I just took out a 7AT for a ride...
 

...and WOW...I bought a 6MT because I hated how the previous generation lagged so much when I downshifted...it took away the fun away from the car...I called a buddy up from the dealership next door and took one out for a spin just to see how it drives, and I gotta say DAMN!!! Now I wish I had bought a 7AT...hehehehe....that thing blipped down freak fast as hell...probably faster than an average person can downshift a 6MT...man, now I'm considering trading mine in for a 7AT...hehehe...(not really...but not a bad idea)....I'd be able to sit further back with a 7AT cuz I don't have to worry about a clutch, and I won't rub the steering wheel or seat bolster when I get into the car...but, egh, I'm happy with my 6MT...

I dont know about all that downshift as fast as an average person - but the tq converters on these cars are LEAGUES ahead of the VQ35 generation

I've driven both and I ordered the 7AT.

The total shift time is close to 500 miliseconds. On the 350Z it approached one full second to totally complete a shift. I've heard a really good manual shifter will get close to 300 milliseconds.

Amazing. What I've been saying since I bought mine to all the "sports car must be a manual or it's a waste" crowd...being confirmed yet again that the 7AT is a damn good transmission...

The 7AT sure works for me!

I drove both and the salesman was cool, I launched both with the vdc off and the auto blew my mind, hooked like awd, hit the rev limiter in the blink of an eye, went back and signed on the dotted line...

Love my auto so far. I drive 60 miles daily and like my coffee while driving and don't want to do the balancing act. This transmission is the NUTS:eekdance:

I love mine also!!

I have taken the car our for spirited driving and had the VDC off and rolling at 10mph then throttle down and when I shifted into 2nd it broke the tires loose!!! I was not expecting that at all!


DAN

screw it...if anyone wanna swap a 7AT for a 6MT, please let me know...mine is a Monterrey Blue base 6MT with 4000 miles with sport package...looking for a 7AT with sport package...anyone interested, hit me up...

I know the difference in the sport package between the 6MT and the 7AT is the synchro-rev matching, other than that, anything else different between them? Although the Nissan website states that the 7AT has synchro-rev matching too, I can't see how that's beneficial to an automatic. I never really paid attention to the 7AT before. Can someone chime me in on the difference in the 7AT with and without sport package? ThanX

It really is a sigh of relief to hear other 7AT owners talk about how much they love it, especially those who compared it to the 6MT. I was starting to get discouraged, thinking I made a mistake by buying the 7AT since most people rave about how much they love 6MT and the Synchro-Rev, and that sports cars "MUST = manual transmission" as Kannibul pointed out. :rolleyes: I know of one guy on this forum (don't remember the name) who swapped out his 7AT for 6MT, and I was thinking about doing the same (as crazy as that may sound) until I saw the postings on this thread. I thought I was alone in being impressed about how fast the auto can blip through the gears. Thanks, guys, for the positive reinforcement!! :tiphat:

I took my friend out last night to an empty lot and launched my 7AT...he said...DAMN I read that the Z is fast but DAMN lol...good reaction considering his car is pretty modded and would eat up my Z! I think it surprised him how well and how fast the Z gets off the line.

I've never had a complaint about my auto...shifts are fast and it is a blast in manual mode. 6MT VS 7AT you really can't go wrong with either one.

Even if it was a gimmick it's a pretty nice thing to have. With it in place, it drives like a manual, even sounds like it without the headache of the clutch.

you mean if I had kept my mouth shut, I coulda traded cars with you? hehehe

Yep, it's like the perfect woman. Tame at home and in front of friends, but in the bedroom...crazy sex kitten!

The new 7AT is really a good improvement over the 350Zs AT....i'd still much perfer at 6MT myself though. When doing any kind of road course/autocross track events the 6MT will really pay off. Though from what i've seen it looks like the 7AT is every bit as quick as the 6MT is in the 1/4 mile....Kudos to Nissan.

