You are a puss...the tranny/clutch is "hard" compared to a Civic but the engagement is positive and I actually think the clutch is wayyy to soft for a sports car. I love my triple plate chatters like a **** clutch, keeps the normal drivers out of my car

 

+1

Tony (guess that means I can drive it then, huh Bert?)

 

I enjoy the feedback of the Z. It feels about the same as my 02 firebird in terms of resistance or weight. My gfs Scion Tc has a very easy clutch that I don't like. Does not always seem like it is in gear even though it is. Comes down to personal preference but I would not say it's a "hard" clutch.

 

To anyone who thinks this was a condescending post, it isn't. I am genuinely giving you MT daily drivers props. Don't get me wrong though, when/if I get a 6.0L GTO, it'll be a 6spd.

I was supposed to have a 6spd GTO back in March, left a deposit and the dealer sold it. As*holes. The Z was always my first choice, anyways. But the GTO was priced great.

 

The GTO has a weaksauce clutch and the shift feel feels like absolute crap. One of my friends has one and I didn't know WTF gear I was in. Floppy garbage shifters FTL.

 

:d

 

I swore to myself I would never post to a MT vs. AT thread ever again, but I cannot resist.

There are three types of transmissions (reduced to the most elemental level and these definitions are real):

1) Manual Transmission (MT)
MT is defined by having distinct gears you engage by pressing on a clutch pedal to disengage/re-engage a disk and flywheel, and selecting a specific gear.

2) Semi-Automatic Transmission (SAT)
SAT has the same characteristics as MT, but there is no clutch pedal to press and manually disengage/re-engage a disk and flywheel. Shifting is done with a sequential control (usually a paddle), and the clutch disengages/re-engages the disk and flywheel automatically. These transmissions typically do not upshift or downshift automatically (the driver does this using paddles), but some will do this. One case is shifting to reverse or first gear "automatically."

3) Automatic Transmission (AT)
AT's are different and use pressure plates or viscous structures to advance or retard the gear. AT's usually shift automatically, but more sophisticated applications allow "manually" selecting a gear or shift-point.

The Z comes in two formats (MT or AT), but not in SAT. So... which offers the better performance? You tell me.

For raw accleration from a standstill or rolling start, the AT may provide better results, especially when comparing to an inexperienced MT driver. Once you're on the track and driving fast, MT certainly provides an advantage to the experienced driver who consistently selects the best gear.

But... everything I say here is argueable, so on with the flame-suit...


OOh... Ouch... It burns...

--Spike

 

I just couldn't justify buying a sports car with an Automatic trans...Before the 350z came out, I thought for sure that Nissan would produce MT's on the Z's like the S2000...To me, a sports car is meant to be driven hard and you should have total control of the engines power out of corner's and such...In a auto, you really don't have that freedom on the track.. Just my opinion of coarse.

 

I agree. It would also weed out many of the non-enthusiasts (like the grandmas and yuppies buying the car because it's "nice", not knowing what it's truely capable of). Would add to the rarity of the car.

 

Exactly!!!! You would def. not see as many on the road if it was only available in manual....That may the biggest cause of the Z not holding it's value as well as many other sports cars...When I traded in my 2003 S2000, I got a good amount back because there isn't that many on the roads compared to say the Z..I'm not so sure that will be the case once I decide to trade or sell my car. Seems like these cars depreciate every year more than one might think...

 

the Z tranny is a little notchy and definitely trickier to drive smooth compared with other cars. Drove my friends 07 G35 Coupe last week and his clutch and shifter was way more smooth and the cluth pedal travel was way shallower. Still like the Z better because of that more 'solid' feel, G was a little soft but definitely makes lazing around town much easier, especially in traffic.

 

Sorry but you haven't got a lot of credibility with this post.

Stating the shifter is like pushing a stick through a bag of rocks and the clutch is too heavy is really a big stretch. I'm not really sure what you mean about taking incredible patience though.

While the shifter is a bit notchy it's nothing like your description. The clutch effort is typical of and what might be expected with a 300hp car. It's stiffer than a Civic or a Mazda 3 for example but that's not surprising.

You might want to consider hitting the gym given your difficulty with moving the gear lever and the clutch pedal. I'm only 150 lbs 5'11" and have no difficulty.

 

Well in my case it's my first and only manual tranny car. Yes i've driven other M/T cars and this one is definitely the most difficult to master, but you get used to it after a while.

 

Start SMALL -----Practice Jackin off while pretending to kick the dog off the bed

 

Sports cars and manual transmission go together like peas and carrots...IMO buying an AT defeats half the purpose and the "fun" factor in owning a Z.

 

Try driving a Mustang GT, my roommate's left calve is 20x bigger than his right.

 

Well in 1968 I learned to drive at 17 on my '67 Mustang. Hurst 4 speed. I loved it. But my 6speed MT Z ......much sweeter. I would never compare it to a "bag of rocks"!

But I could power shift the **** out of that Hurst shifter.....

 

I love manual on the Z. I drive an f-150 4spd with overdrive and I hate it. I get in the Z and its a breeze. Smooth shifting and easy to drive. MT FTW!!

 

You guys still don't get it do you? Try looking at the "BIG" picture and get out of your boxes. The traditional manual transmission is going to be dead!
Here's another picture for you car head guys, can you tell me what vehicle this is from?



BTW-"The car has one transmission — with enough gears for two. The eight-speed automatic has a manual mode and steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. There is no true manual, which is sure to turn off some driving enthusiasts.
??? says the transmission, which it calls direct-sport shift, changes gears within one-tenth of a second and executes rev matching for smoother downshifts and decreased wear. Not to be confused with some automated-manual transmissions, like Audi's S tronic, this one uses a fluidic torque converter — but it locks up in 2nd through 8th gears."cars.com

 

ok night rida.... think back to when was the first automatic came out.....

now...... M/T is still around no?

more and more driver are going to automatic cause they dont wanna fail the driver's test... and never bothered learning M/T later.

the way i see it......... a/t is a standard in every car.... m/t is a more sportier option.

i think it wont die in my lifetime and im almost 21. there are many high class car that STILL use m/t like the ccx, and zonda just to name a few.

almost all japanese D1, drifters use m/t. and almost all top drag machine uses a/t.