Auto. Z owners---are you satisfied?
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Just wondering if those who have the automatics are satisfied w/ the feel, acceleration and general driving exp. with the automatic. I'm still debating in my head whether I should have ordered an auto because I wasn't sure how the manual would handle in traffic. Please let me know whether you are pleased, regret the decision or whatever.
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Originally posted by donnyz
You guys bought automatic 350z's .......
JK
You guys bought automatic 350z's .......
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JK
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Actually, I ordered a manual . . . I def. wanted to give it a shot before defecting to the dark side. But Nissan is not known for have a great clutch feel. Quite the opposite, nissan MTs in the past have been notchy and difficult to engage with very long throws.
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Originally posted by dbalogh
Once again, a valid question not answered. It would be nice the find out the driving impression otherwise you are the laughing stock, giggly dude. It causes one to wonder if you're really crying becuase you can't describe your driving experience with any detail or intellect. The guy has a valid question. Does anyone that (--really--) owns a Z have anything to say?
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I'm sure everyone would love to be able to just drive around on back roads revving his or her near 300 hp sports car to redline, but some of us will have to drive to work or school (and no, high school doesn't count) in heavy traffic. And it's not just the quantity of vehicles, its the fact that they have gotten a hell of a lot more bloated and slower in the last 10 years.
So again, anyone with an auto. care to share with the rest of us his/her driving impressions so far?
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I have the Automatic and i am very happy with it. I have over 1200 miles on the car and i am able to red line it with the Auto/Manual shifter. I didnt buy my car to take to the track every weekend so an automatic seem to fit my tatse better than a manual. I drive in the city alot so it really works out for me. Youll be happy with the auto unless you plan on racing it weekly. Even if you did want to race it im sure you could still hang.
Ive driven a 5 speed manual car for years and the change was welcomed.
Ive driven a 5 speed manual car for years and the change was welcomed.
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I have one and it shifts very nicely. In fact, the manual mode shifts pretty quick as well. The only problemm is having it in auto and thinking it is in manual and throwing it into nuetral!
Oh well, time will heal all wounds!
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Oh well, time will heal all wounds!
#9
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Originally posted by MikeyDNY
Actually, I ordered a manual . . . I def. wanted to give it a shot before defecting to the dark side. But Nissan is not known for have a great clutch feel. Quite the opposite, nissan MTs in the past have been notchy and difficult to engage with very long throws.
Actually, I ordered a manual . . . I def. wanted to give it a shot before defecting to the dark side. But Nissan is not known for have a great clutch feel. Quite the opposite, nissan MTs in the past have been notchy and difficult to engage with very long throws.
Also, why don't you test drive a G35 Sedan, its the same drivetrain, just 27 hp less than the Z. I was seriously considering the G35 if the Z wasn't what I was expecting.
Boomer
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Originally posted by Boomer
I like it a lot, so far, but since I only have 198 miles on mine, I can't give you a definitive answer. I would suggest you do a search for an earlier thread where the suject was discussed at length.
Also, why don't you test drive a G35 Sedan, its the same drivetrain, just 27 hp less than the Z. I was seriously considering the G35 if the Z wasn't what I was expecting.
Boomer
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I like it a lot, so far, but since I only have 198 miles on mine, I can't give you a definitive answer. I would suggest you do a search for an earlier thread where the suject was discussed at length.
Also, why don't you test drive a G35 Sedan, its the same drivetrain, just 27 hp less than the Z. I was seriously considering the G35 if the Z wasn't what I was expecting.
Boomer
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I figured a lot of auto. owners agonized over whether they should get an auto or not, so I thought they would be sensitive to whether the "fun factor" is still there.
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I had the opportunity to test drive both the auto and the manual.
Although I prefer and have ordered the 6 speed... I thought the auto (in manual mode) shifted up very quickly... and a littler slower on the downshifts. Overall, I have a very favorable impression --- and if I were living in NY city... or central Tokyo.. I would probably have considered an auto.
In fact, I read a review of the new Z in one magazine in Japan where the test driver thought the automatic was better suited to the engine than the 6-speed. One man's opinion.
Although I prefer and have ordered the 6 speed... I thought the auto (in manual mode) shifted up very quickly... and a littler slower on the downshifts. Overall, I have a very favorable impression --- and if I were living in NY city... or central Tokyo.. I would probably have considered an auto.
In fact, I read a review of the new Z in one magazine in Japan where the test driver thought the automatic was better suited to the engine than the 6-speed. One man's opinion.
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Thank you MikeyDNY for getting that ball rolling and being a man about it. You da man! Personally, I would like to have both and I'm trying to determine which I would be happier with. I do have a lot of city, normal driving and less time for the country redlines but I also want my city/normal driving to bet a pleasureable as possible. I have been figdeting about this lately and I'm ready to order. This week I'm ordering by god. and ... and... and.. I've got to go with the stick!!!!!! Here in Dallas they're saying January(depending on the dealer) but you can pick up a decline almost daily(with a markup). Otherwise Feb or Mar is the norm.
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Originally posted by MikeyDNY
"Personally, I have found that the only people who completely write-off automatics are usually very immature individuals who have never had any responsibilities like, I don't know, a JOB."
What could possibly be your rational for that statement. Why on earth would having a job (which 99% on this board probably do) have anything to do with people's transmission preference?
