Auto or Manual-never driven stick
 

I've never driven a stick shift but I thought if I got a car like a Z that I'd learn. I don't necessarily want the sport pkg but the syncrev match is supposed make shifting easier. Would anyone recommend a manual Z to a new stick shift driver?

A manual is a manual and the syncro rev is pretty slick. Either way it will take some practice. I bought my 370Z with an auto coming from a 350Z manual. I like the tighter gear ratios on the auto and the paddle shifters are so quick and reliable.

It's hard to say whether you'll like it or not since you've never driven one before and this will come down to personal preference and ability. You might want to practice on a beater before stalling out in a brand new Z. :driving:

You should probably learn to drive a manual before purchasing a Z if a manual transmission is what you really want.
Learn on something easy like an old Isuzu Pup Diesel.
That being said, the new Z is a very easy manual to drive, and the Synchrorev is like cheating.

i learned how to drive stick on other cars specifically so i could get the 370z in manual. try and find a friend who has a stick just to get used to the idea of whats involved before getting your Z. however, even if you can't, if you have the inclination to get the Z in a stick, i think it will always be something you want. if you get the 7 speed automatic, but wanted stick and didn't get it cuz you didn't want to learn on your new Z, then you will be annoyed every time you drive.

The Z is fine to learn on. You just need to decide if a manual is what you want.

The 7AT is a sick transmission... it's probably the best automatic at this price range. It's consistently quicker than the manual transmission Zs.

The 6MT is an OK transmission. It's solid but it's very, very finicky and tempermental. The Tremec 5 and 6 speeds that I am used to driving are far better than this one. SRM is definitely helpful for a novice.

I think you have to get the sport package to get the sync. match. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone here will chime in. RP

I can not help but notice that every one that tells you to go with the manual
transmission all seem to have manuals----they don't know anything about the
370 auto other than what they have heard. It takes a little while with the auto transmission to get the most out of it / same is true with the manual

The people that have the new auto's you will note in most cases came from a manual transmission and are really happy with how the auto it performs---What people don't get is the automatic is much like a stick transmission without a clutch if you want it to be. I really, really like the transmission and I came from a long line of high performance manual transmission cars
( kept my wife from wanting to drive them) the last of which was a supercharged 2006 Saleen. Just my feelings on the subject.

it's going to be harder to learn the Z than a lower powered car but im sure it's doable.

the first problem AT drivers have when driving MT is that their feet are literally all toe thumbs and not sensitive/no muscle to control the fine throttle and clutch inputs required to drive a MT smoothly.

you add more power and aggressive gearing to that and you get a youtube moment.
make sure your friends are out there taking vids. :D

If you search this! There's dozens of threads like this. There's 2 or 3 running now damn! Kill the thread!

I come from Mustangs, too, so I was taught to shun the auto transmissions as they were ALWAYS pieces of crap... but the 7AT is just awesome in the Z.

Hey, I'm from Northern Jersey!
If you need help driving manual let me know.
You should go manual because it's better on the gas.
+ The 370z's come with the synchro rev matching system.
Blips the throttle perfectly on downshifts, so you could be sloppy lmao...
Or you can go auto.

I learned to drive a manual in the 370 and I'm glad I chose manual (w synchrorev in the sport package). Driving is so much more fun for me now. Now I understand why all my friends were telling me to get a manual.

sounds good, Rui. a car like the Z that wants to be motored, MT is the way to go. same as your MINI. go get a getrag. ;)

Manual all the way. You have more control over your vehicle and how it reacts IMHO. I test drove an auto z, and while it is nice in auto mode, the sport mode feels strange and less controled IMHO. It is also boring in comparison, but to each there own.

FINALLY! A thread that compared autos VS manuals. http://www.the370z.com/members/frost...9t-suicide.gif

I've driven stick all my life, right up until I bought a Golf GTI a few years with the dsg gearbox. Really enjoyed that gearbox and if they had given the 370 a twin clutch auto like the they did in the GTR, I would have bought one no problem, but they didn't, so I went with the manual and I'm glad I did.

Like others are saying, it might not be a bad idea to learn in something crappy before you buy a manual Z.

All this talk about learning on another car, having someone teach you, it's overrated.
Here's the story of the first car I bought with a stick: I bought it. I learned to drive in about 10 minutes, because if I didn't I wasn't getting home. I never grinded the gears. Stalled somewhere around 10 times. Been driving the hell out of anything with wheels since.

:iagree:

I'm broke now

basically its easy to drive a manual like crap but takes practice to drive one well. Its not like if you buy a manual there is no way you can drive it, people might just laugh at you for a little while till you get a hang of it.

The hardest part is learning to use your left foot at the same time as your right while driving.

Just telling you, my Z is my first manual car in my life. Well, I knew how the thing works and how to do things, and it took me about 2 week to feel easy with driving :p dont worry about the clutches we have thing called warranty. Just get manual, its fun and make you feel like '"driving" the car :)

Well don't tell him that because the clutch is classified as a wear and tear item and therefore not usually covered by the warranty unless there is manufacturer defect. That being said get one of your friends to teach you if you really want a manual. I would personally never buy a sports car without one. It all depends on personal preference though and if you want to get the best 1/4 mile times, because the auto definitely has the 6spd beat in that category. If you want to have the most control and more driver involvement then the 6spd is definitely the way to go.

The Z is my first manual car and it took me about two weeks to get it figured out. That being said, I never ground the gears and only "burned" the clutch twice. If you want a manual, get a manual. You'll figure it out really quickly and it's a blast to drive.

