I applaud you MT drivers. I really do...
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,040
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From: Inland Empire
I love MT!!! I been driving it for 3 years now and cant get enough. I started from a 97 RS eclipse and moved to a 91 gsx eclipse that had a simple stage one upgrade(not much from stock) That was a blast and very smooth until I trashed the transmission. I then move onto a 03 6mt and at first it was a little more difficult to drive than my eclipse. Its a heavy clutch and also the gears are so notchy. My 03 is a DD, actually I just zone out and my body just move with the flow.....any one feel the same? at time I for get what gear I am in and just guess but most the time I am right but some times I get that big bogg haha!
Registered User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 109
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Thats kind of a push. An automatic car by definition "shifts for you". The mechanics of the shift however can be argued. I have a hard time classifying a car as manual because of the mechanics of the tranny.
My perception...
Shifts for you (press of a button or otherwise) - auto
You press a clutch and change a gear - manual
I have nothing against autos so dont get me wrong. Im trying to get into an M3 now and im defiantly opting for the SMG aka "bmw auto".
I do like the comparison graph. It makes the f430 look like it shifts slow
.
My perception...
Shifts for you (press of a button or otherwise) - auto
You press a clutch and change a gear - manual
I have nothing against autos so dont get me wrong. Im trying to get into an M3 now and im defiantly opting for the SMG aka "bmw auto".
I do like the comparison graph. It makes the f430 look like it shifts slow
.The technical definition:
A manual has a manual gear box and the driver selects WHEN the car shifts. An auto has a torque converter and optimized shift points.
NEVER say that... but i could kinda see that happening in america where people are fat and too lazy to lift their leg a little bit and push the clutch forward.
driving in la traffic with a stage 3 clutch in a 240sx is tons of fun... i just let a giant gap grow between me and the car in front of me. i've found that 4-5mph is the magic number, where you don't completely ruin the flow of the traffic and you only rarely have to step on the clutch and brake when you come up on the car in front. but i'll drive a m/t until i can't anymore. a/t's always make me feel like i'm going to die... maybe i should have that feeling when i'm driving a m/t too, but i'm too distracted by the shifting...
driving in la traffic with a stage 3 clutch in a 240sx is tons of fun... i just let a giant gap grow between me and the car in front of me. i've found that 4-5mph is the magic number, where you don't completely ruin the flow of the traffic and you only rarely have to step on the clutch and brake when you come up on the car in front. but i'll drive a m/t until i can't anymore. a/t's always make me feel like i'm going to die... maybe i should have that feeling when i'm driving a m/t too, but i'm too distracted by the shifting...
NEVER say that... but i could kinda see that happening in america where people are fat and too lazy to lift their leg a little bit and push the clutch forward.
driving in la traffic with a stage 3 clutch in a 240sx is tons of fun... i just let a giant gap grow between me and the car in front of me. i've found that 4-5mph is the magic number, where you don't completely ruin the flow of the traffic and you only rarely have to step on the clutch and brake when you come up on the car in front. but i'll drive a m/t until i can't anymore. a/t's always make me feel like i'm going to die... maybe i should have that feeling when i'm driving a m/t too, but i'm too distracted by the shifting...
driving in la traffic with a stage 3 clutch in a 240sx is tons of fun... i just let a giant gap grow between me and the car in front of me. i've found that 4-5mph is the magic number, where you don't completely ruin the flow of the traffic and you only rarely have to step on the clutch and brake when you come up on the car in front. but i'll drive a m/t until i can't anymore. a/t's always make me feel like i'm going to die... maybe i should have that feeling when i'm driving a m/t too, but i'm too distracted by the shifting...
I don't want clutches to go away and would be driving a MT now if I didn't know how bad it hurts my knee in commuter traffic. I can drive on the track at Infineon raceway all day in a Jim Russell trainer with straight gears and heavy duty clutch, but I can't handle bumper to bumper traffic for hours.
It appears that most of the performance cars are going to the dual clutch set up though.
The other thing is there are a lot of off the wall statements about the Nissan 5AT that are just incorrect. I can hang with 6MT's on a road course as an example and you know what? I don't have smoking brakes.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: MIAMI FL
i always felt this was an odd comment
like when people say, "yea, but having a manual sucks in traffic"
i always thought to myself, its not like driving in traffic in an auto is awesome or anything. driving in traffic sucks no matter if you have an auto or a manual tranny
jmo...
like when people say, "yea, but having a manual sucks in traffic"
i always thought to myself, its not like driving in traffic in an auto is awesome or anything. driving in traffic sucks no matter if you have an auto or a manual tranny
jmo...
