****.
The stick shift in the maxima has to be one of the worst gated and has the worst clutch feel. The tranny in the car just sucks *** ssooooo much. The gates are crazy and undefined. The clutch has to be fully depressed to disengage gears (partly due to the slave cylinder)...the system works great for those who like to shift really slow, but, i'm use to shifting fast without actually going fast. I've grinded those damn gears soooo many times.
Granted, i'm accustomed to "sporter" trannys. CRX, RX-7, Supra, 300zxTT, etc. All of these trannys have very well defined gates and an excellent clutch feel. The 5 spd in the maxima is nice on ratios (WOT in 1st to redline, shift to 2nd and you're right back at the peak torque). I wish i could adjust the clutch...

sorry.

 

I actually like the Maxima's transmission, as I use the car as a daily driver. Transmissions on high perfomance cars I have had demanded more attention, which can become very annoying in city traffic.

 

Yea, I agree, I wished the throw was shorter, more precise and if the clutch didn't engage on the floor but higher. I've gound 3rd gear a couple of times already. (I wonder why third? Must be cause it gets caught between 3rd and fifth or 1st or somthing. Since I'm on auto pilot and didn't realize the shift lever is actually in gear yet. DOH!)

 

down on the transmission/clutch/shifter. You must have driven it 1st. Certainly for a few more "dollars", you could have purchased an M5, and been totally happy! (j/k)

 

I think that after awhile you will get used to that feeling. The reason that i bought the maxima is because of the stick. It felt great, but i ended up with the slush box because of living in the snow belt and those inherent wheel spin 1st gear starts. I test drove cars with my mom and insisted on driving the sticks of all models. I will tell you some feel comforatable right away while others take some getting used to. But, after awhile, subconsiously you start making great shifts regardless of first impressions. Let me tell you a 6 speed in the Audi A6 with the 2.7T V-6 is SWEET. Dump the clutch at 4G and let the quattro take over, absolutely awesome.

 

the earlier model 5-speeds!!!!

Ever drive one of them?? yuck.

 

Nope, this was the third Nissan I've ever driven. The first was the POS Nissan Sentra GXE work car that I totaled. The second was my friends pathfinder on Dubs. I was at the dealership to try and buy a pathfinder, but I found out that those things are expensive and the Xterra is not for me. My first Maxima experience was a GXE Auto and I was thoroughly unimpressed. Then I asked if there were any with a stick, and I drove one of those. That's what sold me on the car. I almost made the mistake of buying a VW Jetta GLX 5 speed. The salesman need to start you in the good car, not the POS's.
Here's pics of that Pathfinder.




[Edited by xtantmaxima on 10-17-2000 at 03:06 PM]

 

i have no problems with my 5 speed

p.s.
hmmmm, pathfinder with low profile tires and cattle bars...
i always thought the two to be mutually exclusive.

 

I think I saw that thing at Cardomain.com
What is it sitting on? are those 20's? damn! some entertainment tricks inside right? lovely laced Path yo.

 

Yep that's my buddy's truck from back home. The pictures on Sounddomain that aren't stretched are the ones that I took. Its for sale and yes it is on 20's and a 4wd, what a weirdo. At first he had 17" Budnik's with BFG Mud Terrain's. They never made a lift so he said **** it and did the 20's.
http://members.sounddomain.com/yoshi90461

 

In heavy snow or ice, it can be necessary to start the car rolling in 2nd or 3rd...