your z difficult to drive smooth?
01-20-2009 | 09:13 AM
#61
I really only notice it when I switch between my 98 honda and the 03 Z. If I switch back and forth often I end up having trouble driving both of them. They are exact opposites of eachother. (170000 miles difference)
I had trouble when I first drove the Z. I also notice it more when someone else is in the car. I try to make the ride more smooth when their head starts bobbing back and forth.
I dunno. I would say a pain sometimes but all in all I still love this car
I had trouble when I first drove the Z. I also notice it more when someone else is in the car. I try to make the ride more smooth when their head starts bobbing back and forth.
I dunno. I would say a pain sometimes but all in all I still love this car
01-20-2009 | 09:16 AM
#62
i have an 07 as well and the car is very finicky until it's VERY warmed up. typically within the first 20-30 minutes you won't be able to drive smooth. However if you've been cruising on the freeway for a good deal of time, it starts driving smooth.
01-20-2009 | 10:02 AM
#63
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From: Less Talk, More WOT | Hou, TX
Happens to me too and it bugs me. I've noticed that shifting faster seems to help, and it smooths out as you drive faster. Try shifting between gears quicker and see if that helps.
01-20-2009 | 10:17 AM
#64
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From: Eastern Washington
You might want to have a dealer check your car over because it shouldn't be that way. I back my car out of the garage and it idles for a minute while I watch the garage door shut and hook up my seat belt. Then I back out and I'm away. The garage is not heated so the car is cold. I take it easy for 3 blocks or so till the temp gauge begins to move up and even during that time the car is smooth as can be even on days when the temperatures are near zero or below. Older cars with carbs and chokes used to be pretty finicky till warmed up but fuel injection has pretty much eliminated that problem.
05-17-2009 | 02:38 PM
#66
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From: GA
I figured out why mine was jerking into 2nd gear....I have a 2007 and if I pull the shifter straight down I get jerking, but if I pull down and pull slightly to the left while I pull down I get a perfectly smooth shift...Maybe there is something wrong with my transmission...Sounds weird but I have tried this over and over again with the same result.
05-17-2009 | 02:57 PM
#67
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From: Atlanta, GA
Well I know this is a dead thread resurrection, but I'm glad it's been resurfaced. I've had my Z for about two weeks now and I'm still struggling a little bit with the transmission (my first manual car).
I had a horrible time with the 1st-to-2nd shift but by releasing the clutch slower I've overcome that (except for going uphill, I still jerk going to second horribly)
My problem now is the higher gears. Sometimes I can shift these as smooth as my automatic Civic and sometimes I still jerk. I can't seem to get the timing right on releasing the clutch. I typically don't start giving it gas again til I let the clutch all the way out.
Any advice?
P.S. I have a date with a girl later this week and I don't want to look like an idiot failing to drive my new car. Gonna be practicing all week ;p
I had a horrible time with the 1st-to-2nd shift but by releasing the clutch slower I've overcome that (except for going uphill, I still jerk going to second horribly)
My problem now is the higher gears. Sometimes I can shift these as smooth as my automatic Civic and sometimes I still jerk. I can't seem to get the timing right on releasing the clutch. I typically don't start giving it gas again til I let the clutch all the way out.
Any advice?
P.S. I have a date with a girl later this week and I don't want to look like an idiot failing to drive my new car. Gonna be practicing all week ;p
05-17-2009 | 02:59 PM
#68
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From: Norcal
you just have to get used to driving it.
I've been driving my Z for 9 months and I can shift smoothly from any gear to the point where you cant tell the car has changed gears from the passenger seat.
Best technique from first to second I'd say is slowly get to around 3k rpm, you can tell by the sound when to shift, then just move the gear out of first, depress the clutch, shift into 2nd, and get back on the gas smoothly. you wont even feel the car move. just experiment and find whats best for you.
I've been driving my Z for 9 months and I can shift smoothly from any gear to the point where you cant tell the car has changed gears from the passenger seat.
Best technique from first to second I'd say is slowly get to around 3k rpm, you can tell by the sound when to shift, then just move the gear out of first, depress the clutch, shift into 2nd, and get back on the gas smoothly. you wont even feel the car move. just experiment and find whats best for you.
