My Z is my first AT in 30 years...my last car was an RX8 with the six speed manual. I also do most of my driving in the city and I was pretty well fed up with shifting on city streets (although I loved it on the highway).

I chose the AT on the Z after trying both on the road. I've never experienced an automatic that had the shifts change as smoothly and quickly as the Z.

I also have ankylosing spondylitis (neck and spine have fused because of inflammation) and the manual Z was just too rough. But that's my problem.

Even as someone who took a lot of good-natured crap from folks when I got the automatic, I still believe people who drive manuals are just better drivers because they have to be. I had to make the move to AT (and believe me this is a car that seems harder to find if it isn't factory ordered in AT).

And I absolutely DESPISE the move to CVT in passenger cars. Cars have become floating clouds that completely remove the driving experience from the driver's brain.

That said, I learned stick on a POS diesel Rabbit in the early 80's. I'd find the 370 a bit of a beast to learn it today.

A little OT, but my dad has that. I don't know how old you are, but he is 85 and it "burned out" leaving him completely fused in his 70's. No more pain, but no mobility. He couldn't ride in anything that rode rough. It made it tough because he was a large animal veterinarian. Couldn't use a 4X4 truck always a 2wd pick-up. On the other hand, I learned to drive a stick at 12 (that's all he had) because I had to back his cattle trailer up for him as he couldn't turn his head. I've only had 2 automatics through out my life. I'm now 58! RP

I'm 49, thanks for posting. I'm probably as fused as I'll get...I wish some of the biologic drugs available today were there for me in my early 20's when this started. I have limited neck side-to-side movement but the Z's massive mirrors (set properly) are a huge help. I'm glad you're okay because, as you know, this disease is genetic. The only real problem I have is standing for more than 20 minutes.

just be easy on the clutch and rev a bit higher before move on to next gear :)

I had never owned a stick car before the 370 but I always wanted a manual. Found the high engagement point to be awkward and the clutch too grabby. Made it really hard to start off in first gear, especially since I'm in Hawaii and have lots of hills. Tried the auto And loved it. Ended up trading in my manual in for auto. Which I traded in for an srt challenger. I plan on going back to the z next year though. I miss the preciseness of the z.

wait let me get this straight, you bought a manual transmission 370z (car 1), traded it for an automatic 370z (car 2), and traded that for a challenger (car 3) and now are going to trade back for another Z (car 4)?

carmax loves you force111111 :D

How long did you own the manual Z for? I found that the "grabbiness" of the clutch decreased after I got some miles on the car. The high engagement point took a little getting used to, but it's old hat now (and I've only had my car for about a month or so). It seems silly to me to have gotten rid of the car over something ("hard to start off in first gear") you'd have completely gotten the hang of in time. But hey, to each his own.

First I believe that everyone should learn how to drive on a manual transmission. But if you gotton this far in life without needing a mt no need to start now.

I grew up with a mt and will have one as long as they are availible in the cars I want.

I had it about 2 months. Put 2400 miles on it. Keep in mind while this is the first stick car I've owned, it's not the first I've driven. I felt good after about 20 minutes behind the wheel of a 6 speed gto. I would have kept it, but the auto felt so impressive. All the control I wanted without any of the work.

I traded my auto 370 in for a MT. First MT I've had (just learned to drive
a MT for the very first time in two long afternoons before the purchase).
It's been almost a year now. A lot of learning, but you can do it for sure
if that's what you want. If your worried about the work, go strait to an
auto, they are known for being mostly work free.

If you buy the car with the manual/auto thought in your head you'll probably
want a manual all the way to your next car.

First thing to do though is you got to find someone with a manual car
to teach you, this is hard (could be someone from work?). The next and
last thing, is to test drive a manual 370 to see if it's worth it.

The 370 was my first manual car as well(but I had experience on dirt bikes for years, so it isn't like I went in blind), and I love it. At first I was frustrated because I always get frustrated if I don't pick something up fast enough for my liking, but within a few days once I was comfortable, it was great.

I have to agree with the people who say you can learn manual on a 370(I was actually told from a few people who had driven manual that the 370's high engagement point felt like learning again to a lesser extent anyways). Do not get intimidated by anyone telling you not to learn manual on a nice car, because you'll just freak yourself out and drive worse because you're scared of hurting the car. No it is not the 100% ideal scenario, but it's nothing to get worked up over, you aren't going to blow your car up. A clutch is designed to slip and take a beating(albeit for short bursts), and provided you have a normal learning curve and understand the mechanics behind shifting, you won't kill it for long enough to cause major damage.

Either way, go with your gut instinct and buy what YOU want! If worse comes to worst, you should be able to get a new clutch installed for around $1200 anyways(provided you shop around), a small price to pay if you have the money to afford this car!

after having 3 previous car I had them all in automatic, I had to get a manual on a sports car because it is classified as a fun car. First time I learn how to drive was on a stick shift for 1 week,so it kinda stuck on you even though I hadn't driven a manual for so many years.

If other person can do it you can do it,

i never driven a stick really till i got my Z, but i never want to drive a auto again, i love stick to much.

Back when I first learned to drive stick the only really tough part to learn was starting off from a stopped position on a severe incline. For a newbie I think this is the toughest situation you can face in a manual. So get a rental car and learn to drive the stick on flat to downgrade sideroads. Then when you feel pretty good practice starting from a stopped position on a severe uphill slope. When you can do it without stalling and burning clutch go pick up your Z.