Manual vs. Auto performance

beanb142002

Does anyone know the performance differences between the manual and auto?

Is the acceleration the same?

If this has been answered, sorry I never saw it but I looked diligently.

Minicobra1

I have not seen any magazine test on the Auto yet, but watching the Stillen video of there cat back system shows how smooth accelerating it is.
I love shifting old school with a MT, I just feel more connected to the car, and the Syncro Rev match is awesome, so that's my recommendation Test drive them both, if your not sure.

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sbkim

I am still anxiously waiting for magazine tests but prob not likely until may be release of the convertible.

If tests results of G37 is any indication, it sounded like 7AT was faster than 6MT or 5AT.

kustomZ

In the old days (and today with some lo-tech transmissions), an automatic would be .5-1.0 sec slower in the quarter mile. A lot of sports cars are coming out with transmissions now that close that gap.

I'll always take a manual over an automatic for a sports car, simply because you have complete control over the car.

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JerryK

I drove both. I've owned a lot of manuals, and sports cars, and thought I'd never get a wimpy automatic. But the 7AT is awesome, it convinced me to buy the car. Low gear launches you quicker than the manual, and the paddle shifters give you complete control, even rev matching on downshift. It made the car a delight, instead of rowing through 6 speeds. My opinion, of course.

Greg

I won't get into AT vs MT debate (as we all know how they end up ).

Imo the performance gap between both transmissions at least at this stage are so miniscule, that whatever choice one makes, it's one of purley personal preference. Put Dual clutch systems into the mix? And it will be very lopsided performance wise.

Some have mentioned that MT's give full control? True, though on the other hand neither does it curb mistakes (miss shifts, grinds and stalls etc.). AT's nowadays are pretty much idiot proof.

As the old saying goes... It takes quite a bit of practice and experience for a newcomer to be proficient on a track with a MT.. While on the other hand, a newcomer, can be pretty quick and consistant, in almost no time at all with an AT.

But out on the public roads (real world)? Other than personal preference and maybe mpg. Performance between the 2 is pretty much a moot point.

Either transmissions in the Z would be a fine choice. Btw... Welcome to the site.

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mkaresh

Close enough to decide based on what feel you want in a car. Manual for me.

Robert_Nash

Nothing wrong with going either way but I can tell you that even as an avid autocrosser, I went with the 7AT and I'm loving it.

Nothing but a highly accurate timing system will discern any performance gap between the two and with Nissan's manual mode, you really have the best of both worlds.

If you really love to shift manually then get the manual but you won't be giving up anything with the auto (except a tired left leg/right arm when you are in stop and go traffic for a while )

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mkaresh

Haven't had a chance to drive a 370Z yet. Is the clutch effort still fairly high?

If so, that would explain a tired leg. Can't say I've ever had to shift so much that my arm got tired.

semtex

I've never found the clutch effort level to be high in a Z. Then again, I leg press 700 lbs, so maybe I'm an aberration. *shrug* I don't find it to be much different than it was in the 350, if that answers your question.

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Anatoray

I cannot leg press 700 lbs and to me, the clutch is no effort at all. It requires a bit of a finer touch if you're trying to nurse it in reverse, but nothing I would say is all that laboring. When they talk about sore legs and arms they just mean traffic jam hell.

Robert_Nash

Exactly.

Shift into first then neutral then back to first then to second then back to first then back to neutral a few dozen or a few hundred times while waiting in traffic or at an accident scene on the highway and the "fun" of shifting for yourself starts to loose some of its appeal no matter how much you can leg press!

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SoCal 370Z

Resolve the debate by purchasing both a manual and automatic 370Z.

SoCal 370Z

This is an entirely subjective choice. For a person who might be disabled to the degree they cannot drive stick, then the answer is obvious. For the daily commuter that spends untold daily hours subjected to traffic an automatic looks better day-by-day. We have the automatic and it's very good for an automatic and you can achieve some of what a manual shift affords. Still, some people will never drive anything other than a standard shift. I prefer Gerald Wiegert (the founder of the Vector) take as I got to speak with him at one of his lectures and believe that the automatic will outpace standard shift in so many ways, plus, will be the future. The programming that a computer can do far outpaces the human brain; this component as part of the right drivetrain will eventually dominate.

TacoZ

I test drove both and I have to say that the automatic is great and faster in straight line acceleration just because you can shift so much faster. It really changed my opinion about ATs.

However, I still prefer the 6spd manual because i'm so used to changing gears on the fly and i love the feel of being connected to the car. I don't buy cars to race people so I could care less if it's a hair slower or faster. It's all about the drive and what you want out of it.