Well this is my first post on the board, but i've been lurking since the beginning. I have finally saved up enough money to get my beloved 350Z in August. This will be my first real sports car and of course i'm getting a 6MT, but i've never driven a stick-shift before. Will this car be hard to learn on? and will it be able to handel abuse for a copule of days while i'm learing? Thanks for any input you can give.

 

It wont be hard to learn on, IMO. BUT - why learn on a brand new sports car. Find yourself an old truck, something from the 80s. It will much more forgiving, and if you break something, no big deal. Can you borrow or buy an old beater. I live in Tucson, and have a '98 S10. If you lived here, I'd teach you in few hours. Somebody back there must be willing to help.

Lou

 

Get the folks at the dealership to teach you how to drive on a used car. Tell them you will buy from them if they teach you how to drive it.

I drive an auto, but everything I've read on here indicates that the 6MT is kinda tough for first timers. Go beat up someone else's clutch, and then try the Z.

CaptinB

 

Go for it. The car can handle a few days of abuse, mine did!!! I learned how to drive stick on my 350z.

 

quick and easy solution, go buy a rental car place and rent a pos 5 spd. take it for the day but make sure you get the optional insurance. total cost ~30. and you can beat on it as much as you want while learning.

best way to learn clutch play is to go to an empty parking lot and drive the car from a stop without the gas simply by releasing the clutch slowly. once you learn the point where it grabs its cake to add throttle and get it to go.

 

I agree with people... rent some standard car, and practice on them
Me personally think the Z is pretty easy to drive

 

I know a few guys who learned stick on their Z.
No Biggie. you'll be fine and have a blast driving this car

 

It took me about One week to master it. It stalled here and there alittle on day 1 and 2. Now its natural, I dont even think about it, its like breathing.

 

i drove stick for 8 years total, and the z was like learning all over again. IMO it's not for new stick drivers.

 

Thanks for all the feedback. I think it would be a little hard for me to get a rental seeing that i'm only 20 years old. I'm gunna try and see if i can get a friend's car or something to beat on.

 

I learned on the Z. The car really took a beating for the first week or so. The car now has about 1500 miles on it and nothing is wrong with it. From what I have heard, the 6 speed on the Z is not the friendliest transmission to learn on. Many people say that there is a dead spot and that the engagement point is higher then most other cars.

I say that you should just get the Z and learn on it. The car can handle it, you're bound to stall it even if you do rent or borrow a beater. A day with a rental car won't automatically make you good at driving a manual. Just have fun with it and watch out for those hills.

 

The Z's manual transmission is no harder to get used to than any other cars... (given that you already know how to drive a manual). The only thing that would throw most people off is finding reverse. If I were you... I would definately learn on a beater/rental to get the hang of the idea.... and keep in mind the Z will feel totally different from whatever you learn on.

 

You will be totally fine w/the Z. If you want to feel better, go ahead and rent a stick-shift car. I've rented a miata before...ran around $50/day. It's probably the easiest stick car I've ever driven. The Z is noticeably more difficult to drive smoothly, but if you know the theory of driving a stick, you won't damage the Z.

NzZ

 

hahhaah...I moved from Tucson like 6 months ago to MD. I should have learned stick from you :P. well, I plan to learn stick on my new Z should I get one....