I read a 2004 I35 review which stated that the car has manual shifting capability. Is this true or was the reviewer FOS?

 

Depending on how you are describing the manual shifting. We have a gate shifter and unlike the maxima 02-03, we can select use all 4 gears via gate shifter. I use the gate shifter often when driving fast and needing to engine brake rather than slam the brakes and warp/put a hot spot on the rotors. When tracking my car I use the gate shifter for 1-2-3 shifts.

To semi answer your question, we do not have a manumatic transmission like the g35. However you can manually select each gear using the gate shifter since our gate shifter displays the gears 1-2-3-D

 

FYI Lee, our shifter and design is the same as the 02-03 Maxima. You're right on everything else though.

 

Thanx for the detailed, albeit dissapointing response. I thought the I35 had a tiptronic-like setup. Would love that in my Maxima.

 

I really don't like using the gate for 1-2nd, it doesn't feel healthy for the tranny, it's really hard to do it perfect. On a side note though, I like the 4AT WAY better than the 5AT tiptronic. Also, dropping it into 3rd at highway speeds is great, it begs for it, it loves it, it's like it screams "rev me, rev me!"

 

BTW, you can do the same thing without the gated shifter.

Didn't want you guys to feel too special about the gated shifter. haha. It does look a lot better though. I've wanted to install one for a while, but nobody can seem to give me a picture of what it looks like beneath the 02-03 shifter. I'd like to find out what all is required to do the swap.

 

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