My father has decided to lend some money towards the purchase of a 97-99 Maxima. I want 5 speed. He wants an auto. He says with a used 5 speed, people drive them harder, over rev the engine, and basically the chances of winding up with an mechanically wrecked car is far greater. I pretty much agree with that. He says the automatic would be a far more reliable used purchase. Do you guys agree? Is there anything I should look for when buying a 5 speed, to avoid getting an abused one?
Thanks
Phil

 

What would happen if the auto turns out to be bad? Much cheaper to repair a manual than an auto.

 

yeah but there's a more chance the 5spd tranny will have improper size shims which eventually leads to diffy bearings failure.

 

If YOU want a 5 speed get it..if u get an auto and then drive a 5 speed u will regret the day u shifted into D on ur auto..

 

Nice use of words~

If you live in a populated area, get a Auto, if you don't mind getting stuck in traffic and shifting 1st to 2nd gear all the time get 5spd.

 

buy my auto, and ill get a 5spd

 

get the 5 speed. I bought mine with 55,000 miles and I've put 60,000 more on - all the time redlining, chirping 2nd, etc. It still runs perfect and the original clutch is still perfect. These aren't GM cars - Maximas are made to last.

-Jeremy

 

i would tend to agree with your dad on the fact that more often a manual is driven harder than an auto. but like said before these arnt GM cars, maximas are very reliable, and many people have had their auto trannys go, and as you know its much MUCH cheaper to fix a manual. plus if you buy an auto you will regret it every day. take it from someone who knows

 

just look at the vehicle's general condition. If you see neglected interior, burnt oil on the inside of oil cap, the car was probably driven hard. But the most common problem with used 5spds is "burned" clutch, and you can check that out as well. Just turn the engine on, and depress the clutch pedal. If your RPMs stay level, you are fine. If RPMs drop, you are looking into replacement very soon. Generally, if you buy a 5psd Max from the dealership, you will have more odds of getting a better used car because of preselection. Dealers cant afford to buy junk and repair them.

 

You do a neutral drop with an auto and imagine the fun you'll have repairing your transmission... Thousands.

You drop the clutch at a high rpm and wind up messing that up, and that's acouple of Hundred.

Overreving the engine is easily accomplished by shifting from a high-rpm gear into a lesser gear. However, I don't know any 5 speed drivers that do that on purpose for a giggle, and I'd think it's just as easily possible for someone to push the auto shifter down into 1 while driving on the highway at 60mph.

As an owner of a slow automatic car, I can tell you if you like driving:

a) a fast car
b) a stick shift

that a manual is the way to go. There's a heavy importance on both of these because if you only have a or b, it's not worth getting a stick. However, if they ARE both important to you, those should be the only decision for buying a car, because frankly, your chances of getting an abused manual aren't far off from getting an abused automatic.

 

Reason for people driving the 5-spd harder is that it's WAY MORE FUN!!! Over time, you'll end up having to replace something anyways for either auto or manual, but for the time being, if you want to enjoy driving the maxima, get the 5-spd

 

get a 5speed. My first car was a 5sp ('90 Eclipse GS turbo) and i loved stick. Then i went with an Auto '95 Ford Probe GT and i regreted it. I told myself i wouldnt own another auto again, and sure enough, i ended up with my 5speed Max and i love it.


Yes, 5speeds can be driven rough, but i drove my auto MUCH harder than i ever did any of my stick cars (i never NEVER once redlined my first car, i was scared, it was older and ragged on). I would however floor my auto probe allll the time. Now though, i rarely rarely take it even up to the redline area (except track racing) Other than that, i shift at around 3500-4000 rpm max around town, usually a bit less.



Get a 5-speed, you dont wanna be a part of the AUTOTRAGIC club


eric

 

You as... oh, wait, you're right.

Get the stick, you'll regret it if you don't. If you're that worried tell the seller you won't take the car unless it's approved by an independent mechanic.

 

i agree with the idea about purchasing the car from the dealer, you'll get the extended warranty and everything. It will come in very handy because the alternator, 02 sensors and some other things will be going out sooner or later

 

i DO have 5spd.... but

maxima tranny

 

5speed is more fun to drive but ... some people want that piece of mind buying an auto thinking its not been raggged on cause its an auto.

