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Auto 370Z...Is it Good?
I have always beleived that a sports car should be bought in manual form because it is quicker and more rewarding/enjoyable. Technology has improved though over the years and lately I am hearing and reading that auto's are better, quicker and just as rewarding. also to extract performance on the street from a daily driver it is better to go with an auto because to get real perfromance from a manual it is inevitable and unavoidable that the clutch will suffer abuse even if you are trying to be sympathietic towards it.
=Is this true that auto's are now bwtter than manuals for daily drivers? |
autos are always better than manual for daily driver (esp when there's a lot of traffic!)
you should search on this topic as many have described pros and cons of either transmission. i do find it odd that people are quoting faster time for the automatic given that it's not a dual clutch system like DSG or DCT. perhaps c&d simply didn't try hard enough in their first drive with the 370Z. however, automatic will consistently outperform manual for most drivers who aren't super skilled at shifting (like me):tiphat: |
I got one. Thought long and hard about Auto vs 6MT. The manual is probably more fun to drive on the weekends, but on the way to work in traffic and drinking coffee, the auto is more practical. Apparently it's as fast or faster as well (depending on which car rag you read).
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Performance wise - pretty much a wash so far - but autos now a days are pretty dam good... however - driving feel wise - I would not give up my clutch for anything ... but drive both... if all you care about is which one is faster - it wont matter... but if you care about the feeling when you drive a clutch - then get the manny
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I've given my opinion on this topic before and inevitably the AT drivers come and rip me but it is what it is. It's a sports car, and a manly sports car at that with its aggressive stance, high revving engine and thrilling ride when you get on it. It should be bought in a manual, PERIOD. Sure Ferrari and Lambo and Porsche and yada yada are all autos and real sports cars and manly and the like but we're not talking an 80k + supercar here, we're talking about a real car for real people. My car is beautiful, and there are a hundred reasons why I love it, not the least of which is the fact that my wife can't drive it no matter how bad she'd like to.
The only argument I give any credence to is the issue with daily driver traffic. But even then, the anticipation of being able to open it up and get up and down on the clutch when the traffic breaks is too much of a high for me to give up. Guess I'm just old school. To each his own. |
I previously had a Silvia S15 with a manual 6 peed. However, one of the conditions from my wife when getting the 370z was that it had to be an auto. This concerned me a little cause I loved my 6 speed and using the engine to slow the car down coming into corners etc. However, after getting used to the auto and using the paddles in manual mode, I find it just as much fun seem to able to do all the things I did with my manual. So now I have the best of both worlds.
When used in manual, there is a slight delay when changing which takes a little getting use to, but it's no longer than it would take to press the clutch and select a gear in a manual. All in all I am happy with it. Rudi. |
MANUAL FTW.. this was my first manual car.. and i have absolutely no regrets. PLUS the synchro rev is beautiful!
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My basic feeling is that if you don't absolutely know you want the manual, get the Auto. If someone has to describe the difference then your probably not going to be into the manual. :driving:
That being said if I drove in daily "heavy" traffic I would get the Auto. |
Get the manual its gonna be more fun and it will hold its value better i have seen auto 350z sellling for 3-5k less than mt,, with the same features and mileage more or less, but because the mt is more desirable its costing more.
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I was dead-set on a manual..but all they had were autos, and would charge extra to have a manual brought in...to where the price would be the same or more for the manual, than the auto. After a test drive, I was fine with an automatic, and I don't really see it as a compromise. |
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Only you can answer what is best for you. Manuals are generally cheaper to maintain and repair. Autos are smoother, but more costly if anything (big) goes wrong. |
My plan was to drive an Audi TTS with the DCT, then go drive the 370Z w/ an A7, then drive a 370Z with a 6M. (I have a 335i with a 6M right now)
I drove the Audi, then went and drove the A7 Z, and was every bit as impressed with the A7 as I was with the DCT. It might have been a tad slower, not enough that I could tell, and not enough to make a difference. After driving the A7, I told the sales guy to forget the M6, because I had already made up my mind. As for it not being as rewarding and sporty, I have to disagree. I've driven manual cars my whole life. I think being able to break hard into a corner while just using your left hand to do all the downshifting is great. I guess because I'm a huge F1 fan and I've watched them work the paddles for years. It's a whole different kind of rewarding. That's my 2 cents. |
Drifting my be an issue with the auto. I think that's why my wife made me buy the auto :icon14:
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i didn't like the auto Z, the pedal felt too sensitive, it felt like i didn't have enough control over car
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I have driven and owned cars with all the transmission choices mentioned.
