N74DV

I drive mine everyday. If you want the most performance and speed you can get then you really need the manual, but if your into comfort and convenmience then get the auto.

The only time I ever wish I had a manual is when I need to downshift quickly to accel out of a turn. The auto has to think for a second before it drops down... by that time the manual coulda been shifted and well on it's way.

I do most of my driving in the city and have to fight traffic alot... the auto works great for me.

I'm a little more than tired of hearing all the Z "purists" say only wimps and wannabe's get the auto.... It's my $36,000 and I'll spend it how I damn well please.

Omega350Z

Are you referring to when it is in the true automatic mode, or when you are using the manual mode shifting? The manual mode seems very clean and responsive. faster then most people i know can shift. not that it matters since they have tighter gear ratios on their true manual trannys.

Needless to say, there is still NO dissapointment in the automatic touring edition as far as i am concerned. And plus, having a linear powerband feels oh so good on the ribs when you let loose with an automatic, can barely tell when the car is shifting gears.

N74DV

yeah the auto is good, but even manual mode is a bit slow... When I'm in 5th and need to drop down quickly to 3rd as I'm quickly decelrating for a turn I find that there is a pretty nasty delay.. seems it has to stay in any given gear for at least a second or two....

but still a damn good tranny!

Omega350Z

Only other thing i can think to say is that you should prepare for the turn and downshift to 4th a little sooner and gas a little more to compensate. then brake, and as your nearing to exit the corner, drop down to third for the exit. that should work better.


Only thing i dont understand is why your all the way in 5th to begin with knowing that you have a harsh turn up ahead!!!

Smooth350

Question for you ppl with the auto's. Do you use the manual mode often? All the time? Will this have any affect on the transmission......cuz if you have a transmision problem it costs a lot to fix. Basically is it okay to use manual mode often?

tbob

I have a 5AT and use the manual option daily. Not all of the time but if I want to hold a gear around a corner I will pop it into manual mode, do the downshifts hold the corner and do the upshifts. Really only use the Auto mode when I'm in stop and go city traffic or once I'm on the highway.

I have a pinched nerve in my left foot and that is why I sold my '95 BMW M3 5MT, clutch was killing me.

If you want to do serious driving/racing the stick is the only way to go. If you want to do some spirited street driving I think the auto is perfectly fine. Only complaint I have with it is you do have to wait 5-7 seconds between downshifts or the second one is ignored.

Smooth350

Thanks for the info.........man that 5-7 second thing is stupid. Oh well i guess theres nothing that can be done about that.

Omega350Z

Your seriously waiting 5 - 7 seconds between downshifts in manual mode? Ive been messing with this shifter for a week solid to know my limits and im somewhere around 2 - 3 seconds between downshifts, no kidding. I had the hardest time before and it seems to confuse the computer if you sit there hammering it into the - zone rapidly trying to get it to downshift.

Bes thing to try is feel for the car to engage the next lower gear then pull the shifter down for the next downshift, dont let it go until you see that its registered. That was my problem, it doesnt seem to downshift teh same way it upshifts during acceleration.

edit: Or i was also messing around trying to learn my car and noticed that you can pull the shifter to the left a bit as if to bring it back to auto mode and it will actually go back to the D mode monetarily until you let it go back into the track for manual mode. Try using that for a quick downshift to 4th then just pull back to go to 3rd. Quickest way i can see getting from 5th to 3rd in a hurry without using your brakes until necessary.

Smooth350

Hey omega.....do you think a new ecu would remap the way it shifts? Or is there another chip for the transmission do you have any idea??

chicago350z

Try double tapping the shifter really quick. it takes 1 sec for me to get to 3rd from 5th. in other words, don't let the stick return to the neutral position between shifts. also, as mentioned many times before, do not take your foot of the gas between shifts. it will take 5-7 seconds if you do that.

Boomer

This the first time I've heard about slow shifts in the 5AT. Don't take your foot off the gas like chicago350z says and double tap from 5th to 3rd, its just as fast as a good manual. In accelerating, bury the pedal and shift full throttle through the gears if you want maximum speed. Taking your foot off the throttle to shiftup or down isn't needed, always have some throttle, if you can, even while you are braking, and you can punch it out of corners very fast in manual mode. You just need to practice in manual mode a lot to get it to do what you want it to. 2 TIPS: 1. Do not downshift into 2nd until you are under 25mph, and 2. NEVER try to downshift into 1st gear, let it default to first when you stop, I tried once and heard a big CLUNK I don't ever want to hear again. Have fun.

Boomer

tbob

Played around with it a little more on the way home today and it did better. I think the "don't take your foot off the gas" and "don't let the handle re-center" tips helped alot.

Thanks

Omega350Z

Im guessing that once more stateside performance shops get onto the new Z bandwagon we could expect to see some sort of torque converter for out automatics, best wo could hope for from it is to run alongside a manual Z.

I really havent had a problem with teh way mine shifts, just keep it in mind that this IS a sports car and should be driven like one. as long as the ground is dry, you can handle tight corners fairly easily as higer than normal speeds, most cars feel like they will give way, and may just a bit but they WILL hold the road once you hold your line