made this version of the CVT feel amazing.
I've driven the Murano with CVT as well and its a HUGE difference. You definitely noticed you had no gears and flooring that thing felt terrible like you were going to break the engine because it just revved higher and higher. I'd go with the Max over the G35. |
7th gens are so brutally and mechanically gorgeous but I feel your pain. I can live with the FWD(obviously) but the CVT is a deal breaker for me
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Instead of the g37 maybe look at the m!
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Get the Maxima.. CVT is actually pretty amazing at 40-80mph, especially when some doo doo head comes up trying to race you and you smoke them!
Pros - paddle shifters, Ds mode, Accelerator Button, Roomy inside (leather), sexy looking exterior, decent mods for a vip and performance look...Oh and the grip on the road is amazing. i take turns at 80-100mph (on the track). Overall, its a sporty sexy sedan - the 3 S's |
Okay, I'm the OP. I finally went down and test drove a Maxima SV and I have to tell you it was horrible! No just kidding!! Honestly I loved it. I've been trying to decide between the Maxima and a G35. The dealer had them both sitting there so I drove them back to back. The Maxima had so much more room and just drove so much better. I used the paddles the whole time and thought they did a great job. It did upshift before I wanted it to, but it's been said on here that I can learn how to do it so it won't do that. Even if not, it's not a big deal.
Anyway, I was very impressed and seem to have made up my mind - finally!! Not in a huge hurry to buy. Need to get rid of my current car first. Don't feel like getting hosed on a trade-in. So if any of you know anyone that would be interested in an '09 Mazda RX-8 R3 w/ only 22k miles, please send them my way. It's in great shape. Thank you all for all the help. |
Originally Posted by MaximaGuido09c
(Post 8442363)
Get the Maxima.. CVT is actually pretty amazing at 40-80mph, especially when some doo doo head comes up trying to race you and you smoke them!
Pros - paddle shifters, Ds mode, Accelerator Button, Roomy inside (leather), sexy looking exterior, decent mods for a vip and performance look...Oh and the grip on the road is amazing. i take turns at 80-100mph (on the track). Overall, its a sporty sexy sedan - the 3 S's |
If ur on jersey go down to route 22 im hillside at my old dealershipped i worked for my buddy over there will give u a good deal
PM for detail if u want |
This is solely my opinion. When I drove the G37, I fell in love with it. The only reason I didnt get it was because my 5ft wife was complaining of the tight the back seat. Other than that, I had no complaints about the car.
With the Max, I have a couple of complaints. The suspension is too soft for my liking. The CVT sound gets annoying after a while and the fuel savings isnt all its cracked up to be. I learned how to manipulate the throttle for maxima fuel efficiency by keeping it under 2000RPM's. On a tank with 93 Octane including city driving, I can pull about 375-410 per tank. On the highway, including my recent drive from NJ to GA. I was getting about 475 before I filled up. I love looking at the beautiful Maxima but I feel there is more car out there if you search. If you want better economy, their are more and more cars getting above 30mpg's on the highway easy. The sad thing is, I drove my father's brand new 370Z with 2400 miles and I was getting better fuel economy with that car doing 75-80 down to FL from GA. If I could do it over, I would of got the G37. The Maxima is BEAUTIFUL but the G fit me better. It was pretty much up to my wife and the interior space sold her on it. I came from a Subaru Sti so the tight backseat of the G wasnt an issue for me. One thing I do LOVE about the MAx is the Electronic Brake Distribution. I can constantly feel the rear brakes kicking in under hard deceleration. Unfortunately, this causes the rear brakes to wear out fast. For example, Im at 20K and my rears are worn down more than my front. I dont want to replace them with factory so Its an issue trying to find rear brake pads. Just my two cents. |
The OP here.
Okay, I obviously got over the FWD and the CVT because I bought my new baby last night! Here are the details: 2010 Black SV w/ Sports Package & Black Leather. 18,900 miles. Shift Paddles, and Gunmetal Rims (I think). Didn't know Nissan made those, but there they were - love'em! The rims aren't as dark as the gunmetals that I had on my RX-8 R3 but they look great on the black. Here's the quick story. Toyota dealer had a 2009 silver w/ sports package. Drove it Friday night when it was dark. Liked it. It had 38,000 miles on it. Took the wife over to look at it - she notices everything! The front bumper and left headlight were a little jacked up. It had obviously hit something and things weren't lined up exactly as they should be. We mentioned it to the salesman and he said it was too minor to fix. Then he mumbled that he'd be right back. We couldn't find him and went and sat down in the showroom. We then saw this immaculate black Maxima pull up outside and both of us commented "wow, now that's a pretty one!" Then our salesman gets out. They had just taken it in on a trade. Of course it was about $3k higher than the silver one, but my gosh it was perfect. Took it out for a drive and loved it. Then spent the next 3 hours haggling. After we stood up to leave for the third time, they finally figured out a way to get our payments where we wanted with the loan terms we wanted. Funny how that happens when you're about to walk. Needless to say, we're very happy. And quite honestly it's hard to tell it's used, as a matter of fact several people that I've shown it to didn't realize it was used until I told them. Whoever had it before was as OCD as I am about cars! So I now I have my 4th black car. Aargh! I'm like a crack addict when it comes to black cars. Thanks to all you guys that helped me make this decision. Thanks again! http://forums.maxima.org/picture.php...ictureid=32621 |
Congrats
Clean car - you wont be dissapointed !
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Originally Posted by hey32g
(Post 8448793)
The OP here.