JealousZ
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 151
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From: New York
If you have a Z and stall you should not be driving MT IMO. 
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: So, Ca.
"I would like to thank my Z for my strong left leg muscles"
The Z was a DD as soon as I bought it, so the first month was an uphill battle driving it especially since I was only a casual MT driver (drove my friends cars, Preludes/STI/240sx). After a while it was second nature. But as for falling asleep with an auto in traffic. I could say it happens, I used to drive an AT accord in 2-3hr traffic (after doing over 8hr shift and dealing with 2-3hr of traffic to get to work in the first place) going through LA . There were moments when you blink but your eyes don't open after you close them. The Z changed all that. Hell you know the growl of just turning it on wakes you up.
The Z was a DD as soon as I bought it, so the first month was an uphill battle driving it especially since I was only a casual MT driver (drove my friends cars, Preludes/STI/240sx). After a while it was second nature. But as for falling asleep with an auto in traffic. I could say it happens, I used to drive an AT accord in 2-3hr traffic (after doing over 8hr shift and dealing with 2-3hr of traffic to get to work in the first place) going through LA . There were moments when you blink but your eyes don't open after you close them. The Z changed all that. Hell you know the growl of just turning it on wakes you up.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 385
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From: Los Angeles
I drove my friend's early model 03 and the clutch feels completely different than mine. His feels heavy and grabby, mine feels honda-light by comparison. Traffic is no biggie for me, unless it's uphill bumper to bumper.
M/T and auto are basically the same thing imo. I've driven an auto G35 for 5 years, then switched to Nismo 350z, I transition it almost perfectly, the only difference is the clutch and shifting, which is exactly what i wanted, so if you enjoy driving your car, M/T is the way to go.
People who think driving MT in traffic sucks is just rediculous
, its not like driving an auto in traffic is any cooler 
People who think driving MT in traffic sucks is just rediculous
, its not like driving an auto in traffic is any cooler
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,573
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From: Northwest
I went to the Nissan dealership, the same one I got my Z from, because my girlfriend wants a Sentra. After we finished talking about the Sentra, I asked if I could check out one of the 07s they had in the lot. They had a SMB Enthusiast demo on the lot, had something like 1100 miles on it.
Anyways, I've driven a number of 6spd Zs, and between the model years I couldn't really feel any big improvements. Shifting was like pushing a stick through a bag of rocks and the clutch was too heavy (more so than a sports car should be). So after driving the 07 and realizing not much has changed, it got me thinking that you guys have ***** and a ton of patience.
I could never tolerate such a transmission, since the Z is my DD. I just can't go a day without driving it, I really can't. When I was in Santa Monica on business in July, the one thing I missed the most was my car - over my gf, and family. I bet I'm not the only one, too.
Anyways, to me the manual mode is plenty of fun. But I know to you purists that clutch means everything. So my hats go off to you guys. I don't know how you do it, especially those who DD their Z, but it sure as hell does take some incredible patience.
/end girly man rant
Anyways, I've driven a number of 6spd Zs, and between the model years I couldn't really feel any big improvements. Shifting was like pushing a stick through a bag of rocks and the clutch was too heavy (more so than a sports car should be). So after driving the 07 and realizing not much has changed, it got me thinking that you guys have ***** and a ton of patience.
I could never tolerate such a transmission, since the Z is my DD. I just can't go a day without driving it, I really can't. When I was in Santa Monica on business in July, the one thing I missed the most was my car - over my gf, and family. I bet I'm not the only one, too.
Anyways, to me the manual mode is plenty of fun. But I know to you purists that clutch means everything. So my hats go off to you guys. I don't know how you do it, especially those who DD their Z, but it sure as hell does take some incredible patience.
/end girly man rant
M/T and auto are basically the same thing imo. I've driven an auto G35 for 5 years, then switched to Nismo 350z, I transition it almost perfectly, the only difference is the clutch and shifting, which is exactly what i wanted, so if you enjoy driving your car, M/T is the way to go.
People who think driving MT in traffic sucks is just rediculous, its not like driving an auto in traffic is any cooler
People who think driving MT in traffic sucks is just rediculous
, its not like driving an auto in traffic is any cooler