I tested this car 4x already. Lol. Since idecided to wait for the 2010 model.
Every 3 weeks I con a dealership to let me get a 45 minute run on the car
By myself... lol. And take over an hour. Lol
I luv the 7at. It drives the way I read about pdk's n dsg's.
I already learned the smooth shift (3500-4500rpm shifts) and the
Power shift (5000-6000rpm) this car revs like a screaming chicken at this range n I luv it! Lol
Its so eager in extra dramatic handling maneuvers and inspires a level of confidence that's difficult to gain in a manual. I also see so much mod potential on this tranny. When sum1 decides to take this 7at serious enough to consider serious grown up modding. I think they will be pleasantly surprised.
My gut feeling that 7at modded will be revolutionary.

7at was my choice:excited:

I agree. Though, I don't think there'd be a whole lot of improvement to be had without sacrificing something, like "cruisability".

One thing I would like is for it to be a bit more "aware" when trying to select gears on accelleration. It'll take about a half second longer than I would want.

Of late, auto transmissions sure have been refined, particularly on sporty cars and mid to high end cars. As for performance, most autos can run with or even surpass the manual transmissions. After all, it is hard to beat a computer. Modern autos tend to be more durable than manuals and the power loss for the auto is negligible. The 6AT w/paddles on my IS350 is GREAT.

Granted, shifting with the 6MT is fun, but it can be a bit tedious day in and day out. Thanks for sharing your 7AT experience!

Knowing that the sport package comes with the LSD regardless of the transmission choice, the 7AT is certainly a good choice.

Yeah, the 7AT in the 370z blew my mind. I didn't think and Auto could be so "authorative"

As for durability - sorry, I can't agree with you there. Manuals are known for being rock solid - I mean what's better than metal gears turning against metal gears, vs hydralic valves and such that wear out?

Now, a clutch vs a torque converter, the TC will outlast any clutch, I know that...

if I would have bought an Automatic, my Z Club buddies would have never let me live it down, not a deciding factor by any means, but the auto just didnt feel like a sports car to me. To each their own I suppose.

You must not drive too many manual trannys... I mean the AT is good... but it certainly should not be improving the handling of the car...and if you are talking about being able to focus more as you dont have a clutch to kick in and out - then all its doing is making up for some driver related issues...

was waiting to see how long it would take to turn into a " MT is the only real car"thread.

it already has! lol

I think all the autos have the rev-sync, I have a touring and mine blips on downshifts. Not the usual small blip, it matches the revs to perfection.

I've driven a manual all my life and thought I would never get an auto in a sports car ever. However, my wife convinced me to try the Z in an auto as a compromise for here as she is more comfortable with it. As it turns out, I am amazed how good the auto is in manual mode. I will never go back to a manual. When I'm ready for a new car the autos will be even better.

I enjoy the 7A in my daily bumper to bumper comute here in LA! and I hope your wait is long Shumby will see who blows it!

this is probably the first carguy(?) site that was so excited about AT's with torque converters.... ;)

:D

MT for me. :p

it's 2009 and autos are superior to manuals now. understandably, people that dropped a lot of money on their cars or have sworn by manuals all their lives are afraid to accept it.

i would LOVE to see the proof or information (video, article, whatever), that shows or says a manual driver can shift/downshift in 300 milliseconds. sounds physically impossible to me... if the GTR shifts in 200 milliseconds, i find it hard to believe they would use an automatic (call it what you want but theres no clutch pedal - its auto) transmission, which im sure was significantly costlier to make than a manual for a 100 millisecond difference.

im not saying one is better than the other, everyone likes what they like. its just annoying to see people say that manual is more "fun" like it's some kind of fact... its not. i drove both and my opinion was obviously that the AT was more fun. heck, maybe i just like the paddles. lol.