All of the 911's I've owned have always been 3 pedal machines. I had a Maserati Gransport with the automated manual. I have owned Vettes with both the 6M and 6AT. Etc... My take on the 370Z is pretty simple. I chose the 7AT because this is going to be my daily driver. For a weekend car, especially with the Sports Package and SynchroRev Match, the 6M is probably a bit more engaging to drive in short spurts. My problem with the 6M in both the Z and G37 is that once you get the RPMs above 5000 the shifter starts vibrating like crazy. That would drive me crazy on a day in and day out basis. The 7AT eliminates this concern and makes the engine's powerband feel more refined. In terms of performance, unless you are a professional driver or very experienced track day participant, the 7AT will be quicker and more useable on a day to day basis, plus a lot more convenient in rush hour. I am thrilled with the 7AT and have no regrets. BTW, I feel the same about the transmission choice in the Vettes. AT is the way to go. With the Porsches, whether Tiptronic or the new PDK, I would always get the 6M to get the most enjoyment out of the pure driving experience regardless of the enhanced performance claims of the PDK. |
I honestly think this thread will only make the decision more difficult.
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I've been driving my G37 5AT for almost two years now. I love it and continue to mod it for weekend track use (oil and transmission cooler highly recommended). It's a personal choice..what is the best weapon for battle? Warriors choose your weapon, become familiar with it and enjoy the battle :)
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u shouldnt let ppls suggestion talk u into gettin auto or manual. get the one u really really want. the one u think u prably wont regret later on. for me i hate driiving manual goin big uphills in san francisco but i still got it cuz its fun to drive to me. i gotten use to the sf uphills stop and gos.
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Having driven a manual for years, it is taking me a bit to get used to the automatic in the 370z...for example, I'd toss it in neutral a lot on exit ramps and similar situations where I don't want the drag of the engine...yet)...or skip gears for different accelleration/decelleration curves. (hammer it 1-3, drop into 5th...or reverse of that for decel) - the thing that gets me is there is a very small window on the gas, where you have your foot off the gas and it's seriously dragging the car, and where you have your foot on it lightly, and it's coasting, and when you have your foot on it a bit more and it's maintaining or acellerating.
I'm also used to bumping the clutch to make the car/truck jump forward, but not continue with momentum - if that makes sense. I did that once with my Z as I was going up the drive way - and the car LAUNCHED and didn't back off as quickly as it should have...I had to jump on the brakes! But, all that said, these are really just minor annoyances - on the street, in either automatic or manual-mode and using the stick...or automatic with paddles...or manual with paddles...it's fun in a very good way. If you leave it in automatic and use the paddles when you want the tranny a bit more responsive - it's really the best of both worlds... |
Both transmissions have their draws and detractions. What matters is what is best for YOU and how you're going to be using the car. It pains me that threads like these usually end up in a flame war... there's NO reason for it. .02
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With the quality and performance of an automatic today; especially the 7AT in the 370, if I was getting a car for and/or that would be used as a daily driver there would be no choice for me; it would be the auto.
As with most things in life, once you've had many vehicles with manual transmissions the "uniqueness" wears off and you are left with a choice based on more practical matters than how "connected" you feel to the vehicle or how much "control" (real or imagined) over the driving experience...spend a couple of hours a day in stop and go traffic; especially if you live in a area with lots of elevation changes and the benefits of an auto in a daily driver become very apparent. I've enjoyed my 7AT...I love the manual mode and the paddle shifters and equally love being able to let the transmission do all the gear changing when I don't feel like doing them)...when doing the Dragon as I do fairly regularly I don't feel as if I'm giving up anything to any other car, including other 370s just because I have an AT and they have the MT. That said, I will be ordering my replacement for my current 370 soon and I'm seriously considering getting the 6MT this time mostly so that I can live with the rev-match feature (it won't be a daily driver). In the '50 and perhaps up through the mid-'90s or so the performance of a manual driven by a very good driver were quite tangible but in today's world, it really and truly comes down to personal preference. Get what you want for your own reasons and you'll be happy with your 370 (and after all, isn't that what really matters?). :) |
You guys may laugh, buy my main reason for getting the manual is the way it looks. I can drive a manual fine, and would probably be just as happy with the auto, but I cant stand the way the center console looks with the auto shfter stick/interface. I really dont mean to flame at all, but to me it looks a little to femalish :) Please dont take my last statement the wrong way. I have driven an eclipse for years and constantly been told I have a girls car. LOL. It is just my opinion.
