turns out my rear axle needed to be lubed and re-assembled..... so yea my noise wasn't normal.

I have the same noise as well, but only after the car is warm.
If you have not heard it: after driving around for a while, try parking your car PARALLEL close to a solid wall or a solid fence. Restart the car, open both windows and put it into first or reverse and try to go forward or reverse slowly while letting out the clutch. you should be able to hear the noise.

Same Noise
 

I just got 370z yesterday,

and had same noise when push clutch to 1st gear.

got the same noise
 

Just bought the car today.I got the same noise from 1st gear to 2nd gear.

Took my car to the dealer to have them check out the noise. According to the tech it nothing to worry about, it is normal for the Dual mass flywheel used in our tranny. I personally still think it sounds like an old clutch with worn out throw out bearing and not something I expect from a near 40K brand new car. But I guess I have to live with it.

You guys have nothing to worry about. What you guys are hearing is the back lash in the transmission gear set. What you are doing while in 1st gear with the clutch slightly or fully disengaged is loading up the transmission and as you depress the clutch and let the load off the transmission you are hearing the gears rattle. In a lot of transmissions 1st and 2nd gear sets are usually designed with different teeth then the rest of the gears due to the amount of stress that the 1st and 2nd gear sets see, so these gears usually create a lot more noise. Just like some cars that have a whining reverse gear due to how the teeth are cut (straight cut gears).

I have the A/T and it make a clunk noise when moving from neutral to 1st or N to reverse. Though it was play in the drive train, but I noticed it also happening when the car was slowly moving forward with the drive train already engaged, so my theory was that maybe it is the limited slip engaging.

You know what amuses me about this "clunk" issue is that there hasn't been a single manual transmission car that I owned that hasn't had such a noise occur. And I have owned at least 10 of them that I can recall of different makes and models. It goes part and parcel with owning a manual transmission.

And if there are dealers out there "fixing it" then I would wager it is more likely done to appease the customer than to actually "fix" a "problem". It's no sweat off the dealer's service department to appease the customer when the car is under warranty because the warranty provides reimbursement back to the dealer.

However this just serves to turn a non-problem into a "real" problem where non actually exists...and in the long run creates the wrong impression that the mnaufacturer screwed up in the design or the car model has problems. Then this just artificially inflates the quality statistics and then a mountain is made out of a mole hill in the magazine rags.

It really is just what you stated...nothing to worry about....but I am sure there will be many that just don't get that fact and will insist that a problem exists where in fact it doesn't...

I agree with you that it's not a problem from a mechanical failure standpoint, but it is a problem if you have people complaining about the sound. The 370z is my 10th manual transmission car, (the most expensive) and without a doubt the most noisy one. When you have passengers asking what the rachety clunking sound is, it's a problem. I deliberately push the clutch in extra slow while cruising through parking lots so that it doesn't make the noise. When you have to do that it just takes some of the enjoyment out of driving it. I just expected a little more from a 2009 model that cost me $41K. I don't want to have to explain to everyone that comments on it that its a dual mass clutch, blah blah blah. I've been in marketing for years, and if customers are complaining about something, there is a problem, regardless if its a real problem or not.
Most people will live with this sound, (including myself) because the 370z has so much more to offer, but if you asked 10 people that have the noise if they really enjoy the sound, no one is going to say the enjoy it. It doesn't add any value to the car, it detracts, if there was a quick painless fix, everyone would do it. :tup:

:iagree: Well said minicobra! I can honestly say I have driven hundreds of manual cars (being from Europe originally and having had jobs at car dealers
and leasing companies) and I have only heard similar noises
coming from old and beat up rental or lease cars... Not something I expect from a brand spanking new, near 40K sports car. I do understand it technically is not a problem but it sure is anoying!

I have the automatic and there is a distinctive clunk when moving from N to D or N to reverse. Metal on metal sound...suspect the suspention at this point.

No problems with 1st gear with me. Although, I've only put 600 kms on mine. I'll keep a listen out for it.

I just found out that the noise will not occur if you disengage the clutch slowly. Its just proper timing of the cluth and the gas. Just practice to shift it smoothly and you guys won't hear the noise.

What are you going to warranty ??? Another new clunky transmission.

The transmission sucks from 1st to 2nd.....pretty close to being all butter from that point.

Up the revs a bit and start off in 2nd and you won't have to deal with it anymore.

Usually gets a bit better when things warm up.

my new car has this too...