Anyone spend decent time in both 6mt and 7at Zs?

cruzmisl

I have a 6MT G37. Before buying it I spent quite a bit of time in a 5AT G37, and more recently a 7AT 370z. I ask this because I'm trying to see if others can chime in on what I'm noticing between them, whether it's normal, or if I'm crazy.

Are our 6MTs just harsher overall than the automatics? I'm not talking about the challenge to drive them smooth (although that can definitely be a challenge), but just overall feel and sounds of the car.

I have not spent any time driving any other manual transmission cars to compare them to their automatic counterparts, so I don't know if most MT variants of cars are typically more..."unrefined."

The VQ sounds harsher to me in my 6MT than in the automatic G/Zs I've been in. I think that this is the result of not being able to hear the stock exhaust with the windows rolled up, and how loud 1st and second gear can be from the transmission. I feel like I just hear the transmission/clutch/flywheel and the raspy engine until late into second gear, when the special VQ exhaust note finally makes its way to my ears. It isn't until third gear that 6MT/AT sort of meet together and start to feel/sound similar to me.

Conversely, on the automatics I can totally hear the exhaust because the AT is pretty quiet. I'd say the stock exhaust in the auto is good enough. But in the 6MT, since I can only hear it with the windows down and stomping on the gas, or in a tunnel that gives me something to echo the noises to me, I feel like i need an exhaust upgrade to simply get over the other noises.

I'm not trying to rag on the 6MT at all. I love the car. I'm just wondering if I'm crazy in thinking that the 6MT feels and sounds like a very different machine than the automatics from the driver's point of view. Going into this, I thought the 6MT would be like the AT, but with the benefit of rowing our own gears.

It just seemed to come with a lot more than that--almost an entirely different personality.

bsramzy

the automatic was definately smoother. no doubt about it. Nissan's transmission makes the shifts feel so fluid.

that said, I went with the 6MT because I feel that this is a sports car. I want the control that comes with a MT.

JACKPAC

Just curious as to what "control" are you refering to? Since you can hold any gear with either transmission. I guess you can start in 2nd with the manual but not the 7AT, but I can't, think off the top of my head, anything else?

As to the OP. I didn't notice any significant sound difference between the two, other than the sound of the shifting itself.

shadoquad

oh look another 6MT vs. 7AT thread.

cruzmisl

I'm not talking about which to get--I already have one.

I'm also not talking about which is "better," which all manual/auto threads are focused on.

I'm just talking about the nuances between the two and how they sound & drive.

kenchan

MT sounds like this: vrrrooooomm...... vrrooooooooomm.... etc.
AT sounds like this: vrroo..vroooo..vroooooo..vroooo... etc.


if you suck at MT it sounds like this:
vrrom..vrrrrooom!!! KLANK! ......(silence)


if you suck at AT it sounds like this:
vrroo..vroooo..vroooooo..vroooo... etc.

ThoriumHotdog

Is it possible to suck at AT?

kenchan

as my example, NO. if you suck just leave it in D.

Rui Z

^^hence why it makes the same sound regardless according to Kenchan

__________________

WhiskeyHotel

I love good onomatopoeia. Booyah.

omgZ

I agree with you, my sister has an AT 370z and it feels smoother than my 6MT. All of my family members that have driven both vehicles all agree that the AT feels noticeably smoother. Or... maybe we are all lousy at manual, regardless the 7AT is great, but I'd still take the conventional manual.

NCSUPACK09

You can't drop from 6th straight to 3rd with an AT like you can with MT. You have to drop, drop, drop. I know that it happens pretty fast with the AT, but not as fast as a MT. That is just one example, and it works in both directions (i.e. 3rd straight up to 6th).

__________________
2010 Base 370z Magnetic Black 6MT SP
Mods: Bone Stock

sonic370

exhaust note sounded better in the 350 than the 370 not to get off topic...

i've got the 7at imo nissian messed up the exhaust sound on it..

unless you push the car to me it doesn't that good till around 4500-5000rpms

gleonard

the best reason to have a 6MT is that your girlfriend can't drive it.

__________________

Chan Chee Hoe

Agreed,that is why i changed my exhausts to 'HKS Hi Power' for nicer[not loud] sound.