Wanting to make my Z the perfect Daily driver!
 

Hello everyone so I own a 2014 370z with the sports and touring package.
I know this is going to sound stupid, but its not comfortable enough for me.
I want to modify my car into the most comfortable daily driver!

with that being said I first plan to change the clutch, mines getting worn out and it needs to be change soon. Im thinkin of not getting the stock one, but getting somethings thats a lot smoother to shift.

I just hate shifting 1-2-3 with my stock clutch. Like if I put the same amount of rpm, and the same motion when I let go of the clutch. Its a lot different and smoother when I go from 3-4-5-6. However 1-2-3 is always very clunky.

What are other things I could tune or modify my car to make it a daily driver beast? I know its a sport car and not a truck. Im just saying. I have 0 knowledge when it comes to car, but Im thinking, will the wheels or suspensions might play a big role in the comfort?

Honestly like I really don't want to do anything with my car. Just the clutch bothers me.

cause heres the thing.... i've been driving manuals for about 6 months.
and atleast with 370z. I was wondering is it possible to shift fast and smoothly at a low rpm? I know if I was speeding, I can shift in a sec. but when I do that at a low-medium rpm, heck even a high rpm, if i was doing it from 1-2-3. the just jerks a bit. Its frustrating.

Now I just basically shift from 1 - 4 after a stop light.

Your post just gave me a headache. Here's my answer for you, get the Lexus LS mod, that should do the trick. But if that's too expensive for you, then try the RJM clutch pedal and if that still doesn't work, you'll be on my Iggy list.

:icon14:

You bought the wrong car. Sell it and buy an Infinity with automatic transmission.

2014 and the clutch is getting worn?

Your clutch is worn out after 6 months of driving?

Sent from my Galaxy S5 Active

Helper spring makes a huge difference.

Lots of info on this site. Search is your friend. Or use google.

Nothing is wrong with your clutch. Since you're new to manuals, you should know that clutches don't just go out every few months unless you're doing something terribly wrong. Don't let the guys here put you off as this community is great you just got to earn your stay. Realistically, nothing needs to be done to your car. Take the time to do some search and read up about the 370z. Info is unlimited on this forum so the sooner the better. You will find most people here are 50/50 on the Z's manual transmission. Some people bitch about the same problem you have while others love how raw it feels. Enjoy you car. Get to reading. Cheers.

IMO, just drive it. Nothing needed other than gas and rear tires.

Ok, I can help with the mods you want to do to your car, oh wait, never mind you don't want anything but a clutch. :icon14:

For real, find someone that knows how to drive and shift properly. Have them show you.

You just need more practice. Your clutch is fine. Using the "search" function, look up "clutch helper spring." Swapping springs (or removing the stock one entirely) will stop the way the clutch pedal annoyingly "pops" back up at you mid-shift.

In all reality it sounds like you would be better off trading it in on a g37 coupe or similar. Same drivetrain, similar (same?) suspension, different beast. In my experience, this is as comfortable and daily-driver friendly as a true sports car gets, at least in my price range.

non smooth shifts isn't from a worn out clutch. in reality, when your clutch wears out, your shifts will be super smooth. sounds like you just need some more seat time in your Z.

Hint: with the 370z to make the lower gear shifts smoother. rev it to about 3500-4k before u shift. these cars are clunky at lower rpm's

My 2014 has a much easier-to-manage clutch than my 2011 did. Those 1-2 shifts are far smoother than on the previous car.

Many have recommended changing the helper spring to a little softer spring rate. Other swear the that RJM clutch pedal assembly replacement is the way to go, turning the clutch system into a much easier to use system. On my 2011, I found that practice made most of the difference.

http://www.rjmperformance.com/upload...56005_orig.jpg

What your Z needs is an owner who wants a sports car, not a luxury car.

So, you want to make your Z the perfect daily driver?

Add perfect driver mod :tiphat:

The search feature on this site really sucks - or maybe I just haven't been able to figure out how to make it work. Anyway, I suggest using one of the big web search engines (eg, Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, &c) and adding "site:the370z.com" to your search string. Eg, "site:the370z.com clutch" (at DuckDuckGo).


Edit: Using a clutch properly is not something you can learn on the Internet. You can get some great tips but you have to spend some time mashing the pedals and banging the shifter to get it right. Practice makes perfect.

drive it and get use to a manual,
1st manual I had, I did such a bad drive home from the dealer, I had to call my dad for a jump, I worn the battery out....

And every manual car you drive afterwards, the manual feels different...

