I'm gonna go ahead and be a doofus for asking, but I figured I would anyway. BTW, I did a search and didn't see anything that looked relevant.

Do any companies sell an aftermarket SMG or DSG-type tranny for a 350z? I'm thinking 5AT -> 6-7 gear SMG. I'm talking here about something like a kit that's been developed for the Z, not a super-custom job (< $6000?). If not, I'll get the AT and probably be really happy with it as is anyway.

I drive in traffic and I've heard manuals in traffic stink like no tomorrow. (Yeah, I don't drive stick yet, anyway. Feel free to laugh. I'd love to learn, though. Yes, it'd be a DD.)

 

I heard about this universal kit for it. Basically you're still stick with 5 gears. It works similar to tiptronic. Just use that instead...

 

Just get the valve body for quicker shifts. Also, there is a member on these boards that has designed a paddle shift kit that would be compatible with stock steering wheel...

P.S. DOOOOOOOOOOOFUS!!!!!

 

Any links/info/pricing on the valve body?

 

any links to the paddle shifter mod? And I know the G35 in Japan came with a transmission called CVT-8 where it also had paddle shifting.

 

so what is the smg update here?

 

I believe there is a guy here who installed a sequential gearbox in his Z several months back... don't really remember anything about it so it's hard to point you in the right direction in terms of search.

You should ask someone to teach you to drive a manual, its really fun... how much DD do you do? Basically, how long is your commute to work? Manual isn't that bad, but it depends on how long the drive is, how much you want to relax vs. fun, and if your left leg can take the pain. You should at least learn to drive a manual and try it a bit in some DD situations before you decide on an auto though.

As for the guy who designed the paddle shift for use with the OEM steering wheel... I think that project fell through, and is indefinitely cancelled. Hope he can finish it some day but it doesn't look promising.

 

Take my word for it...as someone who gets to drive an SMG-III car very often, the 5AT of the 350Z is an amazing transmission in its own right, especially considering the price. The shifts are superbly quick, as this JATCO 5AT is recognized as being one of the fastest shifting conventional/TC automatics out there.

 

there isn't one, now stop resurrecting dead threads without reading it completely.