Okay, I obviously got over the FWD and the CVT because I bought my new baby last night! Here are the details: 2010 Black SV w/ Sports Package & Black Leather. 18,900 miles. Shift Paddles, and Gunmetal Rims (I think). Didn't know Nissan made those, but there they were - love'em! The rims aren't as dark as the gunmetals that I had on my RX-8 R3 but they look great on the black. Here's the quick story. Toyota dealer had a 2009 silver w/ sports package. Drove it Friday night when it was dark. Liked it. It had 38,000 miles on it. Took the wife over to look at it - she notices everything! The front bumper and left headlight were a little jacked up. It had obviously hit something and things weren't lined up exactly as they should be. We mentioned it to the salesman and he said it was too minor to fix. Then he mumbled that he'd be right back. We couldn't find him and went and sat down in the showroom. We then saw this immaculate black Maxima pull up outside and both of us commented "wow, now that's a pretty one!" Then our salesman gets out. They had just taken it in on a trade. Of course it was about $3k higher than the silver one, but my gosh it was perfect. Took it out for a drive and loved it. Then spent the next 3 hours haggling. After we stood up to leave for the third time, they finally figured out a way to get our payments where we wanted with the loan terms we wanted. Funny how that happens when you're about to walk. Needless to say, we're very happy. And quite honestly it's hard to tell it's used, as a matter of fact several people that I've shown it to didn't realize it was used until I told them. Whoever had it before was as OCD as I am about cars! So I now I have my 4th black car. Aargh! I'm like a crack addict when it comes to black cars. Thanks to all you guys that helped me make this decision. Thanks again! http://forums.maxima.org/picture.php...ictureid=32621 |
^^^^^
atlanta10 - thanks. I'm like a crack addict with black cars. I just can't stay away! You guys were right, this car is fantastic. I got it late Saturday night, had a bunch of plans yesterday, so next Saturday will be my day of waxing! |
congrats on the car!!!!!
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Congrats on the new black Max! You will definitely continue to love it as the days go by. I've had mine since June of last year and still find excuses to go somewhere!
Be sure to invest in a good DA polisher (Porter or Meguiars) and some good wax. Zaino is a top pick for many. I haven't tried it but I'm a Meguiars guy so unless something comes out that's head and shoulders above Meguiars, I'll stick with it. There's a lot of good tips and tricks over on the detailing page. Here's a link to some pics of my Blaxima: http://forums.maxima.org/8316389-post139.html |
Originally Posted by T200
(Post 8452713)
Congrats on the new black Max! You will definitely continue to love it as the days go by. I've had mine since June of last year and still find excuses to go somewhere!
Be sure to invest in a good DA polisher (Porter or Meguiars) and some good wax. Zaino is a top pick for many. I haven't tried it but I'm a Meguiars guy so unless something comes out that's head and shoulders above Meguiars, I'll stick with it. There's a lot of good tips and tricks over on the detailing page. Here's a link to some pics of my Blaxima: http://forums.maxima.org/8316389-post139.html |
Thanks for all the kind congrats. I'm lovin' this car!
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Originally Posted by hey32g
(Post 8453275)
Thanks for all the kind congrats. I'm lovin' this car!
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Some CVT advantages
I went from an '03 SE manual to an '11 SV. My biggest issue was giving up the manual. But, after looking around I found that it is now impossible to find a car of this size with a V6, in this price range, with a manual. Closest is the G37. However even for those, manuals are scarce and the price, outrageous.
After a couple weeks with it I think I do like CVT over a regular auto. I actually play with the RPMs, but now do it through the thottle. For a smooth highway entry, I just lay the RPMs at 2000 and let the speed gradually come up. Manual downshifting is also more comfortable. Instead of an abrubt (and delayed) shift on a regular auto, the slide down to the lower synthetic gear is more comfortable. One thing that does annoy me is that the CVT will actually downshift while coasting down a hill. Doesn't seem to make sense MPG wise. I have driven rentals which will do this in cruise control to maintain downhill speed. But this is the first time I've encountered it while not using cruise control. As to FWD, this generation still has massive torque steer. Tromp on it and you have to hold on tight. |
Today is my 3rd day in my new Maxima SV. The CVT does take a little getting used to. I have driven both manuals and automatics and the main thing is getting used to the transmission not actually shifting. I only have 230 miles on the car so I really haven't "gotten on it" but the power does seem to be on demand without waiting for that second for it to shift down. It's all about how you work the throttle. If you're still having trouble deciding, let me help. Get the car! It is awesome. I can't believe how much technology is packed into this thing. I got the Premium and Tech package and I can't believe I considered getting a different car. Good luck!
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I thought the new breed of FWD from Nissan (say from 2009-2010) had all but eliminated torque steer unless it's only eliminated for the 'casual driver' but would still be present for those who love to 'drive aggressively'.
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Originally Posted by RR5
(Post 8457940)
I thought the new breed of FWD from Nissan (say from 2009-2010) had all but eliminated torque steer unless it's only eliminated for the 'casual driver' but would still be present for those who love to 'drive aggressively'.
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Originally Posted by jreddington3
(Post 8457775)
. . . . . .
One thing that does annoy me is that the CVT will actually downshift while coasting down a hill. Doesn't seem to make sense MPG wise. I have driven rentals which will do this in cruise control to maintain downhill speed. But this is the first time I've encountered it while not using cruise control. If you don't want this feature to manifest itself, then don't take your foot off the accelerator when starting downhill; just let up pressure on the accelerator pedal slightly, and the car will effectively coast. It takes some practice, but is well worth the bother of learning. |
Originally Posted by lightonthehill
(Post 8458509)
This is indeed strange. I have actually tried to create torque steer in my '09, but only the slightest hint ever shows up. Many here have the same experience as I do (little or no torque steer), yet we have had posters here who are clearly having torque steer. Strange.
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