Do not tear up such a beautiful car. Plus you will prolly hate it.

I've been seeing a lot of post of people getting a M.T. Z that can't even drive a standard.

Learn to drive the standard first on a beater then get the Z. or better yet just get the AT.

Just some friendly advice.

 

Is the Z manual that brutal? Mind you I learned to drive a stick on a Mazda truck, and compared to that my Z32 was just divine and very forgiving. Does the 350Z have a clutch booster... some people might not enjoy having a hard clutch to push. But most manual transmissions are pretty rock solid. If you downshift from 5th to 3rd at WOT and sit there bouncing off the redline then you might have some issues however slight mis-shifts, and some gear crunching early on shouldn't *destroy* the transmission. You have to learn somewhere.

Plus it's there money and if they *do* mess up the tranny then that's the price they pay. And just b/c someone can't shift using a manual doesn't mean they'll hate it. =P Buy it, and drive it... buy it and drive it... now if I was buying a car for a child who's never driven or a spouse who's never touched a manual and that's their DD then I'd reconsider.

 

And... The automatic is $2000 cheaper too..

Steve (k2we) Dobbs Ferry, NY

 

The 350Z is my first MT car, I find it easy to learn how to drive stick with it. I tried my buddy's Prelude and RSX Type S before driving the Z and I found the Z to be way easier to drive then those two.

I'm enjoying driving a stick, can't believe that I never tried before. I love it. Can't go back to auto now.

 

The automatic Z is only cheaper in the Touring version, and that's because you get the Enthusiast package instead of the Perfomance package like you do with the Touring 6MT.

The 350Z clutch is quite easy to press and release, but the travel is fairly long. Longer than my girlfriend's old Paseo, and about the same as my old Ford Ranger.

At first I was having some trouble with the abrupt engagement of the Z's clutch, but after a thousand miles or so, the engagement became much more gradual. The good low end torque and the gearing of the Z make it a pretty good car to learn on, once the clutch has been worn in a little.

As for manuals having more problems, that may be the case, but they will be worked out eventually. If you like the involved, interactive, experience of the manual, then you should get it. If you like the casual, seamless performance of the Auto, you should get that. Don't let fear of a manual prevent you from having the transmission you truly desire.

-D'oh!

 

If someone bought the Z with manny, that person probably wanted a manny. There is no reason for you not to buy it just b/c you can't drive it YET. You can always learn. You have to start somewhere, don't you?

 

japanese manual tran cars are the easiest to learn on. the clutch is very light and the short throw on the Z is shorter than the short throw porsche kit. combine that with the linear drive by wire throttle and the car is very easy to drive. My only complaint is that my feet are too big to heel-toe around corners!

 

I learned MT on a 1982 Corolla station wagon. That thing had the hardest clutch known to man.

 

I learned how to drive a stick on a '68 Nova 3 speed with no power steering. After that, I know I can drive any stick out there with no problems!

 

I think the MT Z is very forgiving and it would be a good car to learn the clutch in. It takes a hell of a lot more to stall this baby than other MT's I have had. Also with the gates and way the stick centers itself is great....

Even for a vetran shifter its nice



EZz

 

i got my car before i even knew how to drive and even before i got my drivers license i got an 84 white rx-7 manual trans. i learned to drive a car with this car and took my drivers license with this car aced the test driving the manual tranny kept the car for 12 years before i sold it.
ahh the memories are brought back by this z
not only did i learn to drive and was my first car i also got ummm
"lucky" if you know what i mean. in this car for the first time yes it was uncomfortable but man i managed and buy the memories are alive.