[OFFICIAL] Manual v. Automatic Thread

[winnre]

I googled "tranny swap" and wow there are indeed web pages dedicated to swapping the transmissions around!

But don't, don't, DON'T click on google images after running that search. There are no transmissions pictured. It's.... horrible.

[1slow370]

Originally Posted by Tadpole

Yea but your right hand is free with the auto and the hot tie in your car!!

its not like your right hand is glued to the shifter in a manual, that isnt even a valid point.

[Chejuan]

For my Z, I chose a manual over the AT for the simple reason that I enjoy driving MT cars. Whenever I've bought a car, if there is a manual transmission available, I would select it.

[brancky3]

Originally Posted by Chejuan

For my Z, I chose a manual over the AT for the simple reason that I enjoy driving MT cars. Whenever I've bought a car, if there is a manual transmission available, I would select it.

This. I understand the automatic is faster, smoother, etc... but there's just something about engaging the gears by hand that makes it so much more fun for me.

[Shotta]

The answer lies right in the 370z sales brochure:

6MT - designed for perfectionists
7AT - designed for enthusiasts

[Solomatrix]

both are good

[SterlingDrive]

Originally Posted by wstar

Real Men ™ also don't use SynchroRevMatch to pretend they know how to downshift accurately, don't use power steering because they don't have girly arms, don't use ABS brakes because they can threshold brake on any surface at any time just fine on their own, don't have car audio systems (especially upgraded ones!) because they'd rather listen to the engine any day, don't have air conditioning (you're gonna waste engine power because you're too much of a pansy to enjoy a warm day?), and they certainly don't have in-dash navigation systems because they don't need goddamn directions from anyone. Oh yeah, and they probably don't drive wimpy import V6's either. So if your Z is how you define your manhood, you were in trouble long before you decided on a transmission.

You just described a Shelby Cobra, haha.

[falconfixer]

They both suck. I hope the next Z comes with CVT.

[SouthArk370Z]

Originally Posted by falconfixer

They both suck. I hope the next Z comes with CVT.

[ZKraken22]

Originally Posted by falconfixer

They both suck. I hope the next Z comes with CVT.

Gosh no!! Nissan wouldn't do that to use.

[winnre]

Maybe it'll be real easy...the answer has been in front of us all this time....

[Taylortoons]

I agree with the argument for a manual transmission in that sports cars and stick shifts naturally go together. I have never chosen an automatic in the dozens of sports cars I've owned....

Then, one day I drove a paddle shift 370z and fell in love with it. For me, it's the best of both worlds. I never drive with the car in D and get to enjoy all the fun of changing gears on my terms, upshifting and downshifting.

[Redglare]

My only gripes with automatic in the 370 is that
A. Technically not serviceable according to service manual (i.e. throw away part)
B. Automatics are evolving so fast the current one will be considered old tech soon.
C. Anyone can drive it
D. Can't take the power that a manual with an upgraded clutch can.
E. More expensive
F. For me; not nearly as fun as a manual. If the 370 is ur DD beater then AT makes sense, otherwise a waste.

I can see the auto as being useful in a very traffic jam prone city, but if you live anywhere with open roads/ low traffic it's a waste.

[wstar]

Originally Posted by Redglare

My only gripes with automatic in the 370 is that
A. Technically not serviceable according to service manual (i.e. throw away part)

That's true of a lot of things on the 370 and other modern cars, unfortunately. Same is true for the VVEL heads on our engine. They're not considered repairable at the dealership; any small problem and you just buy new ones and stick them on.

B. Automatics are evolving so fast the current one will be considered old tech soon.

Again, true of everything lately in the car world. But the 7AT is by far one of the best true autos (as in, torque-convertor, etc) around. On a lot of other modern cars the automatic isn't really track-worthy at all, whereas the 370Z's 7AT is pretty awesome on the track. I've lost count of how many times a rider or instructor has jumped in my car and done some variation of "An auto??.. " followed by "This thing is awesome " a couple laps into it.

C. Anyone can drive it

Kind of elitist? But no, not anyone can drive anything.

D. Can't take the power that a manual with an upgraded clutch can.

This car doesn't really need much more power than it comes with or that the 7AT can handle; the rest is only really useful for bragging rights and drag-racing, IMHO. With bolt-ons the car's power is a very good match for the rest of the car. Maybe a 15% bump to ~350-ish on a conservative dyno would be nice, if there were an easy way to obtain that. But still, even in the low 300's on a conservative dyno, this car will easily go into an oversteer slide in any gear, even with very sticky tires.

Also, like your clutch (and CSC), the 7AT is upgradeable. It does cost a bit more to upgrade, though, and the options are more-limited.

E. More expensive
F. For me; not nearly as fun as a manual. If the 370 is ur DD beater then AT makes sense, otherwise a waste.

I can see the auto as being useful in a very traffic jam prone city, but if you live anywhere with open roads/ low traffic it's a waste.

You may have a point there. This is me poking along in a city traffic jam in my 7AT a week ago in my DD beater:

[Taylortoons]

Freakin' A, bro! That is bad a$$!