From reading various posts here I am starting to wonder if the 6 speed is a good thing? Someone mentioned drivetrain power loss is higher in the 6 speed? Also, going 0-60mph might not differ much (correct me if I am wrong), but the 1/4 mile will require one extra shift. So really a 5 speed will be fraction of a second faster depending on the driver. Therefore, is the only benefit of the 6 speed be the fact that gas mileage will be better in the higher end?

 

Drivetrain loss- I think I started the disaggrement, but in any case it is not a big amount of HP difference... the gear spacing and such are much more important. When a transmission is heavier and has more friction, from more gears, there is generally a higher loss.

Extra shift- Could be a big deal in quarter mile times... having to shift from 3rd to 4th just before the quarter ends affects times.

It really comes down to gearing... There have been ratios posted here that vary. I think there are definate 6-speed Max numbers, but as for gear ratios of the 5-speed Altima's gears, different numbers have been posted. Some show the Altima having a lower 1st, 2nd gear, but the Max having lower 3rd, 4th, 5th gears.... other numbers show 1st and 2nd the same. I think which one is faster may depend on which set of numbers is correct. Then Max's with HLSD may have an advantage over non-HLSD ones.

 

the frictional losses are minimal and should not be a factor in the situation.

 

dog whats cooler "i gotta 5spd" or "i gotta s(e)ix speed"

 

WTH?
umm ok?
thats not a reason i would rather buy a 6 speed over a 5 speed, "dog"

 

why would you buy a six speed?

 

Sounds so nice just to say... SIX SPEED... but whatever floats your boat.

 

The gearing of the gears are shorter. Shorter gears generally make the vehicle accelerate quicker (depending on the torque band) plus allows for a taller 6th gear for relaxed highway cruising.

I wish I had a 6 spd!

 

The problem with the 6 speed is that the car manufacturers that are currently doing it to be 'in the club' are putting the 6th gear at the top of the other 5 speeds and making it an ultra tall OD gear. The point of adding gears to a drivetrain is to allow the car to stay continously in 'the sweet spot', but the way most manufacturersare doing it, the car continously gets pushed out of the 'sweet spot'. An excellent example of this is the WRX. The car comes way out of the good power range twice, once from 2 to 3rd and again from 3 to 4th. BMW has been making EXCELLENT times with not alot of power but an excellent knowledge of gearing. Maybe we should school other car techs in how to do it correctly.

 

like medic mentioned, one of the keys is to remain in the usable torque range in the upshift (as mentioned in my other post). If the spacing is too far apart, there's a few tenths of a second (or more if spaced badly) before the car reaches the sweet spot in the usable torque range. The Miata 6 speed knocks off several tenths in the quarter mile because the gearing is short, keeping the revs above 3500-4000 rpm if shifts are at or close to redline. The Miata's 1.8L engine doesn't come alive until 4000 rpm; anything below that and it's a dog.

 

What's wrong with shifting into 4th? Most of the people I know who started switching into 4th actually improved their times. I think dragging out 3rd for too long when you aren't in your power band is just as bad or worse than shifting a gear. Ok maybe if you are running consistant 16's at low trap speeds it won't matter, but even with a 5 speed if this car runs decent trap speeds you will have to shift to 4th any way right?

 

What they said about adding the 6th gear on top of the stock gears is true. If Nissan does that I will be ****ed. Anybody know what the gear ratios for the new nissan 6 speeds are?

I can only see the 6 speed as being a good thing if Nissan gears it correctly. Otherwise.. Well.. It will still be OK for getting good gas millage? heh.. ugh..

 

The sixth gear added to the Maxima is basically another overdrive gear. Some of the ratios are a little closer. Not possitive these are correct, but I think they are.

New 6-speed

1st -- 3.153
2nd -- 1.944
3rd -- 1.392
4th -- 1.055
5th -- 0.809
6th -- 0.630
reverse -- 3.002
final gear -- 3.812

gear ratios for 2001 5spd ratios:

1st--3.290
2nd--1.850
3rd--1.272
4th--0.950
5th--0.800
reverse -- 3.430
final gear -- 3.823

 

Nissan did NOT just add a 6th gear. They are using all new ratios exclusively for the 3.5L Maxima. These gears are differnt than the se-r 6sp. Nissan did good on this one. However...I could have sworn they made the 1st gear taller in the 6sp. I think thats because with 246ft-lbs on hand.....a little taller gear is fine.

Mike S.

 

Despite C5's post, I remember reading the same also. Just putting another overdrive gear in would not make sense.

 

Despite C5's post, I remember reading the same also. Just putting another overdrive gear in would not make sense.

 

The ratios he posted does have a larger first gear.

Well I hope you guys are right. I don't really like those gear ratios he posted much.

 

Too bad every review I've seen have had nothing but negative comments about the 'feel' of the shifter as well.

 

paul says its not so bad..

 

I'm fairly sure the ##s are correct. The 6sp has 2 overdrive gears, some of the middle gears are a little lower 2-3-4 so it is a closer ratio manuel.

 

Like Medic and the others mentioned, it all dpends on how they designed the 6 speed to mate to the VQ 3.5 A taller 1st gear would definitely be better, make it easier to deal with all that torque.

As for the shifting feel, its probably Due to the fact that the 6 speed is now a cable shifter, rather than a straight bar of the older gens. We should hope that the aftermarket will make a mod that replaces the cable shifter with a rod, as they did with the Ford SHO with the mighty V-6.

DW

 

Since I think the 6-spd covers the same range, then maybe 2nd gear could be lower. If that's the case, it would come in very handy. There are times when my car isn't stopped but is too slow to start out of 2nd. Then it doesn't like to go into 1st unless I slow some more, which is annoying. If 2nd were lower then the car could easily start out of 2nd gear without slowing to drop it into 1st.

 

I was hoping for something better than, "not so bad"....