05-17-2009 | 03:01 PM
#69
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From: Atlanta, GA
you just have to get used to driving it.
I've been driving my Z for 9 months and I can shift smoothly from any gear to the point where you cant tell the car has changed gears from the passenger seat.
Best technique from first to second I'd say is slowly get to around 3k rpm, you can tell by the sound when to shift, then just move the gear out of first, depress the clutch, shift into 2nd, and get back on the gas smoothly. you wont even feel the car move. just experiment and find whats best for you.
I've been driving my Z for 9 months and I can shift smoothly from any gear to the point where you cant tell the car has changed gears from the passenger seat.
Best technique from first to second I'd say is slowly get to around 3k rpm, you can tell by the sound when to shift, then just move the gear out of first, depress the clutch, shift into 2nd, and get back on the gas smoothly. you wont even feel the car move. just experiment and find whats best for you.
05-17-2009 | 03:34 PM
#70
No, if there is no load on the drivetrain, you are just coasting at a steady speed, the shifter should just slide right out. There is a point when you take your foot off the gas, while the car is transitioning from accelleration to decelleration, you can smoothly pull the shifter out of gear. In theory you can shift to the next gear without the clutch as well if you know what you are doing, but there is no reason to, just push the clutch down.
05-17-2009 | 03:36 PM
#71
I have an '03 performance model, and very smooth shifts thus far. I know what people mean when they rev high in first, clutch in and wait for the revs to drop a decent amount, and then shift into 2nd. It's just a "lazy" way of driving in my opinion. We all get tired.
05-17-2009 | 03:55 PM
#72
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From: Texas
I've been driving my '08 base for a little less than 2 months now and I can tell you that it <u>IS POSSIBLE</u> to drive the Z without it jerking around in 1st and 2nd (and no you do not need to get the revs past 2k to achieve this). I've been driving a 5-spd Sentra for the last 7 years so yes the Z was much more sensitive in the clutch for me. I remember the first 1000 miles of driving the Z and getting used to the clutch was a challenge...I'm sure my passengers were thinking "this guy can't drive worth ****". Now I'd say my transitions are extremely smooth, and very unnoticeable. It's all in the technique and learning how the car runs. From a stop in neutral practice going through the first 3 gears driving relatively SLOW and concentrate on not jerking the car around...you will learn where the sweet spot on the clutch is, how much gas to give it (if any) and how fast you can release the clutch. You don't learn how to run before you learn how to walk... Perhaps some of the complaints are coming from people who are relatively new to driving a manual, as I would say that the Z is not the best car to master your technique.
As for the Z being more sensitive in the clutch compared to other manual transmissions I'll have to disagree with all those who said its abnormally sensitive. I've driven an 03 Maxima and an 08 V6 Accord, both very unforgiving clutches just like the Z if not more so. Go to some dealerships and actually test drive some NEW manual sports cars with similar HP ratings, I think you'll find they are not much more forgiving than your Z. If you want a car with a smooth clutch buy a BMW or be willing to spend some money on a more expensive sports car.
As for the Z being more sensitive in the clutch compared to other manual transmissions I'll have to disagree with all those who said its abnormally sensitive. I've driven an 03 Maxima and an 08 V6 Accord, both very unforgiving clutches just like the Z if not more so. Go to some dealerships and actually test drive some NEW manual sports cars with similar HP ratings, I think you'll find they are not much more forgiving than your Z. If you want a car with a smooth clutch buy a BMW or be willing to spend some money on a more expensive sports car.
one question though? understood sweet spot about clutch what did you mean when you said how much gas to give it if any. may sound dumb but don't you release gas before each shift?
05-17-2009 | 08:58 PM
#73
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From: NYC
In my 04 the only time i can smoothly go from 1st to 2nd is if i get to about 2.5k n then slam the clutch so it doesnt have time to rev down OR keep my foot on the gas and press the clutch down, but then i get a jump in revs while disengaged : /
05-27-2009 | 02:47 PM
#74
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From: Private
First of all I'm just talking about normal, everyday driving. not aggresive get on the throttle hard as you shift to make it smooth driving.
