I had to transport a 7AT 370z for work at Nissan before and it was great, but mainly cause it was my first time in a 370z. The fun factor was there 100% but honestly the paddle shifters got boring pretty fast for me.
Fast forward, I bought a 6MT and haven't looked back. I drove an automatic Integra hand me down and knew I needed to get a stick shift for my next car. I've always felt way more connected driving a manual compared to an auto.

+1 on automatics in luxury cars but it just doesn't feel right in a sports car. Everyone has their preference. It's easy to s*** on someone with an automatic sports car but who knows what their situation is. Perhaps it's an enthusiast with a bad left leg, or someone that loves Formula1 and wants a taste of paddle shifting, or maybe it's just another fat, lazy *** that can't drive stick for ****.

On another note, I've been told a rumor that 2015 is the last year manuals will be put into cars. Manufacturers are going to be installing all automatics with the option of paddle shifters.
My friend's shop will be running a good manual conversion business if this day every comes.

being a tennis player, to me auto/dsg is like watching roger federer playing tennis on tv
and manual trans is like playing tennis. most decent tennis players would prefer playing a tennis match than watching tennis on tv.

True sports car = MT

Thats why I picked MT. Much more responsive than AT. AT is just convenient/Women will prefer it.

Nissan is selling both in good numbers, infact all over the middle east they just sell 7AT and manual is by order and people are buying it.

I bought 7AT, I do regret for not having a 6MT (specially when planning for SC) but I am really happy with the grearbox, and specially after getting the UPREV and changes they did to my gearbox I dont regret at all. My DD is 07 G35s with the previous 5At and there is a huge improvement in this current one over the old one.

I feel when you are cruising on empty roads you feel you should had a manual but the amount of city traffic we have AT is a blessing

I have no regrets going over the MT. I am MT all the way though. I can say I will never own an automatic unless they stop making any cars that are MT.

Every car I have ever used as my DD has been a MT ('80 toyota corola, '78 280Z, '06 Impreza, '10 370Z). I honestly hated it when I had to drive my dad's altima back in the day that was automatic. The only reason he got an automatic is she was his first kid driving and he wanted things to be easier for her so she could concentrate more on the road.

He regrets his decision of buying an automatic as she ended up learning stick and now drives a 6 spd Versa. She is actually one of the few girls I know that can drive MT well.

Even times when I am driving in heavy traffic I don't mind driving a MT as to be honest it helps keep me occupied while dealing with the traffic (lots of shifting/clutch work) instead of being bored out of my mind.

My sports car gotta be a manual. My luxury car will be an auto. Glad I got my 6mt.

I feel that a sports car should be a manual and nothing beats the driver experience of the 6-spd transmission. You feel in control and it's just plain fun to drive a stick. That being said, last week I parked on a hill and a jerk in a s#!$ car tried to see how close he could park to my car - about 1/4 inch, he probably hit me. I had to be very careful giving it gas and feathering the clutch to ensure I didn't roll into him. There was some clutch burn smell after I moved my car. That is the one time I wish I had an AT.

I would like to give the AT a try, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

I think he was refering to the transmission on the Ferrari over the GT-R and your views on each.

To answer the OP's question. In the previous car (RX-8) I really regreted not getting the MT. The AT was better in traffic or when you just wanted to sit back. When you wanted to have some fun though, it felt like I was in an arcade game. Its just not the same and this will always be the downside to paddle shifters. You don't feel the gears and clutch when you shift. You can always make the car faster, but absolutely nothing can duplicate that feeling.

I'm not knocking the 370z AT at all. It's a lot easier to live with day to day. It's plenty reliable and shifts are quicker. Unless you've mastered the MT, the AT will be fasters. Just stomp and go.

This is a stupid thing to argue over if you really think about it. Both have flaws and both have rewards. It's like choosing which leg to stand on is better. The answer is their both good :)

OK here goes. I feel the need to be abused by 6mt people. My last high horsepower sports car was a 69 350 4 speed vette with a supercharger. Can you say stump puller? It was great fun to drop the hammer at 6000rpm and smoke the tires to the chord. But what sucked was driving through cities stop light to stop light. And would you believe that my clutch gave up? How did that happen? When I was at the the dealer looking at my car I wasn't interested in an at. But those paddle shifters drew me in. I love the 7at. I can drive in auto in cities and man. when I want to go through the gears, all 7 of them. I'm having great fun with my car and that is what matters. Get out and enjoy your car with whatever trans you have. I have no regrets.:ughdance:

Sports Car, I prefer the 6mt even though automatics and dual clutch trannys can now shift as fast or faster then I can I still prefer a manual transmission for the connection with the car.

well i didn't mean to :stirthepot: sorry to those i worded it wrong to.

it was not meant as a MTvsAT thing. we will never find common ground there.

NFLvsNFLPA kind of thing. i was just trying to find out if those of us that had
MT and went over to the dark side AT had any regrets sometimes.

and sometimes when i'm out on a spirited run in certain places i do miss it.....

Nope, no regrets here.

They have only done ONE other 370 TT besides mine. Yes, they have done many other TTs, but you cant compare them to the 370 (even the 350 TT) because of the VVEL.

The 7AT got a bad name on this forum because ONE person, yes only ONE, put a SC on a very high mile 370, and blew their tranny. No one knows why REALLY, but we do know, if you put FI on any high mile car you most likely will have trouble.

Most people on this forum act like we are talking about trannys in the 60's or 70's and we are not. AT's have come along way since then and are minimally equal when applied correctly in a sports cars. Again, when done correctly, the days of slush boxs are over.

I have had many MT sports cars in my life and prefer the 7AT. I have FI on my car and most drivers (if not all) would struggle to keep up with my turbos when shifting in a 1/4 mile race. Even expert drivers would have trouble shifting as fast as my TUNED 7AT.

For the record, I have nothing against the 6MT. For me, the 7AT is faster for what I want to do.

Bingo ty. Dont let one persons misery make you think everyone hates the 7at. Some people have had issues with the manual tranny too. Doesnt mean either is trash. Heck every car company has issues. Every component has issues sometimes with their stuff.

I do like the 7at in the z's. But it just wasnt for me. I have an automatic car in my other car that i purchased as my dd.

Oh for the fools who are saying that true sports car = mt, im sorry i was not aware that the gtr.... Ferrari 458..... Veyron.... Are fake sports cars. My bad ill remember that next caffeine and octane so i can tell the owners and laugh at em