Why do we have the worst tranny?
08-13-2011, 05:05 AM
#61
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In my opinion, FWD linkage/cable style transmissions feel horrible. Sloppy and disconnected. Maybe it's all these years owning a RWD car, but I prefer the precise, gated feeling of a shifter. I drove my cousin's SRT-4 and the shifter felt like a guessing game as to which gear you were going into, because there's so much "slop" in the system that can't be taken out with an aftermarket shifter.
08-13-2011, 10:11 AM
#62
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I took the tranny in for a check, and the head mechanic told me that my 6MT feels better than most, and that the roughness is "normal" for these transmissions. He said they are not very smooth in general, and not to worry unless it grinds.
01-18-2012, 01:48 PM
#63
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[QUOTE=thatguy0009;9289899]Do you guys find it almost impossible to go from 2nd to 1st gear when you're going at about 15 mph? It seems like the car will only allow me to get into 1st at VERY low speed like 5 mph..... I have an HR.
Hi,
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
Hi,
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
01-18-2012, 04:43 PM
#64
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Hi,
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
Watch out for the hatch trunk under cold weather too!
Last edited by titanium777; 01-18-2012 at 04:48 PM.
01-18-2012, 06:18 PM
#65
[QUOTE=archangele;9566845]
First gear issue is normal. I only go into first from a dead stop. When it's in the 30's my second gear shift is a little tough. But after a couple blocks its good.
Do you guys find it almost impossible to go from 2nd to 1st gear when you're going at about 15 mph? It seems like the car will only allow me to get into 1st at VERY low speed like 5 mph..... I have an HR.
Hi,
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
Hi,
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
01-18-2012, 06:45 PM
#66
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[QUOTE=archangele;9566845]
You didn't read the previous posts clearly...... 1st gear is designed to GET THE CAR MOVING from a STOP. It's not meant to be driven in. Once the car starts to move, 2nd gear can do the rest. The tranny's are designed this way - to prevent people from downshifting to 1st unnecessarily at speeds excess of 10mph. If you're going 5mph in freeway traffic, and throw it into 1st, it'll let you because there's much less strain on the syncros. But if you're doing 10-15, it's more difficult (for a very good reason). The 2nd gear shift when cold is also pretty common.
Do you guys find it almost impossible to go from 2nd to 1st gear when you're going at about 15 mph? It seems like the car will only allow me to get into 1st at VERY low speed like 5 mph..... I have an HR.
Hi,
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
Hi,
My 2004 Z will not let me get into first unless I am either stopped or under 10 mph. Even at 10 mph it is a challenge. Another thing I have noticed is that my car is a pain to get into second when it is cold and temperatures are 40 degrees or lower. Anyone else notice hard shifts when their Z's are cold? Once it warms up, it works quite well, but still no where near as smooth as the 5 speed in my 1990 Mustang 5.0L. That car shifts like velvet as compared to the Z.
01-23-2012, 03:56 PM
#68
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usually 5th gear I have the most noise/grinds in randomly only when downshifting. second gear when its really cold out side. or at the drag strip when it gets a little on the hot side. other than that its been good. really wish they would have learned how to get it done right. 2003 350z 6MT
01-23-2012, 03:58 PM
#69
I've had an 06 G35 6MT coupe and now an 07 350Z 6MT. I bought the G used. It started burning oil so I got rid of it for the Z. The transmissions on both are fine. Around town and on the track.
The biggest problem with the G was the clutch. Around town it was a nightmare. I've been driving MTs for over 30 years and it was the worst ever. I never got comfortable starting off on a steep hill. For a car with a light flywheel (compared to other typical daily drivers) the clutch was too heavy, the throw was too long, the engagement too high and there was no tactile feel of the clutch beginning to engage. It was also often hard to drop down into first.
However, on the track I did not notice any problems. I do think these cars went through clutches fast and people often blame the transmission when the problem was the clutch.
The clutch is much better on the 07 Z. I don't love it but it is better. Have not gotten on the track with it yet. I will in 3 weeks.
I also do not like how hard it is to downshift into first and second, especially when it is cold. You can say what you want about downshifting into first but it is most people's inclination to downshift into first as you come to a stop, or do a rolling stop like in traffic. I've learned to give it a little rev-match and all is well. But it is still odd. Other than the G I've never had any other MT cars or trucks that did this. No big deal though.
And as mentioned, a lot of people, probably most people, do not know how to properly drive an MT. They develop bad habits and blame problems on the car.
The biggest problem with the G was the clutch. Around town it was a nightmare. I've been driving MTs for over 30 years and it was the worst ever. I never got comfortable starting off on a steep hill. For a car with a light flywheel (compared to other typical daily drivers) the clutch was too heavy, the throw was too long, the engagement too high and there was no tactile feel of the clutch beginning to engage. It was also often hard to drop down into first.
