I have been shopping around for a while and I am definitely considering buying my first Z. I've wanted one since I was a teenager (the 300z), and now may be the last time in my life that I can afford one. I’ll be grabbing a manual transmission. I want to feel that connection with the car that so many people describe to me - in the 370z.
That being said,
I’ve never driven a MT with consistency. I have some experience from about a decade ago with a truck, but it’s much different from a sports car. It’s hard to practice on a MT if you don’t have a buddy who has one, since
you can’t rent one. I have taken a recent course in a Chevy Cruze and did well, but I go through a ton of stop and go traffic on a daily basis and I’m worried that I still may not have the experience.
Yet I’ve also heard that driving a MT car with higher torque makes it easier. Is this true? I am pretty decent with the clutch but my problem is I often do not know how much gas to use. I over accelerate (10+ mph) from a stop into turns at intersections in first gear and find myself with high RPM and the engine roaring. Perhaps I also need to learn to shift into second during a turn – or is that too pro?
I’m not necessarily worried about stalling out, or being slow. That much is bound to happen. I am mostly concerned with damaging the car in some way, or hitting a car in front of me if I over accelerate, since it has much higher horsepower and torque than what most people choose to drive daily. Replacing a clutch may not be so bad, but are there other issues as well?
Also it seems to me that extreme situations of stop and go traffic can be hazardous for learners. For a neophyte of the MT, keeping track of when to shift, clutch and brake as well as learning to feel the speed/rpm of the car and downshift appropriately in hills or slowdowns can be quite a challenge.
What do you think?
Is it foolish to buy my dream car as my first MT?
I know there are many question marks in this post, but any input on any of the above is greatly appreciated. There are obviously a lot of knowledgeable people on this forum, and I’m looking to soak some of the excess knowledge up!