More "fun" is entirely subjective... More control the vehicle is not. If you have ever road raced, it's fairly simple to grasp

Here is Jason Plato comparing a Cayman S 6mt vs PDK.. Notice which laps faster..

Not a huge fan of auto's on sports cars, but they have came along way. I would no longer call them slush boxes for sure.

I will agree in F1 the sheer amount of sensors involved in driving and technology involved in those gearboxes will lend its self to faster laps with a sequential or auto of some sort box..

YouTube - Fifth Gear Cayman 6 Speed VS PDK


99.9999% of drivers are not going to be able to coax a manual box to beat a pdk esque box let alone a auto box around the track faster to be fair

...if someone enjoys manual go for it...to say an auto is not fun is simply silly.

To add to it...put the auto in manual mode and you now have two ways to shift VS manual you have no option other than shift. Either one is a blast so the choice should match preference. Although, on the street the auto does hold the advantage since it hooks up better than the manual hence the slightly faster times we keep seeing.

It's all love..

The two horrid things about autos have all been fixed.. Shift times and excessive loss through the drivetrain.

Now it's all just down to preference, which is how it should be

I've driven both and I ordered the 6MT.

6MT or 7AT, they both are good. The OP simply was stating how nice the 7AT is and the need for 6MT for sporting fun is no longer a necessity.

Has anyone else noticed that most of the high end sport cars (Ferrari F430, Lambo. Gallardo, MB SL65 AMG to name just a few) are sold in auto and the auto option for other makes (Porsche, Aston Martin, Audi R8 to name just a few) are considerably more expensive than the manual option due to the increased performance factor?

My point is, in this day and age, an auto can be equal or surpass performance and driver satisfaction compared to the manual, thus both are winners.

The 08 Vette I drive is an auto, 6AT, and while it is not as "fun" as shifting, the auto does shift super fast without missing a gear and there is no clutch to worry about. Playing with the paddles adds some thrill, but frankly, I am always feeling the desire to shift.

All I know is I was gobsmacked when I saw the times the magazines are pulling in the 1/4 with the new Cayman S PDK. Definitely extracting the most out of the power

OK...so here's my final verdict:

So tonight, I drove to a dealership and was ready to trade my Blue 6MT in for a Pearl White 7AT...that pearl white was one of my top color choices originally (yellow was the other) since my 350Z and G35c were both pearl whites...I got there, the general sales manager got a salesman to pull the car up for me...I forgot how beautiful the pearl white was...I got in, got the seat adjusted...moved it back a little bit farther from the steering wheel than my usual position (since there was no clutch to worry about)...took it out and tested everything I had anticipated to checkout from the paddle shifter and the auto-tranny.

The car downshifted quickly, but with the stiffness and precise control of the ride, I felt like wanted more control over the car...I felt a bit of hesitation when I shifted down from 4th to 2nd, but I think I felt that because there was really nothing for me to do other than click the left paddle...I guess it was so fast that it felt slow because I wasn't occupied shifting and clutching...I tested to see how comfortable I would feel downshifting, and it kinda felt plain...I guess it's because I feel so much more control when I know I am taking the clutch out and putting it exactly where I want it and it will act as I do instead of clicking buttons and allow the computer to translate it for me...

I then shifted the car over to the normal driving mode and sat back...I reclined back into the seat that's farther back now and stretched my legs over the leg room I have due to the auto-tranny...I grabbed the steering wheel and tried to experience driving home from work...I didn't feel to thrilled about the shifting in fully auto mode...it kinda brought back the feeling of my G35c 6AT...and I never liked that car over the 26 months that I had it....the ride was just like driving any other car with a bit stiffer suspension....

