This is going to be hard to explain but i will give it a go.

I'm a new standard driver..so i don't have much experiance.

When i shift into 2nd gear its kind of tough...not smooth. Seems to make a slight grind noise....same thing happens when i go into 3rd gear.
Is this normal?

The only other car i have driven in standard is a civic...there was no little noise and it was very smooth.

My girlfriend (great standard driver) even found it weird, when she drove the 350 today.
She drove it when i first got it 2 weeks and she said she didn't notice it 2 weeks ago.

Sorry if this all sounds weird. Had anyone experianced this? Is it normal?

Its a 2004 perfor with 900 miles.

 

You have a Zmission!!...My 2004 was notchy going into 2nd the day I got it.....Just keep it in the back of your mind and when you start heading for the end of warranty, go in and address it to your dealer.

 

I noticed that 2nd and 3rd were a little notchy a couple of weeks ago when I was around 800 miles, but it went away after a little road trip with some highway driving. I was driving it today and it seems fine.

 

So this is normal?

I should just give it time?

Thanks guys.

 

Notchiness is a reality for pretty much most of us MT drivers. Mine tends to be the 1st and 2nd shift... now if you hear any grinding when you shift (with your foot firmly placed on the clutch to the floor), then you may have a warrantly claim in your future.

 

Should be of no concern if you have an '04. The gears are just notchy, but it gets better the harder you drive it.

 

Exactly!! This car will not shift like a Civic.....ever. The fact is that the majoriity of the notchtyness happens going into 2nd gear. In most cases it is normal. It happens a lot with 6 speeds similar to the Z. Triple Synchros by the way....which technically should help the shifting be smoother. Give it some time. The shifting gets much smoother when the car is warm after some long drives and your tranny has to "break in". The teeth just have to smooth out a bit.
What I do is, when I first take the car out (first 15 min. or so) I shift slowly into 2nd....at about 2500 rpm or so. After that she's smooth. I'll then normally shift at 3500-4000 rpm and I can do it quite fast without any hesitation in neutral.

Hope this helps. Don't start panicing yet.