Hi, just wanted to know why the Z is difficult to drive smoothly? I know you want to say "L2D Noob!" but i'm talking about an issue i know many Z drivers have. Example, when shifting from 1st to 2nd, if the clutch isn't let out at the right time and the right rev, the engagement can be rough which is why people who drive the Z for the first time usually make the car "buck" a lot from letting out clutch too fast. That is also why i know a lot of Z drivers intentionally let the clutch out slower to let the revs drop a bit.
I ask because recently at work i've had the opportunity to drive a couple different manual cars like hondas, evos, imprezas, volkswagons, and a couple older vehicles. But in every single one of the cars i drove, regardless of the gear and speed at which i let out the clutch, it always seemed to have a smooth transition. I didn't have to wait for the revs to drop or anything. Just clutch, shift, accelerate and smoothness.
So why do Z's, or just my Z maybe, need to be so precisely driven for it to be smooth? are my synchro's bad? 19,000 miles 07 Z. It's bothers me because I learned manual on my Z and till recently I thought that's how most manuals were. But after driving all those other cars and realizing how much better it would be if my Z were smooth to drive all the time without having good days and bad days, I thought i'd post this question to get some answers and maybe even a solution.
Thank you.
Hi, just wanted to know why the Z is difficult to drive smoothly? I know you want to say "L2D Noob!" but i'm talking about an issue i know many Z drivers have. Example, when shifting from 1st to 2nd, if the clutch isn't let out at the right time and the right rev, the engagement can be rough which is why people who drive the Z for the first time usually make the car "buck" a lot from letting out clutch too fast. That is also why i know a lot of Z drivers intentionally let the clutch out slower to let the revs drop a bit.
I ask because recently at work i've had the opportunity to drive a couple different manual cars like hondas, evos, imprezas, volkswagons, and a couple older vehicles. But in every single one of the cars i drove, regardless of the gear and speed at which i let out the clutch, it always seemed to have a smooth transition. I didn't have to wait for the revs to drop or anything. Just clutch, shift, accelerate and smoothness.
So why do Z's, or just my Z maybe, need to be so precisely driven for it to be smooth? are my synchro's bad? 19,000 miles 07 Z. It's bothers me because I learned manual on my Z and till recently I thought that's how most manuals were. But after driving all those other cars and realizing how much better it would be if my Z were smooth to drive all the time without having good days and bad days, I thought i'd post this question to get some answers and maybe even a solution.
Thank you.
At high RPM's you really won't get the bucking but if you're grandma riding it and shifting to 2nd at like 10mph then maybe.
05-27-2009 | 03:40 PM
#75
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From: Texas
Your post makes sense. My 05 MT is a blast to drive you just got to pratice and work with it. First to second is tricky i just what i call feather the clutch it just engage's then i shift,don't let the rpm's drop to much. the rest of the gears i find pretty easy to shift, to me and i'm far from expert but to me it's all about the rpms. just my opinion.
05-28-2009 | 06:03 AM
#76
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From: Florida
Now the 370 Z is suppossed to be better in the shift dept with the syncro rev match gizmo. And the AT 370Z I drove was great with the paddle shifters.
05-28-2009 | 06:13 AM
#77
2003 track...i still get jerks every now and again when stop and going.... but thats when i've been on the hwy for awhile shifting perfectly....it's a totally different car in stop and go places than when straight through highway driving
that's the Z...learn to love it!
that's the Z...learn to love it!
05-28-2009 | 10:31 AM
#80
My driving improved exponentially when i switched to a quite exhaust 
. With the loud one i was always sounding stupid everytime i took off in first revving high etc, i think it had an emotional effect LOL. Now i have smooth take off and shifts because i dont have that. My 91 TT with jwt racing clutch and flywheel combo still drove way smoother then this beast but its ok you get used to it.
. With the loud one i was always sounding stupid everytime i took off in first revving high etc, i think it had an emotional effect LOL. Now i have smooth take off and shifts because i dont have that. My 91 TT with jwt racing clutch and flywheel combo still drove way smoother then this beast but its ok you get used to it.