Auto 370Z...Is it Good?

wstar

Re: several earlier comments about the 7AT and drag racing (not that the 370Z is really a great drag-racing platform to start with...), there are both ups and downs. If you go forced induction, you're going to probably have to upgrade the 7AT's internals (and the torque converter would be a good idea too), and that can get pricey. If you don't, it will probably die earlier than it should. The upside is that yes, all other things being equal, an Auto tends to make the best times in the 1/4. It's not that huge a margin though, and with either transmission there's some learning curve and driver skill involved.

Don't listen to the dealer, he's just making up random things that have little bearing on reality. Ask him why, when left in the fully-automatic "D"-mode and driven at light throttle, the car shifts way, way before 3K

You can shift the 7AT any time you feel like it, in any direction. If you try to downshift "too far" (where the gearing would cause the rev limit to be exceeded at the current speed) it will simply refuse and ignore you. If you try to upshift "too early" (such that the RPMs would drop so low as to lug out the engine on a 6MT), it again will simply refuse and ignore you.

Within the usable range, it's all up to you. The higher you keep the RPM needle, the more available power (or engine braking as the case may be) you will have. The tradeoff is the higher you keep the RPMs, the louder the car is, the more the oil heats up, and your engine wear is accelerated a bit versus someone who drives like a grandma (but on the other hand, grandma's engine gets dirtier: hard driving keeps the engine cleaner).

And yes, you can switch between the D-mode and the M-mode at any time while driving. I recommend M-mode all the time, but that's me


The more you ask your car to do, the more wear you put on it. It's just like your body. You play sports, you get bad knees, etc

That aside, there's nothing wrong with downshifting and accelerating, and the rev matching on this car at least eliminates RPM errors which can be harder on the drivetrain. If you're in 7 on the highway in M-mode and you want to pass mildly, just double-click the left paddle to drop down to 5 and floor the accelerator (I'd start pushing the gas down as you are clicking, not after). If you want to more oomph, click all the way down to 4. 3 is pretty useless on the highway unless you're starting out really slow (like 50mph), in which case you probably weren't all the way up in 7 yet anyways.

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kannibul

How hard would it be to change the tranny from a 7AT to a 6MT, should the 7AT blow?

Granted the paddle shifters would be out of place, and there'd have to be some wiring done for the synchro-rev...but, I imagine it might be possible/easier done than replacing the 7AT w/ new?

Also, I've noticed with the paddle shifters / bumping it over to manul-mode, it drops it to 5th automatically from 7th, or drops a single gear if it's lower. Enough to where you can manually bump it once without fear of redlining quickly even at WOT. If you bump it twice, it'll redline pretty quickly and need shifting- and potentially break traction

wstar

Yeah, the system will usually downshift when you go from M -> D, and it's not always predictable by exactly how much. Leaving it in M always solves this problem. Another option is to use the paddles first before switching modes. For instance, if you're cruising on the highway in 7 and you just flip to M, it will downshift to 5 for you. Alternatively, if you click the upshift paddle while still D first, you'll get the temporary M-mode with it still in 7, and then you can flip to M without it downshifting for you.

In general, flipping between D and M while driving can be unpredictable. I wouldn't do it when you need a certain gear "right now". Do it when you're cruising, before you decide to drive seriously. Or don't do it at all, and just stay in M all the time.

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XwChriswX

I knew that, just using it as a starting question, since the dealer didn't seem to knowlegeable, I left it at that. Thats why I posted same question here, I knew I'd get a better, more researched, more intelligent response...


Damn smart cars!

gleonard

I'd trade my wife in for a manual first.

wstar

I don't mind smarts that prevent me from damaging an engine

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XwChriswX

Well no not that part lol Just commenting on the car that can be like a prepubecent teenager... NO I DON'T WANNA! lol

Alexus

Keep in mind that contrary to manual transmissions, if you do something excessively stupid, the computer will prevent you from doing it. I haven't pushed the car to its limits yet, but in my IS-F the computer will not allow me to shift past redline. Contrary to the IS-F, though, I don't think the Z emits an annoying beeping sound when you're doing something stupid.

Granted, some modifications to the computer can eliminate the restraints the ECU's map has.