"I'm sure everyone would love to be able to just drive around on back roads revving his or her near 300 hp sports car to redline, but some of us will have to drive to work or school (and no, high school doesn't count) in heavy traffic. "
Again, another idiodic and ignorant statement. As I previously said, people do in fact have jobs. The very vast majority of the people who will be owning MT cars will have jobs. They have them because it's their preference. They DO take them to work. Driving through traffic may be less pleasant but they can and do drive through it. It's not difficult and you implying that somehow driving through traffic inhibits your driving is just plain ignorant (again, I won't say which tranny is my preference b/c people will always have their own preference and i don't care). Also, why would driving through traffic to get to high school be any different than driving to a job? Do high school kids have separate traffic-free roads that they go to school on? It sounds like you just had to make an age-discriminating comment (*cough* red herring) just to prove your superiority while also inadvertently proving your own lack of maturity (regardless of whatever age you might be).
Some people like AT. Some people like MT. Just remember to think before you type next time.
Last edited by TJZ; 10-01-2002 at 06:32 PM.
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Originally posted by MikeyDNY
Most previous threads have been hypothetical manual v. auto and many of the posts amounted to just a pissing match debating whether the auto is macho enough or whatever.
I figured a lot of auto. owners agonized over whether they should get an auto or not, so I thought they would be sensitive to whether the "fun factor" is still there.
Most previous threads have been hypothetical manual v. auto and many of the posts amounted to just a pissing match debating whether the auto is macho enough or whatever.
I figured a lot of auto. owners agonized over whether they should get an auto or not, so I thought they would be sensitive to whether the "fun factor" is still there.
By the way, the CEO, or CFO of Ferrari was quoted in last week's AUTOWEEK that the next generations of the SMG would replace the 6spd manuals in the near future, no 3rd pedal anymore. Hey, us AT owners are the wave of the future! So goes Ferrari, so goes the world of sports(y) cars. Read it and weep, curmudgeons.
Boomer
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Originally posted by dbalogh
I wonder what it means that the engine is beter sutied for the auto ZLady. Any info?
I wonder what it means that the engine is beter sutied for the auto ZLady. Any info?
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My $.02...
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and i like it...i have over 1700 miles on it and have found the shifts to be very crisp, fast, and smooth (this isn't the manual mode). am actually quite surprise how good the AT is. never had a nissan before, have had a toyota AT for the past 4 years and they make the smoothest AT trannys, but the Z's right there...as for the manual shift, it works pretty well but have found that i don't use it a lot...wish the "+" was pull down and "-" was push up (which is the true characteristic of a sequential shifter)...just a preference though...
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One word - FANTASTIC.
One drive w/ this AT after driving the 6spd MT and there was no question. This 5spd AT is one of the finest trannys I've ever driven. Period! 3spd, 4spd, 5spd, 6spd, auto or manual. How many AT boxes have you driven that as your are slowing down below say 30mph with only brakes that the tranny is already there downshifting. The tranny has NEVER not been in 1st gear when I left a stop light - whether slinking away or foot buried. The upshifts are very firm for an auto and pull totally to redline with an immediate shift and no slippage and the car feels like it's being pulled by a freight train at speed. Downshifts are sweet as well. I had a 2 gear automatic downshift WOT at 90MPH - from 5th to 3rd! I don't think many folks can shift a manual as consistent as this box does.
Can't wait to line up against a 6spd Z in the 1/4!
One drive w/ this AT after driving the 6spd MT and there was no question. This 5spd AT is one of the finest trannys I've ever driven. Period! 3spd, 4spd, 5spd, 6spd, auto or manual. How many AT boxes have you driven that as your are slowing down below say 30mph with only brakes that the tranny is already there downshifting. The tranny has NEVER not been in 1st gear when I left a stop light - whether slinking away or foot buried. The upshifts are very firm for an auto and pull totally to redline with an immediate shift and no slippage and the car feels like it's being pulled by a freight train at speed. Downshifts are sweet as well. I had a 2 gear automatic downshift WOT at 90MPH - from 5th to 3rd! I don't think many folks can shift a manual as consistent as this box does.
Can't wait to line up against a 6spd Z in the 1/4!
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dbalogh & Chris S...
regarding the auto being best suited for the Z...
What that reviewer was driving at.. is the redline is low... and the torque begins to run flat after 5,000-5,500 RPM -- therefore, he could see no real advantage of the 6 speed... again, this was only one test driver's impression and opinion.
regarding the auto being best suited for the Z...
What that reviewer was driving at.. is the redline is low... and the torque begins to run flat after 5,000-5,500 RPM -- therefore, he could see no real advantage of the 6 speed... again, this was only one test driver's impression and opinion.
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Originally posted by Boomer
By the way, the CEO, or CFO of Ferrari was quoted in last week's AUTOWEEK that the next generations of the SMG would replace the 6spd manuals in the near future, no 3rd pedal anymore. Hey, us AT owners are the wave of the future! So goes Ferrari, so goes the world of sports(y) cars. Read it and weep, curmudgeons.
Boomer
Brickyard, Frost Leather, AutoManual Transmission
By the way, the CEO, or CFO of Ferrari was quoted in last week's AUTOWEEK that the next generations of the SMG would replace the 6spd manuals in the near future, no 3rd pedal anymore. Hey, us AT owners are the wave of the future! So goes Ferrari, so goes the world of sports(y) cars. Read it and weep, curmudgeons.
Boomer
Brickyard, Frost Leather, AutoManual Transmission
-Mike