Shifting on a manual

6MT · 11-15-2012, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyt421

Hey I am a new NISSAN 370Z owner from Utah! I have a red 2012 NISSAN 370Z sport base model.

Sorry about this newbie question. This is my first manual transmission vehicle. I have 2012 nissan 370z manual transmission. When I shift to 1st and 2nd gear I feel like I am going really slow compared to other drivers on the road. Do you know why? I usually rev up to 3k RPM then shift to second gear. Is that normal cause I feel a jerk when I do that. Do I need to rev at a lower RPM before I shift to 2nd gear? I also drove a WRX hatch and a 2002 rsx which were my friends and I had no problem driving them. But for my Z I am not so great at driving it. Been driving manual for about a month now. Any tips on driving will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Andy...tough vehicle to be your first manual gearbox. You probably should have learned on something else.

Practice, practice, practice.

SmallermouseZ · 11-15-2012, 11:21 PM

I ordered my Z without even knowing how to drive standard...LOL. You just gotta practice then u'll get really good with it.

SR370z · 11-15-2012, 11:26 PM

Haha thanks a whole lot! Great tips btw!

Hopefully tomorrow I can try that out if it doesn't snow here. Scary stuff driving in the snow. Feels like I am a grandma.

SR370z · 11-15-2012, 11:38 PM

Yeah I also liked the Z too much not to get it. I drove my friends RSX no problem but when I got the Z it was way different. I can get to 1st gear easy, but when I get from 1st to 2nd is the challenging part cause I feel slow.

forza370z · 01-13-2013, 12:48 AM

I think the slow feeling is because the 1st gear is short and it doesn't push you fast unless you gun it up to 5k. So you might want to shift into 2nd a litter earlier around 2.5k. But then again, you need to ease out the clutch when shift into the 2nd otherwise the car jerks. This is my first manual car too and I do feel it's slower then other cars at normal launch.

SR370z · 01-13-2013, 05:01 PM

Yeah I think I got better at the launch from 1st to 2nd gear. I try to shift listening to the car and usually when I do that I tend to shift better without looking at the rpm. But yeah when I do shift around 2.5 I do not get a jerk.

chrischhorn · 01-13-2013, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyt421

Yeah I think I got better at the launch from 1st to 2nd gear. I try to shift listening to the car and usually when I do that I tend to shift better without looking at the rpm. But yeah when I do shift around 2.5 I do not get a jerk.

Yeah, our cars are terrible with low end shifts. I shift around 3k from 1-2 and 2.5k every other gear.

MJB · 01-13-2013, 05:42 PM

Man, you guys drive like grannys. You should be shifting at 7k through every gear

SR370z · 01-13-2013, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrischhorn

Yeah, our cars are terrible with low end shifts. I shift around 3k from 1-2 and 2.5k every other gear.

Yeah that's for sure.. I feel like if I go past 3k I am wasting gas. Often times I would do that just cause I am driving a Z haha

scgolfer7 · 01-13-2013, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJB

Man, you guys drive like grannys. You should be shifting at 7k through every gear

Makes me think of the South Park NASCAR episode, GAS PEDAL!! haha

sparky · 01-13-2013, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJB

Man, you guys drive like grannys. You should be shifting at 7k through every gear

I agree, what are these guys talking about? I have a 7AT always in manual mode and from first gear up I shift when the little red light tells me to.

forza370z · 01-14-2013, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJB

Man, you guys drive like grannys. You should be shifting at 7k through every gear

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

I agree, what are these guys talking about? I have a 7AT always in manual mode and from first gear up I shift when the little red light tells me to.

We are just doing the right way to show off our Z on the street and get lots of thumb ups. Folks like you guys don't even give other people a chance to see what have just passed by thus no thumb ups.

sparky · 01-14-2013, 07:57 PM

[QUOTE=forza370z;2110056]We are just doing the right way to show off our Z on the street and get lots of thumb ups. Folks like you guys don't even give other people a chance to see what have just passed by thus no thumb ups.:rofl2

SmallermouseZ · 01-14-2013, 10:17 PM

i agree on 7k rpm every gear. Makes life ezer.