I pulled back into the lot and parked my car right next to it...the pearl white was a beautiful color...so classy...I loved my PPW 350Z, and I loved the color pearl of my G35C...then I turned to my Monterey Blue...and it was like WOW...the white is nice and classy, but the blue just screams aggressiveness...I looked at the white from afar, and it's that color that will blend in if there's a horde of cars....it is beautiful if you look at the car alone....but when you have too many cars on the road and you skim quickly, you may the white 370Z...I then turned over to my car, and it was just screaming "SEXY & PROWESS"...I stood there back and forth trying to see which color I actually like more...I love the white, but the Monterey just screams "GET OUT OF MY WAY"...it's an attention getter...it's flashy...and I'm shallow enuf to admit that that is why I like the color...one thing about the white is that it's makes the car looks somewhat flat on the side and in certain poses...whereas the blue brings out all the curves and muscles of the car...the pearl white looks beautiful, but it just didn't scream to me....

In the end, I decided and am now 100% sure that I love the 2 biggest IF's about my car: the color and the transmission. I can now rest assured that I love the Monterey Blue more than the Pearl White and that I prefer the 6MT over the 7AT...I will now stop looking for another car because I have never been so sure of my color/tranny combo until now...

The 7AT is a great transmission...like I have said in my original post, I do think the 7AT shifts much faster than the 6MT...I think the 7AT will put the Z up top on the map amongst the F1-like trannies out there....however, it would be fun to drive for someone who once in awhile wants that instant boost to hit "88-miles per hour" (hehhe)...for me, I know that if I get the 7AT, it will be back to square one after a short while...I know that I will stop shifting using the paddles cuz I KNOW I don't have to...and I know, even though I will perfect paddle shifting over time, I will get bored of it because it is considered "more" work for me...whereas, with the 6MT, it has become second nature for me to shift, downshift....downshift going into a turn and holding the shifter and my left foot ready to smash the clutch once I hit the apex---SHIFT!!! (ok, that was over dramatic...but you know what I mean)...the 6MT just gives me so much more control and it felt kinda weird for me to sit and shift and not hit a clutch...the 7AT didn't really give me the feeling that I have full control of the transmission because, it just didn't feel---rock solid---like a guarantee...I don't know how to explain it, but I'm sure it's similar to the feeling knowing that you have full control of your car, and manually controlling your car into a twisty and burning rubbers getting out of it....

in any case, this is my opinion...I do not hate the 7AT, nor do I think the 6MT is better in any way...but to me, the 6MT gives me more control and that feeling that the 7AT cannot give me...for those who wants an occasional feel of control, the 7AT is perfect for you...I know that I will get tired of paddle shifting once the feeling wears off (I have tried sequential-shifting my previous autos I've owned the past 10 years, but in the end, it got boring and got old after 5 minutes...so I know how I will be with the 7AT in this case)...I don't care that the 6MT is slower than the 7AT, but for me, the 6MT is what makes this car a complete package for me...

(sorry, it's 1:15AM...I'm trying to write my PERSONAL review since I just got back from the dealership and it's still fresh on my mind...please ignore all misspelled words and grammatical errors)

All of the 3 dealers I visited when checking out and testdriving the 370Z told me how much fun the 7AT is and highly recommended it to me.
But I just imagined myself in a right turn, my hands in the 3/9 o'clock position of the wheel that is now turned 90° to the right, wanting to downshift and having to move my left hand to reach the paddle.
I love F1-like paddle auto shifting, but having the paddles fixed to the housing and not turning with the wheel on the 370Z and even on the premium GT-R is such a big no-no!
Nissan, :gtfo2: with those paddles!

Even my $50.- USB steering wheel for PC gaming has paddles that turn with the wheel...

My :twocents:

most car reviewers agree that fixed paddles are better than the ones that move with the wheel. the confidence of knowing exactly where they are. you should actually drive one and see for yourself. the paddles are pretty long and it's hard to miss... ferrari uses fixed paddles too.

manual drivers have to take one hand off the wheel towards the shifter to shift, i dont mind moving my hand a few inches to the left/right for a quick second to shift.

I have to agree, there is a little getting used to them but once you do it's not a big deal and are really cool in manual mode....