Shifting on a manual

SR370z · 11-14-2012, 12:03 AM

Hey I am a new NISSAN 370Z owner from Utah! I have a red 2012 NISSAN 370Z sport base model.

Sorry about this newbie question. This is my first manual transmission vehicle. I have 2012 nissan 370z manual transmission. When I shift to 1st and 2nd gear I feel like I am going really slow compared to other drivers on the road. Do you know why? I usually rev up to 3k RPM then shift to second gear. Is that normal cause I feel a jerk when I do that. Do I need to rev at a lower RPM before I shift to 2nd gear? I also drove a WRX hatch and a 2002 rsx which were my friends and I had no problem driving them. But for my Z I am not so great at driving it. Been driving manual for about a month now. Any tips on driving will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

AreJay · 11-14-2012, 01:04 AM

My first manual as well is a red Z. 2011 thou. I find it took me about a Lil over a month to really get use to the clutch.

FairladyZ · 11-14-2012, 01:16 AM

The z is harder to drive at first than those cars listed

You shouldn't rev to 3k

SR370z · 11-14-2012, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairladyZ

The z is harder to drive at first than those cars listed

You shouldn't rev to 3k

When is the best time to rev up to? Thanks for the tip again

IDZRVIT · 11-15-2012, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyt421

When is the best time to rev up to? Thanks for the tip again

You're OK to upshift at 3000 for the first few gears. It won't hurt anything as long as you ease out on the clutch pedal as already stated and start to press down on the gas pedal. You'll get the hang of it.

SR370z · 11-15-2012, 08:58 PM

Thanks a whole lot! I feel like I am getting better with your tips. I try to incorporate them into my daily driving every day so I can get better. But I still feel slow when driving from 1st to 2nd to 3rd gear. All these cars pass me.

MyKindaGuise · 01-15-2013, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairladyZ

The z is harder to drive at first than those cars listed

You shouldn't rev to 3k

Thats silly. Are you afraid you will break your car??

I shift at 3000-3500. Its quite smooth at that range for me and I can fly through the gears.

Cant believe some of the stuff in this thread.lol

ayrton88 · 01-15-2013, 05:00 PM

Maybe he meant launching at 3K. I usually shift at 3K+ as well, but launching continually at 3K would be rather hard on the clutch.

MyKindaGuise · 01-16-2013, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayrton88

Maybe he meant launching at 3K. I usually shift at 3K+ as well, but launching continually at 3K would be rather hard on the clutch.

I can agree with this. Im not sure how much of this our clutch will take. I am curious to find out. Ive launched at 3500 about 6 times since buying my car last Feb. Still no problems...yet.lol Sure thatll change under boost though.

dP3NGU1N · 11-14-2012, 02:16 AM

I'm usually off first by 2500rpm, you run through the gears pretty fast in this car. Also, ease up on clutch out and careful over-revving into second. That's usually where the notchiness is. With a bit of time it should smooth out. My car and my feet still fight every once in a while but it's night and day compared to when I first test drove it. Almost bucked the salesman out the passenger window LOL

roy'sz · 11-14-2012, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dP3NGU1N

I'm usually off first by 2500rpm, you run through the gears pretty fast in this car. Also, ease up on clutch out and careful over-revving into second. That's usually where the notchiness is. With a bit of time it should smooth out. My car and my feet still fight every once in a while but it's night and day compared to when I first test drove it. Almost bucked the salesman out the passenger window LOL

I had a newbie when I testdrove mine. The guy who was training him showed up and was hung over. I got a sweet deal and when I was done testdriving with the newbie he was shaking! He said " that was the best test drive I've ever been on." What a blast that was!

DEpointfive0 · 11-14-2012, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roy'sz

I had a newbie when I testdrove mine. The guy who was training him showed up and was hung over. I got a sweet deal and when I was done testdriving with the newbie he was shaking! He said " that was the best test drive I've ever been on." What a blast that was!

LOL!!! Awesome, when I test drive any car, I inform the sales person that I am going to brake the car, LOL!!!

When I was buying my 370Z I didn't even need to test drive it (drive another one at a different dealer 2 weeks before) and the sales guy kept insisting, even though the paperwork had been started. So we went and I beat that bitch and the 50~ year old sales guy tried to reach for the "OHHHHHH SHIIIIIITTTT handle", but we don't have one, LOL, and I did give him the warning that I was going to brake the car, but I guess he didn't believe me...

SR370z · 11-14-2012, 07:27 PM

haha thank you all for the tip! I guess I gotta break in my clutch a little bit more than. When I bought my car I didn't even test drive it. My mom went home with me and she was scared shitless haha. No joke. I told her that I was just nervous haha...