 

ok so on the 5 sp when you press on the clutch in neutral and the rpm kinda goes up and down does that mean the clutch is going out. this happend when i started up the car and then i press the clutch in and out and i saw the rpm droping back and forth.

 

Wow...thanks for the replies guys...I will definitely try that clutch test. I am going to definitely get a 5 speed (especially because most of the money will be coming from me), and my father is finally starting to lean towards it too (his friend owns a 4th gen 5 speed, and praises it all the time). I was thinking of grabbing a car with around 100k kms (60k miles)....the VQ should have plenty of life left for modding at that milage, correct?

 

yes, mine has more mileage than that, and shes still kicking a$$ on the street (knocks on wood)



eric

 

how does it obtain improper shims? is this from a re build?

 

I have alway's owned 5spd's: 91 240sx, I beat the **** out of that car, did a clutch and slave cylinder at 115,000, ran perfect to 145,000, weather related accident. Next 92se Max 5spd, driven hard not one mech. problem ever. Accident at 137,000 weather related. Love New England!! Now 98 se 5spd bought used with 31,400 now has 67,000, mechanicly sound. I drive it agressive and never have to put it in D.
If that doesn't sell you on a 5spd, think of how well your quad and hamstring in your left leg will bennifit. Just tell pops its for health reasons.

 

no your clutch is fine unless its slipping when your driving.

 

factory defect... tho some cars have it some don't... but there are enough people to have it to assume that the factory had a bad batch of shims or something.

 

I was very leary about buying a used car, but I picked up my 99 Maxima 5spd from a dealership with 43k on the clock. I looked it over from top to bottom and it was absolutely flawless except for a nick in the leather on one of the doors. It's run great since I got it, I do NOT granny the car , and it has 68k on it now with no problems whatsoever.

There's always a risk in buying a used car and I think I lucked out. But if you get the automagic, who's to say that the previous owner didn't do neutral drop burnouts in the sucker?


If you don't want to worry about past treatment of a car, then that's why you pay extra and buy new.

 

that's not the only thing i'm worrying about steve! i'm looking for a 5-spd tranny but I am afraid I will get bad diffy bearings 10k miles down the road again...

what a risk

 

The only reason why he wanted me to look for an auto instead, is because he knows of some elderly people who had their autos since brand new, and are getting rid of it soon. He figures their car would be in excellent condition, and we could pick it up off of them.

 

I've had the dreaded diff bearings go bad on my car. If I had to do it all over again, would I buy an auto?? Nope. 5-speeds are just too much fun. Also, even if the guy who owned the 5 speed revved hard, he probably loved it hard ,too. Frequent oil changes, rotates his tires often, waxing his car in the dead of winter etc. It's hard to hate a Maxima.

DW

 

There are still no guarantees. I got my 5spd used and it has been PERFECT despite various clues in the car that indicated it was most likely driven by a college student before and that it "may" have been driven hard due to two farily new Dunlop SP Sport W10's on the front.


If you get an auto, just take other's advice here and do not EVER EVER drive a 5spd because you will if you do, and will want to either trade or do a tranny swap.

 

thats so true, my friend wants to do a swap because he drove my car and another one of our friends 5-sp maxs.



eric

 

i had/have both...personally from a guy who don't race...or mod for the joy of going faster...i think my maxima is fast enuff...neva been to the track...hardly shift past 3k or 3.5k...i really don't see the difference...cuz both car for me was use largely for transportation from a to b...it both tranny accomplish that...i thought by buying a 5spd it would make me more happy...but it really doesn't...but i prob would agree...for a younger group a 5spd is more fun...

 

No question that a 5-speed is more fun to drive in the right circumstance. Not much fun in traffic though.

I just traded my 98 SE 5-speed in on a 2003 SE auto. I pick it up next week. I am hoping that the extra 65 hp will console me.

I think I agree that 5-speeds on average get driven harder than autos but I also agree that a larger proportion of 5-speed drivers consider themselves to be "enthusiasts" who meticulously care for their cars. Whoever buys my 1998 5-speed from the dealer will be getting a great car.

Good luck finding your ride.

 

Phil, i've told you 5 bajillion times, get the stick! Lol, jk, for real, you need to come back down over here, there are some mint *** 5sp's over here... Don't go for the cheapest because there is USUALLY something wrong that you don't know about and remember, Carfax doesn't tell you about cars which have been abused...

