Zora I hear ya, my 4speed hurst on my GT was a pain in the ***, but such a thrill to drive...

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. There's nothing like feeling the power and shifting through your gears! However, when your stuck in traffic an auto sounds a lot nicer. My honest opinion, you want to buy a sports car, it need to be stick, if you want an auto I'd buy a different car. Goodluck!

 

Driving an automatic is so boring.

 

Looks like (it has been said before) it seems that you already made up your mind. Don't bring up the traffic as an issue bc you I live in south florida also and I work in Downtown Miami and I take I-95 all day and traffic is killer and the MT is not that bad. So just TRY IT already personally not saying the AT sucks but the MT allows for an umcomparable experience. But everytime someone gives you an opinion about MT you always put an obstacle in the way

 

I was a bit weary about learning to drive stick aswell. But once I got the hang of it.... I"m never going back. Well maybe when i'm like 70. You get the power you want when you want it. And it might be a little jerky at first or when your really rippen thru the gears, but normal driving it all abotu learning your clutch, every car is different. It's like a relationship. Got to treat them all differently. But seriously dude. I would be kicking myself if I didn;t learn.

 

Get the auto.

Whilst the Young boys are trying to be macho just because they have a stick IN THEIR HAND, you will pick up a babe, and she can go down on YOUR stick, whilst you are cruising in the Auto.

Now whos DA MAN !

The Z is a BABE magnet, so you have to allow for the times, when you have a BABE Polishing your stick.

Mines for going to GOLF.

If I decide to have a few drinks, then its easy to have someone come get you and drive you home in an Auto. You don't want them burning your clutch out.

I just come from a 6 speed Manual M5 with a 5 button carbotic race clutch. Yes it was fun, but not as fun as The previous statement.

With huge traffic, the Manual is a Huge pain in the butt.

For the few times that you have a surge of blood and want to double-de-clutch and blip the throttle, Ahhh I'm over it.

Thats for the weekend RACE CAR. During the week, auto is sweet.

Daily Traffic driver = AUTO

Track Machine on weekends = Manual.

MJ

 

Please don't hate if this is a stupid question. None of my friends have stick so no one can show me or let me practice. Are there driving schools that teach manual? I don't wana buy a Z and go through my clutch before I can drive it well. Also if I do burn it how much is a new clutch from factory?

 

STICK OVER AND OVER, once you go FI the auto trans wont hold worth chit

 

No there are none that will teach you, its something you have to learn on your own. I bought my z without having driven a manual in my life. I learned to drive it on the way home and it wasnt very hard. Took me about a week to get the hang of it. New clutch runs around $400, but you also have to figure in resurfacing/replacing the flywheel and the labor for removal and reinstallation of the transmission.

 

Ok. I also started to really learn on my Z too. Now, the real question is what do YOU want to drive? Yeah, you an listen to all these people here and you can see pros and cons, but ultimately it is your decision and when you make that decision be 110% sure about it. Not 90%, not 100%, 110%! AT and MT are both great. Don't listen to people who tell you get MT since AT is for whimps or that kind of ****.

See my personal experience regaruding shifiting if it helps:
https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/175647-still-noobish-with-my-manual-transmission.html

I am telling you this because I've been driving for 6+ year in an automatic 4 banger car. I knew the mechanics of shifting but never practiced it consistently enough to get the hang of it. I wanted the Z in MT and I was 110% sure about it. I don't regret it one bit. I enjoy that car and I still find myself stalling. Does going through traffic suck? Sometimes. Do I still jerk the car in the 1-2 shift and other occasional up-shifts? You bet. Do I hate my AT car before? Hell no..I still have it and its my DD. Do I love MT? HELL YEA.


Should you get an MT? Get whatever you want and be 110% about it..and JUST ENJOY IT! Peace and good luck with the selection.

 

Every Driving school on the Planet teaches Manual. Thats what they are for. Thats the driving schools that Teach you to get your licence.

The advanced driving schools, your not ready for until you can drive a manual.

 

thanks for all of the great advice guys

 

I think we have a member who is 81 driving a mt. I have a feeling you will still be punching it when you are 70

 

Yea, the first two cars I have owned didn't have a hydraulic clutch. It isn't that bad if your a big guy like myself. Even then, you get used to it like most things.

 

Wait a minute, somebody justified the auto argument with roadhead? Wow..

 

Yep, that was me. I got bitten once shifting in a stick.

You know what they say. Once bitten, twice shy.

 

I put alot of thought into buying my Z A/T or M/T. In the end, A/T was the better choice for me. I have driven both... and people who tell you that the M/T is faster are just plain wrong. It is indeed faster but not enough so that you could say, "M/T IS MUCH MUCH MUCH FASTER." Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing M/T becuase I chose A/T, M/T is funner, you get more power out of the car, and you get to control the car a bit more. But like other people have said before, there is also a downside to M/T: it can get annoying. If you are buying the car as a weekend car, or you are buying the car with the intent to compete in races (smoking that honda off the line at the red light is not a "race",) M/T is the way to go. You will get the most out of the car. However, if you, like me, are buying the car as a daily driver, to drive in traffic every day, but still want the ability of the Manumatic mode to unlock the power of the Z when you need to, A/T is a better choice. Some people love M/T, some people love A/T, its a matter of opinion.

A/T > for daily drivers, traffic
M/T > for racing, getting the most out of the car

Decide what you need the car for, then you can choose a transmission...

 

Hey ill trade you my car hahaha its an AT..hehe