Z-Girl 12 · 11-14-2012, 08:14 PM

I hated the clutch in this car the first 3 months of ownership. I was so frustrated. I have never driven a manual with first gear being soooo short. All past car were manuals but this one had me second guessing my purchase. I must say that after researching how other drivers via this forum dealt with the shifting I no longer buck like a newbie! But nowadays my Z is always in Sport Mode with helps smooth things out alot especially when I'm lazy.

SR370z · 11-14-2012, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z-Girl 12

I hated the clutch in this car the first 3 months of ownership. I was so frustrated. I have never driven a manual with first gear being soooo short. All past car were manuals but this one had me second guessing my purchase. I must say that after researching how other drivers via this forum dealt with the shifting I no longer buck like a newbie! But nowadays my Z is always in Sport Mode with helps smooth things out alot especially when I'm lazy.

Well I am glad things got better for you! Do you think you can take me through the steps you did to make yourself improve and get better at driving a manual?

11-14-2012, 12:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
SR370z Base Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Utah Age: 34 Posts: 79 Drives: 12' Red 370z S 6MT Rep Power: 13	Hey I am a new NISSAN 370Z owner from Utah! I have a red 2012 NISSAN 370Z sport base model. Sorry about this newbie question. This is my first manual transmission vehicle. I have 2012 nissan 370z manual transmission. When I shift to 1st and 2nd gear I feel like I am going really slow compared to other drivers on the road. Do you know why? I usually rev up to 3k RPM then shift to second gear. Is that normal cause I feel a jerk when I do that. Do I need to rev at a lower RPM before I shift to 2nd gear? I also drove a WRX hatch and a 2002 rsx which were my friends and I had no problem driving them. But for my Z I am not so great at driving it. Been driving manual for about a month now. Any tips on driving will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Last edited by frost; 11-14-2012 at 12:12 AM.

11-14-2012, 01:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
FairladyZ Track Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 850 Drives: 2012 370Z TRNG SPRT Rep Power: 18	The z is harder to drive at first than those cars listed You shouldn't rev to 3k DEpointfive0 likes this.

11-14-2012, 02:16 AM	#10 (permalink)
dP3NGU1N A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Irvine Posts: 1,682 Drives: 13 PW sport 6mt Rep Power: 19	I'm usually off first by 2500rpm, you run through the gears pretty fast in this car. Also, ease up on clutch out and careful over-revving into second. That's usually where the notchiness is. With a bit of time it should smooth out. My car and my feet still fight every once in a while but it's night and day compared to when I first test drove it. Almost bucked the salesman out the passenger window LOL DEpointfive0 and cbrboy86 like this.

11-14-2012, 08:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
Z-Girl 12 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 4,105 Drives: Spirited Rep Power: 11717	I hated the clutch in this car the first 3 months of ownership. I was so frustrated. I have never driven a manual with first gear being soooo short. All past car were manuals but this one had me second guessing my purchase. I must say that after researching how other drivers via this forum dealt with the shifting I no longer buck like a newbie! But nowadays my Z is always in Sport Mode with helps smooth things out alot especially when I'm lazy. blackcherry20 likes this. __________________ 2012 Z-SOLD 2014 Nismo #565 Fast Intentions CBE/HFC/Swift/SPC/RJM/H&R-15/20mm/Z1 CAI/Headers/Intake Manifold w/Uprev Tune 328.31whp/263.64tq

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11-14-2012, 01:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
AreJay Base Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Norco Posts: 179 Drives: 11 Nissan 370z M6 Rep Power: 14	My first manual as well is a red Z. 2011 thou. I find it took me about a Lil over a month to really get use to the clutch.

11-15-2012, 08:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
SR370z Base Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Utah Age: 34 Posts: 79 Drives: 12' Red 370z S 6MT Rep Power: 13	Thanks a whole lot! I feel like I am getting better with your tips. I try to incorporate them into my daily driving every day so I can get better. But I still feel slow when driving from 1st to 2nd to 3rd gear. All these cars pass me.

01-15-2013, 05:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
ayrton88 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 397 Drives: 2010 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	Maybe he meant launching at 3K. I usually shift at 3K+ as well, but launching continually at 3K would be rather hard on the clutch.

11-14-2012, 07:27 PM	#13 (permalink)
SR370z Base Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Utah Age: 34 Posts: 79 Drives: 12' Red 370z S 6MT Rep Power: 13	haha thank you all for the tip! I guess I gotta break in my clutch a little bit more than. When I bought my car I didn't even test drive it. My mom went home with me and she was scared shitless haha. No joke. I told her that I was just nervous haha...