New Z Owner (but with a little problem)

[ArokhX]

Salutations all. I am now the proud new owner of a 2014 370z w/ sports package! I love my new car. I love how my friends are jealous of me. I love how aggressive the car looks and powerful it sounds. I love everything about it.
But there is a problem. Three to be specific, that all can be boiled down to one particular issue. My ability (or inability more likely) to properly manipulate the clutch. This is my first ever manual transmission car. Both a good and bad situation. On one side, I believed that getting a Z in automatic would be discussing, and a disservice to the car itself. But on the flip side, I suck at it. Still, I figured that it was about time I learned how to drive manual. I just never anticipated that it would be this difficult.
Here are my three main issues:
1. Getting started from Stop to 1st – I’ve tried many a time to find that ever elusive “sweet spot” between the clutch and gas that would allow me to pull out smoothly, but to little avail (I’ve only managed it once or twice). The vast majority of the times I try to get going, I either jerk forward or stall it out completely. I’m already as tired of that burnt rubber smell as I am my push button start. It’s a cool feature sure, but when having to use it multiple times on a single trip just trying to get from A to B, it becomes a ‘button of shame’ that’s increasingly frustrating to have to push over and over again. I’ve only had ‘that one jackass’ behind me honk one time so far, but that’s more than enough for me. I so wanted to flip the bird to the impatient, inconsiderate moron behind me, but managed to restrain myself. Not sure how many more times I’ll be able to retain my composure though.
2. Shifting from 1st to 2nd – A similar problem from Stop to 1st. Just without the threat of stalling the car. Nearly every time I need to shift from 1st to 2nd, the car jerks forward and my head bobs against the seat’s head restraint. This can happen going from 2nd to 3rd as well, though not nearly as severe. Still, it’s something I wish I could avoid.
3. Reverse – Probably my toughest challenge. Especially when trying to reverse up a hill (like my driveway). Not enough gas, and the car either stalls out or starts rolling forward towards my mom’s SUV. Too much, and I come flying out the drive so fast I can barely turn enough to avoid hitting the trash can.
My mother, who is a manual transmission veteran of 40 plus years, has even said after driving the thing that the clutch on it is indeed very sensitive. She drove it in reverse out the driveway, up the hill, three point turned to come back down, then back into the driveway to park it. It still stalled on her three times during said short trip.
I love my new Z and want to get good at driving it, but this manual transmission is proving to be a big hurdle to clear. Any thoughts/advice on what I can do to better get a handle on this beast?
Thanks in advance!

[Fuzzzy]

Welcome!

Happy to hear you are enjoying your Z. I don't have the MT, but do some searching on the forum as there are numerous threads with suggestions for the issues you are having.

Good luck and enjoy!

[BC416]

Congrats on the purchase.

The MT on the Z's are pretty finicky. I've been driving nothing but manual since I was 17. This is my 3rd stick car and I completely agree with just about everything you said. The clutches on these cars aren't the easiest to get used to.

The only advice I have is to drive drive drive! The more practice you get with it, the easier it will become. Try going to an empty lot, put the car in 1st, and practice getting it moving without using the gas. This will help with finding the engagement point on the clutch.

It will take some experimenting on how much gas vs. how fast to come off the clutch you have to do to get a jerking free takeoff in 1st.

[ramoszx12r]

WELCOME. practice make perfect just drive it.

[Pops]

Originally Posted by BC416

The only advice I have is to drive drive drive! The more practice you get with it, the easier it will become. Try going to an empty lot, put the car in 1st, and practice getting it moving without using the gas. This will help with finding the engagement point on the clutch.

It will take some experimenting on how much gas vs. how fast to come off the clutch you have to do to get a jerking free takeoff in 1st.

This is very good advice and a logical starting point. That said, once you've accomplished the above and feel you're comfortable with taking off on a flat surface go find some place safe that has a good incline (enough of an incline that you roll back quickly) and try working your way up the incline like you were stuck in traffic (stop and go).

You will want to master that in order to deal with those who are impatient or insensitive to those driving a MT.

[from_a_G]

Welcome! The clutches in our cars are a PITA to get use to. Just go to an empty parking lot and get the car rolling without the gas like what BC416 said. You'll eventually get it.

[Gerg]

Sports cars in general are difficult to learn a how to drive a manual transmission. I was determined when I was 16 to get it down, and ended up buying a manual before I knew what I was doing (it was an '84 300zx... beautiful car, and what started my Z infatuation).

I found parking lots to practice in, but to really figure out the clutch, I would drive it around my neighborhood after I got off work at night (when there weren't many other people on the roads, or out walking) and would find the biggest hill that I could. Stop on the incline and work on starting without chirping the tires. Go about 10 feet and then stop and try it again.

Practice makes perfect, and every clutch feels different. You just need to gain some muscle memory and get used to the particular characteristics of your ride.

Diligence and Patience. It'll happen.

[Darth_Z]

like everyone else said, find some empty streets/parking lots and get used to it. the 370z clutch definitely is one of the harder ones to learn on. i've owned 3 others (silverado x2 and a cruze) and it took some getting used to. my parents don't even want to drive my car and they have a mustang gt mt.

[Z-Girl 12]

Practice, practice, practice. Congrats and welcome!

[cigarclifford]

Welcome to the 370Z forum



-Clifford

[ArokhX]

Hey everyone. Just wanted to give a quick update.

I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of this. My boss taught me the golden trick. Put it in 1st, then slowly let out the clutch to the catch point and hold it there. Let the car start rolling forward, and once it gets going, slowly let out on the clutch until it's all the way out and I'm rolling along in 1st. From there, repeat the process for 2nd gear. Clutch in, little gas, release the clutch to the catch point again, and slowly let it out till I'm rolling in 2nd gear. From there on, all the other gears are easy to shift into.
Prior to this knowledge, I had been releasing the clutch way too fast and that's what was causing the car to either stall (not enough gas), or chirp the rear tires (too much gas). It's probably common knowledge to not fully depress the clutch when getting started, but no one had every told me that before now, so I didn't know.
Now, I just have to work on the finesse of it all in order to shift through the gears quickly but smoothly. And I'm sure that's a skill that's only refined through practice.

Thanks for all the advice. I look forward to a long history with this car, and thanks so much for all the warm welcomes.

[SS_Firehawk]

It helps as your letting the clutch out to blip the throttle, you can hear then engine as the clutch starts engaging. It might help you with the jerky starts too

[Smashley]

Don't be so quick to fully jump off the clutch in traffic or cruising. Only when racing do I ever quickly release the clutch.

[HulaGirl]

I see you already hae lots of great advice so I'll just say "welcome"!

[40 to 332]

Agree with the others that practice makes perfect. If it's any consolation, even with more than 40 years driving stick, I still found the Z's clutch to be finicky, and invariably the car would lurch at times. especially in my case when shifting from 1st to 2nd. My solution: I switched to the RJM clutch pedal assembly, which is much more forgiving than the stock pedal assembly. Others have switched out the clutch helper spring. But neither of these fixes substitute for practice, practice and more practice … especially for a novice manual driver.