Driving modern day manual is really easy. My wife drove my manual Silvia S15 coming from an auto no problem. However, when you start doing things like hill starts you will have some fun. Only you can decide what you want to drive and don't let anyone tell you that a sports car needs to be a manual. That's not the case with the 7AT.

Just get a white Z they are the best :D

Alrite guys I bought the z as a 1st manual car and I got it down smooth but still can't get it smooth when driving a bit aggressive going 1st to 2nd. Any suggestions on how to improve my knowledge there?

I AGREE on the 1st Gear Ratio
 

I have been driving manual transmissions most of my life. I recently purchased a new 2010 370Z with manual transmission. All the gear ratios are good, except the low first gear. The first gear ratio was MUCH better in my older 1986 300Z manual transmission than the ratio in the new 370Z. ALL said I still enjoy the manual transmission.

Don't be discouraged if you have never driven stick. When I bought my RSX-S I had them drive it back to my house. I spent the whole night stalling up and down my driveway. A friend took me the next day and we drove in a parking lot. He just said put it at 1k rpm and let the clutch out as slow as possible. Simple as that. Then I learned rev matching by myself etc.

I would say go ahead with manual transmission because like others have said numerous times, you control the car, not your car controlling you. :) My first stick shift car was 08 Scion tC and I learned it within an hour, but it took me like a month to get it smooth and driving well. You will have hard time starting on an incline, but with enough practice and learning to let go of your fear of rolling back, you'll be fine. Also, during the time when you drive manual, you will be frustrated because it's not smooth and not going the way you wanted to, but don't get frustrated because it's all learning process, I have face this many times in my tC. Have fun with your manual! You can't go wrong!

stick is the best but learn on a rental car which you can abuse without worring. For the sake of your clutch don't learn on the Z...

I honestly never understood the "if you want to controll the car get a MT"

manual mode lets you controll the car too so...wut?

it only stops you from overreving it which is good and stalling so...thats good too

Here's what I do with my 7AT:

my friends bash me for driving auto. Always trying to tell me how manual is so much beter. So I tell them, let's race while I drink a coffee and still beat your ***. They say **** that. Auto is faster and smoother, and it frees up your right hand. So you can do things like drink a coffee or play with your girlfriend. Manual doesn't let you do that.

For me, the choice was pretty obvious.

Auto allows you to do more things that will get you in an accident. like eating, talking on the phone, texting. so yes, if you want to get a sports car that you'd love to drive, for the purpose of being able to do 14 other things while driving it, go for the auto.

A super computer can beat the best human in a game of chess. does that mean if i buy the super computer, have it play the world champion and it wins, that I am good at chess? Everyone says the 7AT is faster than the 6MT, which it apparently is, but i think for someone who wants MT it takes away from the driving experience. I could also strip my interior, take out the passenger seat, stereo, air bags etc, that that would make my car faster, but i think one might argue that takes away from the driving experience as well. Auto trans does not take away from the driving experience if you don't consider shifting the gears and using the clutch as part of driving a car. that doesn't mean you aren't a good driver if you have an auto, you either never did, or have gotten past the idea that cranking a lever to shift the gears is part of what YOU want to be your driving experience, which is what it comes down to.

If you DO consider that part of driving a car, you will only be happy with a manual, so the question to ask yourself is, do you think shifting and using the clutch is part of driving a sports car. Regardless of your ability to do so: Yes=get 6mt, No get 7AT

^Amen.

So if people enjoy their manual cars so much, why don't they enjoy driving cars without computers? Auto is far superior to a manual, and manual trannies are going to become obsolete in the near future.

Now my question to you is: WTF do you do in a manual car when the situation on the road requires you to use both hands on the wheel? Like hitting a patch of black ice for example.

Do you not know how to drive a stick? You take your shifting hand off the wheel, select the correct gear and put your hand back on the wheel. Duh. Unless you only have one hand, then things could get tricky.

Also, true sports cars use MTs, just look at Ferrari and Lamborghini...wait a sec...

Nah I've never driven stick, and never will. A simple mistake = you stall. So you end lookin like a fool to everyone else. Also, you run the risks of burning the clutch, messin up the gears etc etc which is far less with an auto.

And now I'm waiting :)

Ferrari and lambo are switching to tiptronic only. :) but I understand your point man, for some people manual is better, but performance and reliability wise, auto is superior. Plus come on, didn't you ever stick your hand down your girlfriends pants on the freeway? If you haven't, at least rent an auto for just a day!!!

On the freeway, of course. Freeway driving isn't much different AT to MT. In a MT you throw the car in 6th and cruise until you hit your exit/race someone :P And most of the time it's her playing with the stick while I'm driving, if you know what i mean ;)

You can only stall the car if you are a n00b/moron and that typically only happens in 1st gear and when it does happen it's no biggie, the stock exhaust is so quiet that no one really notices. Same with burning the clutch, if you know how to drive a stick then it shouldn't happen, unless the clutch is crap from the factory. Plus doing clutch dumps and burnouts and being able to kick it sideways using the clutch is pretty fun.

Also with a stick we can do the "6th gear slip" - when driving with a lady passenger, as you shift into 6th gear your hand "accidentally" slips off the shifter and somehow manages to grab a handful :D

Ahahahaha point taken! I'm just an AT guy I guess. I use the shifter as a handrest as well, so when I pop it back into auto, the occasional slip occurs. I blame it on the oily shifter!!!!

But the bottom line is: don't learn stick on a nice car. Get a $200 beater, and don't ruin a perfectly nice car.

^ Pretty much, I learned to drive a stick hours before I bought my first manual transmission car, my Eclipse. My buddy taught me in his 1985 Ford Ranger; that truck was a piece.