L33T Z34 · 01-15-2013, 12:31 AM

Don't be skeered to rev this engine to 5k RPM for DD and redline at least once a day that you do drive it. The majority of Japanese "sport" engines make little torque so you have to rev them.

01-13-2013, 05:42 PM	#23 (permalink)
MJB A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tacoma, WA Age: 40 Posts: 1,498 Drives: a POS truck Rep Power: 495	Man, you guys drive like grannys. You should be shifting at 7k through every gear IDZRVIT, SR370z, Jwaite90 and 1 others like this. __________________ 09 Nismo #0483 sold. Viper or C7 next time around.

01-14-2013, 07:57 PM	#28 (permalink)
sparky Track Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 642 Drives: 12 370Z GM AT Rep Power: 14	[QUOTE=forza370z;2110056]We are just doing the right way to show off our Z on the street and get lots of thumb ups. Folks like you guys don't even give other people a chance to see what have just passed by thus no thumb ups.:rofl2 __________________ 2012 370Z GM 7AT/JWM LEDs / 3M clear bra / 35% tint / GTR start button / FI CBE SS 18" RES / Momo shift knob / K & N Typhoon / Z1 hood struts / H&R 20mm f/r / illuminated kickplates

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11-15-2012, 11:21 PM	#17 (permalink)
SmallermouseZ Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vancouver Posts: 368 Drives: 2012pw 6mt sport/nav Rep Power: 13	I ordered my Z without even knowing how to drive standard...LOL. You just gotta practice then u'll get really good with it.

11-15-2012, 11:26 PM	#18 (permalink)
SR370z Base Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Utah Age: 34 Posts: 79 Drives: 12' Red 370z S 6MT Rep Power: 12	Haha thanks a whole lot! Great tips btw! Hopefully tomorrow I can try that out if it doesn't snow here. Scary stuff driving in the snow. Feels like I am a grandma.

11-15-2012, 11:38 PM	#19 (permalink)
SR370z Base Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Utah Age: 34 Posts: 79 Drives: 12' Red 370z S 6MT Rep Power: 12	Yeah I also liked the Z too much not to get it. I drove my friends RSX no problem but when I got the Z it was way different. I can get to 1st gear easy, but when I get from 1st to 2nd is the challenging part cause I feel slow.

01-13-2013, 12:48 AM	#20 (permalink)
forza370z A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: 403 Forbidden Posts: 2,512 Drives: 2009 NISMO 370Z Rep Power: 18	I think the slow feeling is because the 1st gear is short and it doesn't push you fast unless you gun it up to 5k. So you might want to shift into 2nd a litter earlier around 2.5k. But then again, you need to ease out the clutch when shift into the 2nd otherwise the car jerks. This is my first manual car too and I do feel it's slower then other cars at normal launch.

01-13-2013, 05:01 PM	#21 (permalink)
SR370z Base Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Utah Age: 34 Posts: 79 Drives: 12' Red 370z S 6MT Rep Power: 12	Yeah I think I got better at the launch from 1st to 2nd gear. I try to shift listening to the car and usually when I do that I tend to shift better without looking at the rpm. But yeah when I do shift around 2.5 I do not get a jerk.

01-14-2013, 10:17 PM	#29 (permalink)
SmallermouseZ Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vancouver Posts: 368 Drives: 2012pw 6mt sport/nav Rep Power: 13	i agree on 7k rpm every gear. Makes life ezer.

01-15-2013, 12:31 AM	#30 (permalink)
L33T Z34 Banned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Ahnald, MO Age: 46 Posts: 387 Drives: 09 K51 G C Bw/S 6MT Rep Power: 0	Don't be skeered to rev this engine to 5k RPM for DD and redline at least once a day that you do drive it. The majority of Japanese "sport" engines make little torque so you have to rev them.