Soon to be car owner question..?

KingRon

Your name is legit. lol
And i actually think my friends brother is going to teach me in his honda so I will have experience under my belt before actually getting the Z.

KingRon

What does this do?

Z_ealot

sonic is messing with you...basically he's saying dont end up like a few people that have turned VDC off and didnt know how to control the car with it off.

KingRon

Oh lol. I actually had to good VDC to figure out what you are talking about.
And for me, it will probably stay on for a few years until I get on a track or something.

robones

I don't think the 370 Z is a "learn how to drive a manual" car. You must already know how to drive a manual if not just get an automatic. The manual is notorious. Not smooth loud and if you don't know to shift properly forget about ever being able to feel how quick this car is. Stick to Auto.

Read T

My first car (2001 civic) was an automatic. I wished it was manual, and hondas are easy to learn on.

My second car (1997 240sx) was an automatic. After 2 weeks of owning it, I parked it in my parent's garage, took out the automatic slushbox and put in a 5 speed manual. The car felt totally different - I was much more in control, the car was much faster, and the car was much more responsive. I still own this car and it is a blast to drive.

I own 3 other vehicles. A (1959 Morgan +4) a (2004 Kawasaki Ninja) and of course my (2011 Z) All of which are manual. I personally think a sporty car needs a manual and I much prefer driving a manual even in traffic. The Z's transmission isn't the smoothest and the clutch is kind of a pain in the butt but it's lightyears easier to drive than my Morgan - which doesn't have synchros, or my 240 which has a crazy stiff clutch. The Z with the sport package also helps smooth out your shifts when you're first learning with it's synchro-rev-matching (SRM).

As far as the Z not being a good car to learn stick on:
The shifting isn't bad, I taught one of my good friends to drive a manual in my Z last week. She stalled a few times in the parkinglot, but then drove it about 50 miles around town at 4:00am with no real issues. She had never driven a stickshift.

However, I would never let my future children have the Z as their first car. It is FAST and it has a temptation to GO FAST. With new drivers, this means you DIE FAST. I think manual transmissions easily get out from under new drivers, this coupled with a powerful engine and rear wheel drive make the car a bit of a handful for new drivers. If you are responsible it would be an okay first car (albeit very expensive for a first car). A kid when I was in high school got a Dodge Viper for his first car and he managed to roll it. Remember that if you want to go fast in it go to a track or autocross - and since you're in highschool you will need one of your parents to go with you to sign a waiver.

In conclusion: I wouldn't recommend it as a first car. I'd get something else like a stickshift civic or even miata (which is fuuun car!) and leave a Z for later once you are a more experienced driver. The Z is an AMAZING car though. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but just looking out for you and I'm not trying to sound like I'm the best driver out there either. Just my .02$

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2011 Nissan 370z Black Cherry Sport Pkg - Daily Driver, , 1960 Morgan +4 fun car, 1986 BMW 325ES, 1998 M3 and 1996 Spec Miata - Race Cars
SUPPORT TEAM WINSOME RACING - WRL, CHUMP, LEMONS

KingRon

Im super responsible and I'll only race people on busy streets.
But I forgot to add that I learn things extremely quickly and I would just learn to drive it when I get it, but I already know how to drive it because of me watching like 20 "How to drive a Manual Transmission Car" videos. So I know exactly what to do when I get in it.

daisuke149

Hrmm. I find the manual in my car smooth... much smoother after a SS clutch line and better fluid.

Honestly, its really easy to drive.. shiftings easy. (it is a tad loud).. Wouldnt be a hard car to learn in at all.

JARblue

I disagree with this statement entirely. I think that SRM is a novice MT driver's best friend. Do I think that someone with zero MT experience should start out in this car? Well no, but if they're gonna get one I think that they have some help that would make the MT not as bad of a choice as it might be in some other sports cars.

Yes! I seriously don't understand why people complain as much as they do about the MT in this car. It is simply a matter of finding out what the car wants and giving it to her. I don't have upgraded clutch line or fluid and it is perfectly smooth when driven properly. It makes noise if you drop the clutch hard while coasting at low RPMs in 1st and 2nd gear; if you disengage the clutch slowly its smooth as butter with no noise. Every MT is different and its just a matter of getting the feel for it. I had a 1994 Explorer Sport 5MT that I could drop out of gear without touching the clutch at certain RPMs. The play in the clutch engagement was outrageously wide. My Honda Accord 6MT clutch was much tighter, but incredibly smooth even without perfect shifts. Those cars were completely different, as is the MT in the Z.

I love my MT, and we would never have considered purchasing an AT Z. However, that's just my opinion, and certainly does not imply that you have to get an MT to enjoy this car. I guarantee you there are people with AT that love their car and transmission as much as I do

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Read T

From what I hear, the automatic tranny in the Z is really good. But personally I would only get a MT.

__________________
2011 Nissan 370z Black Cherry Sport Pkg - Daily Driver, , 1960 Morgan +4 fun car, 1986 BMW 325ES, 1998 M3 and 1996 Spec Miata - Race Cars
SUPPORT TEAM WINSOME RACING - WRL, CHUMP, LEMONS

buddyZ

Wow 17 years old and getting a 32-35K sport car? Are you going straight to a 4 year Univeristy or Community College?

KingRon

Im going to a community college for 2 years to become an X-Ray Tech, and I'll take over the payments when I start college because I'll be using my Mom's GI Bill. So she'll only be paying for it for like 3 months.

Garrett63

I would totally take that deal from Mom! I explored being an x-ray tech after working as an assistant for a couple years. X-ray school has a waiting list usually a couple years long, then when you're in the program, you have a full year of full time internship(unpaid) so looks like Mom will be paying for most of the car lol

MT is totally the way to go and it's not that hard to drive! It will take a couple weeks to get the hang of it, but you will enjoy it regardless. MT keeps the car fresh and exciting by always improving and exploring the different ways to drive it.

KingRon

*The GI Bill*??
I get 2100 a month just from going to college because my mom never used it while she was in the military.

KERMIT

All the people complaining about 6m must come from fwd cars. Most rwd vehicles the shifter feels similar. I have no complaints