Okay, I realize this has probably been asked 17,000 times, but I went through the first 15 pages on this forum, and then I got bored so I decided to make a post.

In my search I found out some good general information. Basically, I'm looking to get a 4th gen pretty soon and I want to be apprised of any potential problems I could see in an older used car, especially transmission related, being as they're so expensive to fix. I only have around $6000 to spend, so unless I get lucky a super low mileage car is out of my price range. I'm just a poor college student that wants a car to be drivable without thousands of dollars worth of repairs a year after I buy it.

Are there any tell-tale signs of a dying transmission I should look for in potential purchases?

I'm fairly open to either type, manual or automatic. Is either type more reliable in general for this year set?

I've read that 95-96 manuals have a tendency to die around 60k miles. Should I be looking for a 97-99 then? Am I safe with a 95-96 manual that has 100,000+ miles?

I was also under the impression that manuals are cheaper to fix, is there any truth to that? I know the clutch needs replaced every so often, is that a substantial cost?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Mike

 

Well auto guys will tell you auto's are more reliable and cost eficent because you don't have to replace clutch. Manual guys will tell you a clutch is a small price to pay next to 2000 for a new auto trans if it breaks. Kinda 50-50. But I'm a manual guy so I would say get a stick. I've had two stick maxima's now with high miles and no problems. And they getter better gas milage. Just my .02

 

Heh, I'll be the first auto guy to say get an auto if you're not fussed by either

I too am a poor Uni student with a 97 Auto that has done 172 602miles. So far, it has had no work done on it. Still runs perfectly, have noticed no problems or anything like that. So, in my opinion, I would say Autos are fairly reliable. Like with anything though, keep it well maintained and it'll last a long time

Auto suits me well, because I'm too lazy to be bothered with changing gears, especially when it comes to city driving with lots of stop and go traffic .

 

" Like with anything though, keep it well maintained and it'll last a long time. "

Very true. I think maintenance is a key factor regardless of which drivetrain you choose: manual or auto. If you regularly change the transmission oil/fluid at the proper time/mileage intervals and don't abuse the car, it should be fine. I have 93K miles on my 96 5-speed with the original transmission and clutch and both are great.

FYI, I have a 1990 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 auto (I know it's a different auto from the max) with 248, 000 miles on the original transmission. I credit regular transmission fluid changes and non-abusive driving to the longevity of the drivetrain.

just my 2 cents.

 

First I'll give my obligatory stick owner's answer: get a 5spd, you'll love it. Next, if you do look look at a manual max (95-96 especially), look to see if tranny fluid is leaking where the axles meet the tranny since this would indicate a fairly common and expensive bearing preload problem (or something like that--it's in the faqs).

 

go with a stick youll like it more down the road. as for reliability for 95-96 if you take care of them you shouldnt have any problems. I had to rebuild mine because of some bad bearings.

 

I live in the City (NYC). Driving will be a pain for my right arm if I get a stick. With the traffic flow, i have to stop every 15 sec. My point is, get a stick if you have more driving than stopping. Get a auto if you work in the city. Depends on where you drive you car on a day to day bases.

 

I would say that the 4thgen max is a dam good car and it would depend on what you like ,if I were you I would go test drive a stick then a auto .

 

It all depends on your preference and where you live and the type of commute you have. If you're in an area w/ heavy traffic and do a lot of stop and go driving, then an auto. tranny would work for you ... if you're in a less-congested area w/ open roads and feel like shifting the gears yourself, then get a manual ... either tranny you still have a well-made car

let us know what year Max you get and the kind of tranny, features, etc..

so far my auto. tranny is holding up well, no problems ... but in reality the longevity of a tranny, manual or auto, depends on how the car is driven

 

my 95 5 spd has 180k miles without any rebuild. Still going strong, its all how it's been driven. If whoever owned the car before drove like a douche, you may be in trouble, buy one from a grandma or something .

 

Both have their downsides, if you drive the car properly they will both last you a long time. I say, auto if you live in the cities and dont do much highway driving, stick if you have access you open roads w/o too much traffic. With the traffic around here, i love my auto, but sometimes i wish i had stick for when there is no traffic. Like I said, its a 50/50 choice.

 

if this post came up a month ago then i would say buy a stick but mine is now dead and i think that despit all my mainting of it i just had a bad tranny.

 

yeah, I guess it depends on your preference.
I mean, I drive in traffic a lot too, but I still like my manual tranny. The reason: it is in the gear that I want it to be when I want it to be there. I don't have to wait on a auto tranny to get it there.
It is more fun in a performance setting if you are fixing it up or driving sporty though to have a manual.

 

A manual trans should be more reliable, but as many have mentioned, it's how you drive. You should never have to replace a manual trans, and the clutch can last a long time...but being young and having a Maxima, you'll probably open her up. If you have a heavy foot something will go. If you're auto, it will be the trans. If your manual, it will be the clutch. Ironically, I've been told it's the clutch that fails in many autos but you don't notice because it continues to shift smoothly until it wears away. The good thing with a manual is you know when it's failing and it only costs a few hundred to fix. I would go with a manual because the trans is much simpler with less to go wrong, and even if the manual breaks down it's cheaper to fix than an auto.

If you choose an auto and test some auto cars to buy, look at the downshift. Many times an auto will upshift smoothly, but if you punch it at 20-25 you can see if it will downshift nicely or slip. Same at 40-45. Of course, you don't want to downshift like that too often!

 

good advice, abradic.

Listen to the man!

 

I've had two Maximas a Gen II '89 and currently a Gen IV '95. Both were 5spd transmissions. At 70,000 I had to replace both of them. I bought these cars used. I think if the car changes hands the car doesn't do to well with different driving styles. I admit I did a little ripping around at first, but this was well before. Anyway, once I had them replaced, there has not been a problem. Right now my Gen IV has 184,000 and not one problem since. I probably jinxed myself, but anyway.

The problem with these cars is the engine. It's too good. Too much HP and torque for smallish FWD tranmissions to handle. Throw-out bearings on gears 1 and 2 usually get pulverized very quickly. Some Gen III actually left Japan with a Sentra (non SE-R) trans in place and all had to be replaced.

Good luck and hopefully you don't get a bad one. Drive normal, don't push the tachometer past 3,500 to 4,300 RPM and you should be fine.