im 18 and i am very grateful to have a 350z. i love it dearly. My parents got it for me under one condition. That it be a automatic so they can drive it. Thye loved it and my mom mom ended up buying a g35coupe so now i have an auto wen i dont need it. Does anyone know how much a manual swap would cost me? would i be able to sell my current auto transmission? How reliable would a manual swap be?
thanks for info

 

My suggestion would be to take it back to the dealer and try to trade it in for a new manual.

 

I would also say to trade it in if you want a manual that bad. An auto to manual swap would most likely be a real pain, you would need the tranny, the console, the shift linkage, manual pedals and linkage/hydraulics, clutch and flywheel, and more than likely an ECU. I'm not sure if there is a gear indicator in the gauge cluster so that might have to be changed too. If you plan on doing this yourself expect it to be at least a multi-thousand dollar deal, and add probably another grand or so if you are having someone else do it. Not to mention the total loss of warranty.
The amount of money you would spend to do the swap would most likely be about the same as trading in your car and getting the model you want.

 

Check with a dealer & your piggy bank and trade the car if you can afford it.

If you can't just be thankful you are 18 & in a family with the motivation, not to mention the $$$$, to buy you a new Z.

If you were my kid & offered one word of whine about having to have a manual, I'd sell the Z & buy you a 58 Edsel!

 

This is the best way to sum it up:

It would be cheaper to sell it , then buy a new manual one, than it would be to install a new manual transmission into the car.

 

I Am in the same situation that you are in i bought a sport ship honda prelude...Biggest mistake i have ever made ,i only bought it because i really wanted a lude since day one. I checked around about getting mine transferred into a manual...I was looking at $7000...The transmission alone was almost $3000 brand new.Now i am about to trade it in for a 350z

 

You'd also have to change the differential gearing and length of the drive shaft.

Buy a new car.

 

damn...well i guess later on i could always trade in my car for a z with similar miles but used. thanks for the info though.
nick

 

dude I'm in the exact same situation that you're in except I'm still trying to convince them to get me the manual.....otherwise I gotta get the auto...DAMNNNNIT

 

the auto really isnt bad. Through the twisties i will take an auto with tiptronics rather then a manual anyday of the week. I just wish that the reaction time of the tiptronic was faster, but im sure a chip would come out ot fix the little lag like they did in the audi s4. I've actually also raced 2 350z with 6m/t and beat both. My friend in his rsx type s (modded) beats the manual 350z by half a car while me and him are pretty even against each other. I win some he wins some. Im not saying the manual z is slower then the auto, because it is not. But if your not a great stick driver you will get beat by an auto.

 

anyone ever though of just being happy that your parents bought your car for you?

...

 

i am happy.

 

Exactly the same thing here except the reason they gave me was "for my safty"! I can share your feelings!
I was lookin to change to a manual before too, but then I saw a Veilside's 6speed sequential trans for about $10k, so I decided if Im ever gonna swap the tranny, Id go for the sequential one. (Ya, if I ever gonna do it... ) BTW, I believe JUN also has the sequential and heard it would be cheaper... not sure. Just my thought.

P.S.
Last time I went to SP Engineering, they told me that the auto tranny on this car can possibily take on 400 hp at the wheel. Im actually very well satisfied with that, and I should be happy with my car for the next 3-5 years

 

parents...got to love them

 

yup. so that makes 3 of us with autos....lol

 

x350...what type of z you looking at, touring or enthusiast for the auto?

 

I am also an 18 year old who recently got a new Z. Greatest thing ever in my opinion. I feel your pain man, the manual is sick. I had no idea how to drive the car when i first got it but after like 2 hours i was fine. To the rest of the posts here about parents buying their kids automatics; someone needs to tell those kids to stop being such vaginas and tell their parents what's up. No self respecting individual buys an automatic sports car. It's as simple as that. My dad wanted to buy me an auto at first, but i told him that i really wanted an manual and that i would learn. I'm sorry but anyone with more than 4 brain cells can learn to drive a manual safely. Have some ***** and advacate for yourself. If you can convince your parents to buy you a sports car as beautiful as the Z you ought to be able to get a manual.

 

I got a SuperBlack Touring this past Saturday.

 

Well I always got the 300ZX TT when i wanna drive a manual.

 

I've got an Enthusiast auto, my dad recommended it because of resale value and also a stick isn't fun to drive in traffic. A stick is very fun to drive I admit, but the majority of my driving is to and from work and there is some traffic to deal with. Plus I change CD's often, smoke...etc so with an auto there is one less thing to deal with.