I bought a used Z about a week ago, 6MT. This is my first stick shift. I am pretty good with it, but hills are still hit or miss. Unfortunately, I have to stop on a hill to scan my card in the garage at work. I seem to always stall or roll back. I know where the friction point is but I seems like on this car there is just too fine a line between friction point and stall. Needless to say thinking about it all day at work takes all the fun out of driving this car. The e-brake thing just doesn't work for me. I'm sure I could get used to it, but I think about other things like $$$ and needing to buy the extended warranty in another 5000 miles, getting snow tires, and new clutch eventually. It just seems like a 2004 maxima would still be good performance, with less hassles. Anyone else have any similar experiences???? Very depressed, and feeling stupid.

 

Did you not research the car or think about the issues you might have with a standard before you purchased the 6MT?

 

I did, but some things come out after a test drive. Reality often differs from your planning.

 

Give it more time -- you will get used to it.

 

My god, I taught myself how to drive stick on my mothers Eclipse when I was 12. Just keep at it, it'll come to you.

 

If the stick thing is bothering you, ride it out....you will get the hang of it.

If its the other issues, go for the Maxima.

Nothing wrong with saying "I goofed" and correcting the situation. We've all been there.

 

I would look into buying a g35s if i were you instead of the maxima. It should be pretty close in price, one is rwd and the other is fwd.

 

about the clutch.. i totally hated how it felt.. until i adjusted it.. and now it engages right off the floor.. so it is to my liking.. yeah try adjusting it..
MIND YOU
it is cramped down in there.

 

I'd say give it more time and look into adjusting your clutch. I haven't driven a stick since my Saleen Mustang back in the mid-late nineties so I'm still getting used to the standard a month after purchase, and I'm finally starting to really enjoy it. I do sit in a lot of stop and go traffic also, but once I hit the open roads all is forgotten. I love this car more than anything I've owned in the past. Stick it out and enjoy the overall beauty of your ride if possible.

I'd say you can't go wrong with a Maxima, but please don't become one of those "out to prove" something guys in the Maximas who try to race me every other day.

g35's are way nice also. Love those cars.

 

Nothing wrong with a Maxima. But seriously, if its just the MT, then give it some time. It will become second nature. I've only owned 2 cars (out of about 20) that weren't MT. I'd have to say the Z is the touchiest I can remember.

Funny, I went to test drive an '05 6speed Maxima when I was drawn to the Z instead.

Good luck!

 

dude, just be patient. you WILL get it. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and PRACTICE. The Z is not as easy to master as say a manual honda. I also had buyers remorse the first week I bought the car...Take it from me, I went through the same thing! I got the hang of it after a few weeks....

 

Only thing with the maxima is that they put the engine in the wrong way .

 

give it a week, the manual thing should solve itself within that amount of time. the learning curve is steep, though it might not feel like it.

seriously, go to the top/open level at the garage where no one is (find the right time, there's bound to be an hour of the day when no one is there, even if it is at night), get on the ramp in first, bring it to a stop with the clutch in on the slope (not all the way in, but somewhere close to where you think/know the friction point is, slowly let the clutch out, when you stop rolling backwards, you'll know you've found the friction point - who cares if you stall? none of us for sure - just do it till you've mastered it and then the next morning when you swipe your card - no worries.

i came from a 00 honda prelude and it was the easiest manual ever, for while with the z i always have the clutch in too far for fear of stalling out... you'll get it.

 

Like everyone else said, if its the stick ur upset about, give it time. U will get it. The z was my first manual car, now i bought i beater saturn that is 5 speed. The saturn is so different and more forgiving than the z, but i love how the clutch grabs in the z. U will get the hang of it. If anything i would get a auto g35 or auto altima SE-R instead of the maxima

 

I agree with everyone just give it some time, i just purchased my car 2 weeks ago and I feel more comfortable now and I dont car if I stall or take off slowly I know once i get going I'm gone. what I would do was go out at night and just practice on hills and stop and go traffic, maybe you should try it. For now I dont regret my choice.

General question how do you adjust the clutch?

 

If it is just the stick issue....stick it out. You will get used to it soon enough and it will be second nature. The Maxima is a fantastic car. It really has the interior fit and finish of a premium-level luxury car at a very reasonable price. the Bose sound system is one of the best stock systems I have ever heard. My wife just bought one a month ago, and I love driving it, but with 265hp, there is a lot of torque steer.

If you love driving the Z, stay with it.

 

Hehe give it some time bro. I've been driving stick since I was 15 and I will admit the Z is a little different. I've had mine for a month now and although I don't stall my launch if very random. Sometimes I turn the radio off so I can hear where I'm at. I can't believe its taking me this long, but it's coming, and you'll get it too.

 

Yup

 

i think there is a thread somewhere.. can't find where...
but... it adjusts free play.. so you get more free play but the clutch engages closer to the floor..
its just one of those give take sort of things.

 

Give it more time if you can, but if not get the auto G35X. That way you can have the power of the Z with all wheel drive for the snow since you mentioned snow tires. Plus now on the 05's you get rev matching with the tiptronic auto. Good luck.