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alan64

the next ibm and microsoft will be gm.. ford is already on its way.

need4speed

This forum is goin downhill. People will argue opinions.
You can state a fact that u have read. Say where u read it and you are being told u r misinforming people.
Manual drivers mostly believe (at least on this forum) that if u buy an auto, you are a poser.
Its funny though cuz I luv nissans. And am both a nissan and mazda enthusiast.
But right now I'm bout to call a spade a spade.
I'm observing a lot of the nissan infiniti drivers on the road these days and, what I notice is...Just like most BMW OWNERS... many nissan owners can't drive for crap. Your driving skills show who's a poser n who isn't... I'll race any smack talkin fool in here anytime anyplace with a underdog car... if ur a bad driver ur Z can't help you. Unlike most sports cars today. Z's need real drivers. The computer is not controlling the steering wheel makin u look like a better driver than u really are as in most other cars. That's y the steering wheel is so heavy.
Most are starting To see nissan get its name up pretty high. Watchin fast & furious. So they wanna be those guys. They subscribe to import tuner learn wat they think is everything they need to know bout these cars. Hit mom n dad up for money and/or run up there credit cards. Mod the car the 1st month they get it. Not even allowing the car to run its 1500 mile course.then going to the track 2 or 3 times n now they think they are a foose/andretti hybrid. So now u left the track n raced a stang n the highway n think ur a hard rock on the road??? Wat a joke. Then they wanna talk down on the novice or the racer cuz they have a couple of pics of a car they modded n think that makes them an expert. I sold nissans for 2 years and I'm not an expert. But I know what nissan does right and wrong from customer response mixed with my experience with 3 different models.
No1 here's an expert on this car except for the designers and mechanics.
You may know about your experiences with this car but you don't know other peoples experiences, preferences, likes or dislikes. Just cuz it works for you doesn't mean it works for him. And just cuz a person asks a question doesn't mean he's stupid.
Sum1 may not like the auto but another might.
My opinion... the 7at is one of the best autos out there. And yes I've ONLY driven the Z a couple of times. But within moments of driving. I was able to get a great feel for it. It revs strong, shifts smooth, downshifts from high speeds are awesome, stops at the drop of a dime.
Drop n pop is awesome. (Downshift accelerations). The 5at in my altima is crazy wit it.
But this 7at takes it to the next level. Especially on downshift. Its precise n way fast.
Some think the gear ratios are too tight but I find them perfect for aggressive driving.
You can get the 6M if u prefer it. That's your choice.
But my opinion is the auto is a great tranny and worth the try. I would just recommend the test drive n c if its for you? The perk to the 7at is that its the fastest Z. N that's kool!
N no I never owned a porsche or a ferrari or a vette.
My first 2 cars were muscle cars. An 87 grand national n monte carlo of the same year.
I had a 240sx for a very short time. It was halfway modded when I sold it for a 93rx7.
My cousin a race car driver n mechanic helped me mod it.
He built me a fully customized 5speed semi automatic that shifted on the floor as well as a lil stick on the tree that looked like a small version of a window wiper control.
Twin turbocharged dropped fully adjustable suspension n a bunch of goodies.
I wasn't an expert in physically modding this car. But my cousin followed my vision and made me a 578hp car n I'm forever greatful too him.
I raced that car from tracks to highways. He fixed my car chronically cuz I was alwayz blowing something in the engine... lol But I learned skills in my rx7 that I would have never attained in my muscle cars. My auto was killin vettes on the road n track. That's what satisfied me. Not playing with a clutch.
But hey to each his own. Not knockin it either.
After that car I bought a couple of sports cars and drove a few as well... nothing compared.
Till now. This 370z is IMO the best import car since the RX 7. Neither of these cars are perfect by any means. But they have the right DNA for any true enthusiast. (Very few true ones here). Its no ferrari I guess? (Never drove one) but it does its job well, probably the best in its price range and I'm sure in either transmission you choose will be fun n satisfying.

Most hated cuz da truth hurtz!... lol

Robert_Nash

Wow.

Everyone makes spelling errors and typing errors but really; you could be the the most intelligent human being who ever lived but no one will ever take you seriously with the kind of diatribe you wrote above.

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Robert
-My Basset Hound Is Smarter Than Your Honor Student and Barack Obama -

Robert_Nash

Yeah...and Chrysler will capture 50% of the North American market by only building PT Cruisers!

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Robert
-My Basset Hound Is Smarter Than Your Honor Student and Barack Obama -