However, on the track I did not notice any problems. I do think these cars went through clutches fast and people often blame the transmission when the problem was the clutch.
The clutch is much better on the 07 Z. I don't love it but it is better. Have not gotten on the track with it yet. I will in 3 weeks.
I also do not like how hard it is to downshift into first and second, especially when it is cold. You can say what you want about downshifting into first but it is most people's inclination to downshift into first as you come to a stop, or do a rolling stop like in traffic. I've learned to give it a little rev-match and all is well. But it is still odd. Other than the G I've never had any other MT cars or trucks that did this. No big deal though.
And as mentioned, a lot of people, probably most people, do not know how to properly drive an MT. They develop bad habits and blame problems on the car.
01-23-2012, 05:08 PM
#71
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my 2000 civic has so much slop in it, that if you put it in 1st and push the lever to the right, and then put it in 3rd and pull it to the left it would actually be closer to the left in 3rd gear and closer to the center in 1st LOL.
It tends to go into the right gear anyways, though but the lever is mad sloppy.
It was designed for old ladies, though, so i bet they softened it up on purpose.
My dads 2006 civic with a cable shifter feels much more solidly connected - it almost seems as if they wanted to make the notchiest FWD shifter ever. im sure this will diminish as the cables wear etc. It is possible, though, for a cable shifter to feel solid (though its never going to be quite as solid as a solid mechanical linkage) - its just a matter of how precise the cables are etc.
You just have to figure that FWD cars are more likely to be designed to be driven by old ladies, and are therefore more likely to consider a floppy shifter as a good thing rather than a bad thing. I think this is exaggerating the difference between a mechanical linkage and a cable - although some is definitely inherent to the design itself.
The 350z shifter has a bit of rubber to soften it up a bit, though, so i bet that a cable shifter that was designed to be as tight as possible could be about as precise as the Z shifter is - but since when do car manufactureres make FWD sports cars anyways?
I bet there are some mid engine cars with decent cable shifters...
It tends to go into the right gear anyways, though but the lever is mad sloppy.
It was designed for old ladies, though, so i bet they softened it up on purpose.
My dads 2006 civic with a cable shifter feels much more solidly connected - it almost seems as if they wanted to make the notchiest FWD shifter ever. im sure this will diminish as the cables wear etc. It is possible, though, for a cable shifter to feel solid (though its never going to be quite as solid as a solid mechanical linkage) - its just a matter of how precise the cables are etc.
You just have to figure that FWD cars are more likely to be designed to be driven by old ladies, and are therefore more likely to consider a floppy shifter as a good thing rather than a bad thing. I think this is exaggerating the difference between a mechanical linkage and a cable - although some is definitely inherent to the design itself.
The 350z shifter has a bit of rubber to soften it up a bit, though, so i bet that a cable shifter that was designed to be as tight as possible could be about as precise as the Z shifter is - but since when do car manufactureres make FWD sports cars anyways?
I bet there are some mid engine cars with decent cable shifters...
01-24-2012, 01:23 PM
#72
I am curious about the difficulty with downshifting into second or first at low speeds. I've never owned one of these cars new. First one (G35) had 77k miles on it, my current Z has almost 60k on it.
Do these cars do this from day one or is it something that gets worse. In other words, is this normal or is my synchromesh going south. I need to find out because my warranty expires in about 1000 miles.
Do these cars do this from day one or is it something that gets worse. In other words, is this normal or is my synchromesh going south. I need to find out because my warranty expires in about 1000 miles.
01-24-2012, 03:03 PM
#74
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Aside from early synchro issues with early model transmissions my transmission has been going strong for 5+ years with no issues and it gets abused. I've seen cars with plenty worst transmissions, ours are pretty bulletproof n/a.
01-24-2012, 04:30 PM
#75
I've heard several people say what you're saying and I'm equally confused. Sure, second gear is fairly low in this car but you can still lug the engine (which is horrible for an engine) from a slow speed in second gear. So there is a speed at which you still need first or you lug the engine in second.
Here is why you go into first when moving... approaching a stop sign, clutch in, slow down, into first while at 5mph or so, almost come to a stop and then off you go. Too slow for second, just right for first. Been doing it for 32 years. Never ruined a clutch or a tranny. Same thing goes in stop and go traffic. I'm not going to come to a complete halt to get first if I can help it.
Maybe some folks don't drive in town.
The point is, this car is hard to downshift into first and sometimes second. I've driven countless MT's and have never encountered this in anything from pick-up trucks, Jeeps, econo-boxes, tractors or pole trucks with synchromesh.