Good Luck

Practice more. Every time you drive is a chance to practice. Ideally, you would've learned manual driving some beater truck or civic, but on the bright side, if you can learn on the Z, 99% of all other manually driven vehicles will be easier.

This thread almost makes me angry :icon17:. The 370z (or any Z for that matter) is not and should not be made into "the perfect daily driver". There is nothing "daily driver about our cars. It is meant to perform and be enjoyable to drive, which it does both quite well. It may sound a bit rude, but if you want a fantastic daily driver, I suggest you buy a different vehicle.

As for the clutch and shifting, just hang in there. It seems you are fairly new at driving a clutch (let alone the unforgiving Z's clutch). It takes a lot of time and practice to master. I had the same concerns when I was first starting. Driving my Z now is second nature, shifting is smooth. You'll get there :tiphat:

Well excuse me, but fuck you :tiphat: :icon17:

My Z is a fanstatic daily driver :tup: :driving:

Perfect daily driving car is purely subjective. For me, the X is my perfect daily driver. My spine doesn't hurt, and my car can handle everything I throw at it. When some idiot pulls a dumb stunt, I can out maneuver/brake sooner/accelerate faster than 95% of the fools around here. Admittedly the clutch has taken me 2 months to get used to, and I've driven standard for over a decade, but patience is a requirement.

:confused: I think you mean Z :driving:

HAHA :rofl2:..I mean daily driver in terms of "practicality, economical, storage capacity, SEATING capacity, etc.". Don't get me wrong, I think it is a great daily driver too. Mine is daily driven too, until there is salt & gravel all over the roads.:ugh2:

My Z has ample storage space and the perfect amount of seats. I can load 2 carts of groceries in the trunk and I can fit an over the range microwave in the front seat. And!! Nobody asks me to carpool. The perfect car.

Seriously why do I always see people giving other members craps like they are the only "true Z fanatics"? OP bought the Z maybe without thinking too much about DD and you guys are real jerks to your fellow Z owners. That's no less ricer than all those posts I read about civic or frs drivers criticizing the Zs.

OP, the Z clutch sucks and it doesn't get much better even after some practices. I have mine for a year and half now and I still don't like the shifts in the first couple gears. So unfortunately you probably have to deal with it unless change the transmission.

why do people not learn how to drive this car? i dont think it's the car cause mine's no different, a 2009 even... and drives smooth.

Completely subjective. For me, the Z is a perfect daily driver too, as long as I don't need to carry more than one passenger, don't need to take the dog anywhere, it's not raining too hard, don't need to carry any suitcases, don't need to drive any dirt roads, and there's no snow on the ground. That means the Z is the perfect daily driver for me about 40% of my annual driving mileage. YMMV.

I'm not sure why people think the clutch on this car is so horrible.

370Z is my first manual and I had trouble with the clutch at first too with the rough first and second gear. After some time you get used to it, but every once in a while I still shift rough. I tend to ride the clutch a little when I shift into 1st and 2nd to smooth it out.
I drove my friends 2012 Mustang, and the clutch was so much easier to engage, when I shifted it felt like an automatic almost. 2 completely different clutches, but I guess the 370Z takes more skill.

you're right. its more the throttle lag that throws experienced MT drivers off at first.

get a automatic... manual, it's not for you.

where did OP go

what is going on

Well I don't blame him, you guys jumped on him like a group of bears after hibernation.

i'm not a "you guys". my response was benificial

I felt initially the clutch had a numb feeling. It was hard to feel the engagement point. I bought new helper springs and never got around to installing them. I realized you can feel the engagement point and while not my most favored clutch ever, it is just fine and now I have the fine motor control to make a smooth start or back up.

Revving to 4K RPM is a great way to drive, espesially since the OP is in Kuwait and gas must be cheap.

That's odd, I've been using it as my DD for over 5 1/2 years now... :)

And that's what makes it a great DD.

Nah, he's already got one.

Not trying to pick a fight with 'ya, I just thought it was funny that you correctly brought up some of the good/great points about the 370Z, but at the same time you're basically saying that it isn't a fantastic daily driver. It most definitely is! :tiphat:

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OP - You stated that you've got just 6 months experience driving a manual transmission vehicle. If your 2014 model year Z already needs a new clutch, then you aren't operating the clutch correctly (unless you spend a crapload of time in horrendous stop-and-go driving). Have someone who knows how to use a clutch give you some lessons, otherwise you'll burn out the new clutch you install like you just burned out the original clutch.

I want to go drive now.

You should install that spring. 10 minutes tops. (If you are mechanically inclined ;) ). Made a big dif to me.


:shakes head: me too.