 

I am still pretty worried, but I guess that is part of buying any used car. I might as well just take the risk with the 5 speed, as I have never owned a 5 speed before, and it sure will be an experience. It is either this car, or the prelude for me. I do a fair mix of highway and city driving, so I do not think I will get too annoyed with a 5 speed. Would anyone say that a prelude (97-01) is comparable to a maxima in terms of performance??

Yo man, I told you to keep an eye out for 5 speed maximas that are on sale in ottawa, give me a call as soon as you see one...we all know only old peeps live there, and the chances of getting an abused car is less . I am ready to drive the 500kms, to get a car from up there if need be, plus I can see the cousin I hate most at the same time

 

I would tend to agree as well. I think it's perfectly fine to buy a manual trannied new car, but with a used one there is a decent chance that the car got some abuse. Typically before trade-in time the owner starts using the car to help others learn to drive stick, or so I've heard.

Auto is very boring, even in a populated city. Go '98+ so at least you know the mileage on the ODO is legit. Good luck, you shouldn't be forced to choose between PRND32 just because you have a budget!

 

Even if the shifter gets put in 1st while going 60 the transmission wont let it actually go into 1st. A nice saftey feature.

 

Are from Ottawa as well??? So am I!

I picked up a 2000 SE 5spd just over a month ago. Finding a 2000 manual up here was a byatch and took some time and patience, but it all paid off in the end. Test drive LOTS of Maximas and see what you like. I guarantee you'll love the 5spd over the auto... I felt like gramps in the auto, no offense auto drivers!

To check if the clutch is going bad, take her somewhere where you can beat on it a bit, and just hammer it, regardless of gear (3rd and 4th are easier to monitor). You have to feel the car. The rpms should be climbing at a somewhat steady rate, and the feel in your butt should be at one with the revs (your butt zen, or something?).... when at higher revs if you see the needle speeding up and your rear isn't feeling it, or even a sensation of not accelerating as fast, or even deacceleration if the clutch is way bad, you should get the dealer or whoever to replace it...

I test drove an MX6 a couple years back and once you hit 3000 rpm it was like I mashed the clutch in it let go so fast.... Scary stuff... did it in all 5 gears...

 

Preludes are typical VTEC Hondas. Torqueless in city driving, and wonderful VTEC mode on the highway. The Maxima is fun all around. A Maxima will take it off the line up to about 70-80, but the Prelude may catchup and pass the Maxima at 70-90 mph. Of course a few Maxima mods (like the MEVI)will fix that

DW

 

Here is a wheel horsepower to weight ratio comparison of a 97-01 Honda Prelude 5spd vs a 95-99 Maxima 5spd.








As you can see, the only place where the Prelude has an advantage is at 85% RPM (6500rpm on the Prelude, 5600rpm on the Maxima) and higher. The only time the revs are above 85% long enough to really matter is when you're running flat out on the highway from about 80 mph and up. Driving away from a stoplight, and at low to medium speeds the Prelude will get toasted by a 5spd Maxima. Only on the highway does the Lude have an advantage.

The massive power advantage of the Maxima at low/mid-range RPM's (TORQUE!) could help to explain why the Maxima will do BETTER 1/4 mile runs than the Lude, and also BETTER 0-60 (0-100 km/h) runs than the Prelude, despite being about 100lb heavier and having 10 less peak horsepower.

Do yourself a favor and forget all about that Honda.

 

Hey...actually I am from the GTA (brampton to be exact), rastamanmax is from Ottawa. When I was up there last summer, there were a bunch of nice 99 ES 5 speeds there then. Down here, it seems to be more of a challenge to get what I want (black 5 speed). I really would like to get a GXE 5 speed, but the chances of that seem like next to nil. Yeah I am still young, and I do not wanan feel like a gramps yet lol, so I highly doubt I will go the automatic route, unless I am able to price a 5 speed swap for a good price at a later date.

 

Damn, you are good with these curves. I understand what you guys are saying about city driving, and lower speed driving. I need torque, so that pretty much rules out a lude (unless I get an 00 or 01 for a steal). So basically the maxima has a lot more punch eh? I was considering the 97 and newer grand prix's with the supercharged engine, because they have stump pulling torque, but from what I gather, their transmissions are pretty much maxed out with the stock power. I think in terms of reliability, I cannot go wrong with the maxima as long as i find an unabused one