Again, it doesn't bother me. It probably isn't even a flaw. I just want to know if it is normal from day one or if it is a sign of a tanking synchro. My car is used, I have no idea how the previous owner drove it. And the warranty is almost gone!
Here is why you go into first when moving... approaching a stop sign, clutch in, slow down, into first while at 5mph or so, almost come to a stop and then off you go. Too slow for second, just right for first. Been doing it for 32 years. Never ruined a clutch or a tranny. Same thing goes in stop and go traffic. I'm not going to come to a complete halt to get first if I can help it.
Maybe some folks don't drive in town.
The point is, this car is hard to downshift into first and sometimes second. I've driven countless MT's and have never encountered this in anything from pick-up trucks, Jeeps, econo-boxes, tractors or pole trucks with synchromesh.
Again, it doesn't bother me. It probably isn't even a flaw. I just want to know if it is normal from day one or if it is a sign of a tanking synchro. My car is used, I have no idea how the previous owner drove it. And the warranty is almost gone!
01-29-2012, 05:03 AM
#76
Okay, it looks like a couple of posts got removed, which is a good thing. But I do want to repost what the manual says.
It says that if you are getting resistance to downshifting into first at very low speeds then double clutching will help getting it into gear.
It says that if you are getting resistance to downshifting into first at very low speeds then double clutching will help getting it into gear.
01-29-2012, 08:44 AM
#77
I've heard several people say what you're saying and I'm equally confused. Sure, second gear is fairly low in this car but you can still lug the engine (which is horrible for an engine) from a slow speed in second gear. So there is a speed at which you still need first or you lug the engine in second.
Here is why you go into first when moving... approaching a stop sign, clutch in, slow down, into first while at 5mph or so, almost come to a stop and then off you go. Too slow for second, just right for first. Been doing it for 32 years. Never ruined a clutch or a tranny. Same thing goes in stop and go traffic. I'm not going to come to a complete halt to get first if I can help it.
Maybe some folks don't drive in town.
The point is, this car is hard to downshift into first and sometimes second. I've driven countless MT's and have never encountered this in anything from pick-up trucks, Jeeps, econo-boxes, tractors or pole trucks with synchromesh.
Again, it doesn't bother me. It probably isn't even a flaw. I just want to know if it is normal from day one or if it is a sign of a tanking synchro. My car is used, I have no idea how the previous owner drove it. And the warranty is almost gone!
Here is why you go into first when moving... approaching a stop sign, clutch in, slow down, into first while at 5mph or so, almost come to a stop and then off you go. Too slow for second, just right for first. Been doing it for 32 years. Never ruined a clutch or a tranny. Same thing goes in stop and go traffic. I'm not going to come to a complete halt to get first if I can help it.
Maybe some folks don't drive in town.
The point is, this car is hard to downshift into first and sometimes second. I've driven countless MT's and have never encountered this in anything from pick-up trucks, Jeeps, econo-boxes, tractors or pole trucks with synchromesh.
Again, it doesn't bother me. It probably isn't even a flaw. I just want to know if it is normal from day one or if it is a sign of a tanking synchro. My car is used, I have no idea how the previous owner drove it. And the warranty is almost gone!
So you are going into first when moving because you are running stop signs?
I grew up and learned to drive in Los Angeles so I am very familiar with the California roll hell when I was 17 I got three tickets three days in a row from the same cop doing it at the same damn stop sign. That is how I learned STOP AT APPROPRIATE PLACES.
I can go into second without lugging over 5mph and do so to avoid clutching whenever possible. Perhaps that is how I have averaged 160k on a clutch?
01-29-2012, 12:28 PM
#78
That is how I learned STOP AT APPROPRIATE PLACES.
Perhaps that is how I have averaged 160k on a clutch?
Besides, like I mentioned above, the owners manual actually addresses the issue and suggests double clutching when you need to. So its not like I'm making this up. And in the end, I've spent 32 years in MT vehicles with no problems so there is no need for me to change and if you've had good fortune the way you drive you should keep driving the way you like.
01-29-2012, 01:10 PM
#79
Guess you missed where I said I was 17, that was 33 years ago. I have no intention of altering my driving habits and I was not suggesting anyone else did, I just asked if you were running stop signs.
I just took a trip and at speed bumps went into first instead of staying in second when I went over them at about 4mph. No problem getting into first.
I just took a trip and at speed bumps went into first instead of staying in second when I went over them at about 4mph. No problem getting into first.
01-30-2012, 11:56 AM
#80
New Member
Love my 08 MT,and I have driven nothing but Nissans since 1999 and all manual.My Altima,Sentra,and G20 all locked out ANY downshifts to 1st gear if you arent 5mph or below...so it was nothing new when I got the Z.
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