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I test drove both and for me the auto was hands down the best, try to launch both hard and you cant match the dead stop launch the auto has, car and driver confirmed this with the auto VS stick 0 to 60 and 1/4 mile times.
http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-g...road-test.html |
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I say you should live dangerously and buy one of each! ;)
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I've been driving for around 40 years, and have had my share of manual transmission cars, including sports cars. I opted for the A7T in my new 370Z as it's just easier to deal with anymore. The car's an absolute gem to drive, and the automatic 7-speed transmission just adds to it's appeal.
MeZadude :cool: |
I was sold on the 7AT at the outset. However, I SO miss my MT 240x that was JDM'd up. I drove my brother in law's S14 240 MT. Drove my buddy's Z06. Fell in love in MTs all again. My car will be a semi daily driver, and I probally will not enounter too much traffic. That said, I have switched back to wanting a MT.
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One isnt really "better" than the other. Its all about personal preference. At the end of the day, an auto is still an auto and same with the manual. If you really like rowing through the gears then there is no substitute for a manual transmission. If you get sick of using a clutch on a daily basis then the auto is for you.
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go drive a MT w/ the rev match... drive an AT - its quite simple really... chances are if you are an enthusiast you will get the mt... if you bitch and moan about heavy traffic - then you probably arnt enough of an enthusiast to get the mt so get the at...
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Yeah, i currently drive an 06 prht MX5 6sp and love it but heavy stop/start traffic does get me annoyed, so when the time comes to purchase an auto will have to be test driven definitely. I guess having 2 manual cars might be too much as i would be holding onto the MX5. The Zed is such a great machine though and is untouchable here in Australia in terms of bang for your bucks.
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no offense but i dont get why ppl use the excuse that its a pain to drive manual in traffic
i live in LA where stop and go is normal on all the freeways especially the 405 and 101 im perfectly fine with my 6MT during stop and go even for hours and this is my first manual car.... mind you my last car was a celia gts with push button tiptronic on the wheel and let me tell you i get more bored driving it in traffic since the car pretty much do all the driving just my .02c |
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Here's what I was told by the 2 sales people, 1 might have been pushing to sell the 7At perhaps because it cost more, and another who didnt have a 7MT and wanted to push the 6MT at the Nissan dealership.
Reasons to get an 7At: Clutch and clucth assembly is not covered warrantee. If you end up burning your cluth by accident, you will end up forking out some serious $$ to replace it. while a 7At is covered by the warrantee and in case of problems, it is replaceable with no cost to you. Reason to get a 6MT: Power with a 7AT is rated about 30% less than in a 6MT. Does any of this make sense to any of you? I know I wasnt convinced. |
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I call Bovine Scatology on that. Go buy what makes you happy but no need to insult people who don't think precisely like you do. |
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The "and this is my first manual car" is telling too. Come back and tell us what you think after a few more years in that stop and go traffic. My last car was a 6MT, I drove it for 10 years, and most of that time I was commuting in Houston. At the beginning I made all kinds of justifications about how the 6MT was worth it, but by the end I was ready to throw in the towel. Most of my driving miles on that car were spent slipping the clutch in 5mph traffic, and it's hard to justify that for the 10% of the time when you get to open it up on a weekend cruise. I don't even commute now because I work from home, but I still went with the 7AT because quite frankly it's the most kick-*** automatic I've ever driven, and Houston still has traffic that I occasionally have to wade through. 7 gears, a lower-geared 1st gear than your 6mt, and one less pedal to worry about, it's a win for me. I stay in M-mode all the time, and for all practical (and many not-so-practical) purposes it's basically like driving a manual without ever having to worry about the clutch. "But, but, if you're not using a clutch, you're not a real driver..." Yeah and if you're not rev-matching for yourself with a perfect heel-toe technique you're not either, so you always turn off your 6MT's SRM system right?... right?...... Quote:
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Direct hit to a nerve............. :ugh2: |
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