I got my Z about a month and a half ago and I posted something about how I was having trouble learning stick, as this is my fist manual car. Well, good news... Finally got that down pretty well now.
However, I still don't understand shifting down. My boyfriend (now ex) drives a Crossfire, and he was explaining to me one day that when you shift down, you go faster.
Someone please explain this to me, because I don't understand. Anytime I try to shift down my engine revs up to 5500 or so and I think I have just raped my car.

Sorry if I sound completely dumb, hah =)

 

uh... downshifting?

mmm... when u are cruising on the highway at 6th gear... and u are next to another car on another lane and you want to get in front of him... u downshift to 5th gear.... if u want to have more power accelerating... instead of down to 5th gear, u go 6th -> 4th....

is this what you are talking about? ^_-

and yes... ur rev should go up when u down shift.... if u go 2.5k in 6th, then down to 5th... it should be around 3.5k.... it will be jerky if u drop the clutch when u downshift... so rev-match... and it will be smooth ^^

and no, ur not raping ur car at 5k rpm... that's nothing....

 

Yep!
That's exactly what I need to know!

Thanks!

 

LOL, that was an easy answer =]

 

Well, when you downshift, the engine goes faster (5500rpm)! You might want to give it some gas before downshifting so you don't get the sudden lurch. But if you want more vehicle speed, then upshifting would be just the thing! One exception would be when you want to pass and need quick acceleration. In this case, you can downshift, to get some more engine speed, and then accelerate, and shift back up once you have gained some speed. Congrats on learning to drive standard; I wanted to kill someone while learning. But instead, I merely impeded people's progress.

As an added sexist remark, why do you have the guy car and he has the girl car?

 

^ Hey, when I was a noob, I thought even 4k rpm was raping in the ****..;
So everytime I raced, I lost cuz I shifted at 4k instead of redline....

 

AHAHAHAHAHA.... crossfire is actually an old ladies car. :P and yea... im impressed with a girl driving a 350z m/t too....

 

How the **** do you people post so quickly? Am I in a parellel universe where time moves slow?

 

its nice to see women in Z's

 

man, when i was a noob... my normal shifting was 4k... i stayed between 3k-5k rpm

im like totally opposite >.<

 

hahah..yeah his girlish antics tended to reverse our roles. I knew he took bubble baths to help him relax, already had his kids names planned out, and actually LIKED when gay guys hit on him...but I really should have known it was time to get out of the relationship when he started wanting to try on my bras!!
..haha.

Thanks for your post btw.

 

https://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-drivetrain-50/

 

Just practice downshifting. If the RPM is jumping to 6,500, you are coming in too high. Downshift at 4,000 RPM until you get the feel. With practice you will not have to look at the tachometer.

 

ive actually never driven a manual car b/c i never got a chance to. right now i have an auto and so do both my parents. When i get my z, its going to be my first manual car. all this talk actually makes me nervous. hahah.

 

my 350z was the first car i learned to drive a stick. it is hella fun... ull gain alot of new habits.

here's a tip.... test drive the 350z at least 5 times with the dealer... ask him questions... then go get a non-tortured Z elsewhere =]

 

wtf, you said "hella" are you from norcal lol

 

I learned to drive a 6sp on my s2000 well enought to make a 60 or so mile trip to and from deep elum the first night I got it. I had never before driven a stick. Hell didn't even know how to turn it on. Have to depress the clutch and press the big red button.

Question do ya'll have to depress the clutch to start the Z. I know in europe S guys don't have to.

After that learn the shift gate and from my noob experience watch it when you're trying to go into 3rd. Its easy to hit first because they are so close.

Try to drive on the freeway at times of little traffic so you don't have to learn to start and stop in such a hazardous situation.

I wasn't so lucky because I left my DL at the place and had to go all the way back to plano on 75 That was interesting stalling on a fuking onramp lol

Other than that it just takes time and patience. You should be able to at least drive on the freeway your first night. It took me all of maybe 2hrs to get the most basic stuff down.

Now I can rev-match, take off smoothly, spin the tires on purpose etc.

Still waiting for someone to explain double clutching and heel toeing to me in a way that I get it though

 

Yes. It is a safety feature so you do not start the car while in gear.

 

What part of Atlanta ya from?

 

Ahh ok. Just wondered because in europe aparantly they don't have to.