Need some help with shifting.
 

Firstly, please don't make fun. I have a thick skin from the military, but please don't outright insult me. I take criticism well, so just say it matter of factly and I'll be good.

My problem is that I am struggling really bad with shifting in this car. I constantly jump, and have even stalled a few times (<-- NOOB). My first two cars were standard and I never had this much difficulty driving one. The clutch feels like it catches so easy, like there is a micron range on the clutch pedal that the catch happens, giving me very little time to actually put gas on it.

All the action on the clutch seems to happen at the top end of the clutch pedal, almost like the bottom half is just for fun. So this means that not only is the clutch catch happening in a small area, the entire clutch is happening on about the top 25% of the pedal depression. Or at least that's what it feels like to me.

I can shift smooth, but only when I'm reving the **** out of it and it makes me feel like I'm going to burn the clutch out.

Is there anyways you guys can be very specific on how you shift correctly. Mostly my problem is from a standing stop. I don't even seem to have any problems in reverse, it's wierd, just first gear. As far as the other gears I just shift at higher RPM's and it seems to shift smooth. I've never had a sports car before so any advice you could give is helpful.

Consider changing the clutch helper spring. It makes the clutch feel more like other cars you may have driven. It made my car more enjoyable.

There are threads that describe this and one member will sell you the spring for about 20 dollars.

Heh I messaged a few of them, no responses yet. I'm going to continue trying to get the springs of course, but I need to drive it until that point ><

I installed the helper spring which helped out a lot as well, but when I was trying to learn to shift with the OEM Spring, I found it helpful to plant the heel into the ground when using the clutch and just pivoting your foot to let the pedal slide under your foot when letting off the clutch. This helped me control the release and make it slower since the OEM Spring had a tendency to want to push the pedal back out at me really quickly which would cause the jumpiness or out right stall.

I also learned how to drive manual on this car and spent a weekend in an empty parking lot just practicing from stop to 1st and repeated until I got it down smoothly.

I am pretty noob myself with this being the first sports car I've owned. I drove my brothers 350Z Track Model years ago and did alright with it. Although I've rode sport bikes since I could drive. But the hand to hand coordination with the clutch and throttle is easier to me I have found on a bike than daily driving a manual car. I picked up the 370Z this past Saturday and 1st gear was tricky at first for me as well and hills are still a PITA for me.

However you are right that the clutch only catches on the top end. I practiced once I got it home in my neighborhood to learn exactly where it catches and try to make it muscle memory. At that point ease into the gas and as you begin to get under way ease the clutch out the last little bit. Like I said on flat ground I am solid but you have to be quicker on an incline so you dont roll back into the car behind you. In which case if you are rolling back you better find that sweet spot and give it some gas and let it go. The brake/gas is a thing of art lol.

Im 3 days in and my shifting is getting smoother each day. I am sure someone with much more experience will chime in with some helpful advice. Good luck! :tup:

This is my first manual car as well and I picked up on it pretty fast. I've noticed you have to rev it a little high when shifting from 1st to 2nd to get it to shift smoothly. Sometimes I can get it to feel like butter, other times I look like I hit a pot hole or something. If I'm doing something wrong please let me know, I've been playing with the 1st-2nd shift for a while trying to find that sweet spot every time

It's not you guys lol. I have always driven stick and this car made me feel like a noob. After almost a full year I got a clutch helper spring and boom cake to drive now. So that's my suggestion also. Good luck!

I like you had challenges coming from a standard transmission pickup trucks to the Z which was my first sports car. Believe it or not I anticipated this, so I really didn't test drive a MT Z before I bought it. After a lot of practice and a couple years under my belt of daily driving I finally got it! Not to brag, I am now so smooth with it that I would have trouble remembering what my issues where and how to describe to you how to address them specifically.

In general, over time and with practice you will be smooth too!

Shifting to first, this car needs a little gas. Don't be afraid to rev it to 1500 rpm to get going. It seems the helper spring does really help though. I learned stick on this car as well and at first it is really hard.

1-2 shifts are also strange in this car and my best advice is take you time with the shift. My other car I do the shift quicker but with the Z, unless im really on it, doing a quick shift will jerk it.

It takes a little getting use to this transmission, but You'll get the hang of it. The tricky part is 1st gear and the 1st to 2nd shift. First gear from a stop is easy to master once you get a feel for the engagement point. It just takes practice. You have to engage the clutch slowly/smoothly. It almost "feels" like you're burning the clutch...then let go all the way once it catches. (all this should happen in less than a second)

The 1st to 2nd shift is all about shifting at the right rpm. It's gonna "buck" if you shift at a low rpm quickly. If thats how you drive, you have to engage the clutch slower/smoother.

When I test drove my Z (it was the first 370 I'd ever driven) I was surprised at how "truck-like" the transmission and clutch feel. It is very ratchet-like and torquey. I've driven manual trucks that feel smoother, actually. I figure it's just part of what makes the Z the angry little car it is... it has a finicky personality compared to other sports cars I've owned. Everyone above has good points, with time, it gets smoother and smoother. I would not advise teaching someone (especially your girlfriend or wife) how to drive a manual on the Z, though. It's probably a poor choice, lol.

You sir are my hero. Tried this and it is MUCH easier. Like night and day now. Much easier to find the exact point at which is catches. It's still small but since the foot is planted it gives you a lot more control to keep that tense spring where you need to in order to get it.

His method is the way I use the clutch on 90% of the stick shift cars I drive. Also, like others have said swap out the helper spring. Also, the Z doesn't have a ton of torque for it's weight, so you'll need to give it a bit of gas.

ive driven manual transmissions for 15 years and i still look like a noob in my nismo. its a tough car to drive smooth. :\

I'm glad I could help out. I still would recommend getting the Helper Spring as it helps a lot. If you are unsure about how it would feel, many members removed the OEM spring all together to get a feel for what it would be like without the spring in there. If its something you like, then the spring is very inexpensive to order and installs in less than 20 mins.