Gearbox feel in Z and other cars
 

I've been driving the Z for just about 2 weeks now and it's my first manual. I have a short throw shifter installed and the gearbox feels a little stiff and notchy, but I've grown to like it very much. I'm noticing 1st gear is starting to loosen up though.
My friend's that drive manual say it's just the gears smoothing out, but it will stay that way permanently and the other gears will be effected, as well, as you keep driving.
I've driven so far my friends' G35, RSX Type-S, and 09 WRX in the past 2 weeks just to get a feel for different clutches and gearboxes.
First thing I noticed was that all of their clutches grab low and it was very easy to just hop in and drive smoothly (even for a noob like me). I personally feel like I work their clutches better than the Z.
More importantly, all of their gearboxes feel loose. It felt like I could've literally used 1 finger to easily shift through all the gears if I wanted to. Is this how my gearbox will ultimately end up feeling?:ugh:

Probably not. The z's shifter stays pretty notchy. It's not
one of the better-feeling shifters out there.


I haven't driven a g35 in a while, but the rsx s gearbox is a dream, and the wrx is a long and light travel. The z just has a much notchier feeling shifter.

Newbs should stay away from shortshifters and just concentrate on practicing the one car they intend to drive first. Every car is different.

I only owned cars with manual transmissions. I've never noticed shifters getting smoother. Just the opposite.

Personally, I don't see the need for a short shifter in the Z. The throw is not that long.

by design
 

The Z is rough, loud, harsh because Nissan wants it that way.

Shift wise it feels heavy duty.

Let me ask this, "What did you think during/after the test drive?"

The first 4,000 miles or so, my shifter was pretty smooth transitioning from gear to gear. Then one morning, there was some resistance/notchiness going from 1st to 2nd. Now there is resistance moving into every gear.

Is this just the 370z gear box or do I have a problem? I'm at 6600 miles now and it hasn't gotten any better or worse really, but it's particularly annoying when trying to throw shifts quickly.

I thought the 370Z's shifter felt like butter, but then, it's a light-weight gearbox compared to the TKO500 and T56 I am used to.

Shifts rarely get smoother, but I have heard of such.

Yeah, it was at first on mine. I should probably have a tech look at it. I've heard stories of shitty syncros.

I agree that you shouldn't have installed the short throw shifter especially given that this is your first manual and that the throw isn't long to start with. A short throw shifter increases the effort required and isn't necessarily an upgrade, but rather a preference. On cars that have a ridiculously long throw (e.g. older Mustang) it was definitely an upgrade.

I agree. I installed a B&M and found the throws to be just a bit shorter but really not all that much compared to stock. I do like the lower height though. If i knew how it would really feel I would have not even purchased it.

Been driving mine for over a year now and it's still as stiff as ever (feels like it's having to work its way thorugh a bowl of cold molasses). I came from the RSX S and after driving the Z a while (and getting back in my wife's RSX), the RSX almost feels toyish. Don't get me wrong--I don't mind the RSX shifting--it just feels so "free" or something now. I'm not a fan of the manual in the Z but it's OK. Sometimes I wish I had gotten the auto (because it's faster, generally speaking, in the quarter) but it was a hefty price addition to pay. AND, there are a few people who have posted some negatives on the auto anyway (IIRC).

Z shifter can be slightly rough/sticky
I had a newer Civic Si and that shifter was butter compared to the Z.

Before my Z I had the RSX-S. The RSX-S manual is ok. I always had the third gear issue where I would hit a wall and it would not go into gear unless I played with it. It does feel smoother than the Z but I prefer the Z's manual over the RSX. I actually enjoy that notchy feeling.

Mine is really notchy when its cold, I have gotten accustomed to the way I have to drive while tranny is cold. I have noticed that the Z trans likes to be
shifted at around 3K, anything under and it's very clunky. I just ease the shifter
into gear, not forcing it, I can feel the teeth engage and then I finish the shift.

When it's all warmed up, it's like butter.

OP: Just shift it into gear and drive. However it feels is the way it is. All cars are different and you just need to focus on yours. Enjoy.