Paddle Shift
 

Hey, I'm a proud new owner of a 370z Touring 7 speed AT and just wanted to get some feedback from other AT owners.

When you guys are in manual mode, do you hold the gas down as you shift up through the gears and not let off or do you guys treat it as a "real" manual and hit the gas, let off the gas then shift, and then hit the gas again as your going up through the gears?

Mine is still brand new and under 100 miles so I haven't really done anything too exciting yet, but I've been holding the gas down and not letting off and shifting and it pulls HARD. I love it. Just wanted some feedback from fellow owners.

And does anyone else feel that the full auto mode is sluggish as hell? I mean, I realize there are 7 gears it's going through but I've had automatics before and it just seems really sluggish to me.

Like any other auto, you don't need to lift the throttle. Manual mode just means you are telling it when to shift, but the mechanics are the same as Auto mode.

Yes, in auto mode under light throttle, the shifts are slower and smoother. I don't think shifts are any slower than other autos I've driven. I've also noticed that shifts are quick in manual mode under aggressive throttle. Kinda a jeckle/hyde thing.

The Auto definitely has a mind of its own at times it seems. It's going to take some learning and adaptation on our part to get it to always do what you expect. I think especially coming from a manual before, some of my habits have made it less smooth. I think too much change in accelerator pedal position in mid-shift actually confuses it on upshifts, from my experiences so far.

You can get very jerky or very long delayed upshifts by messing with the gas pedal between the time you hit the shift paddle and the time the next gear engages. I mostly see this at the end of a hard acceleration when I'm trying to upshift to the next gear and drop the pedal back to coast at current speed. I'm still experimenting with mine and trying to learn how to get it to always act the way I want it to.

On the other hand, common operations like flooring the pedal while requesting a downshift, or downshifting for (reasonable, not too aggressive) engine braking seem to always work pretty flawlessly as expected.

i've used the paddles a few times but since i've never driven a manual or even know how, i tend to not use it. i don't even know when to shift up or down.

Simply start by using the paddles without engaging the console shifter into manual mode that way the car will automatically adjust matters for you either way. When you have built-up enough confidence try using the console shifter manually as it is a real kick-in-the-pants, especially for an automatic. Nissan did a great job with this transmission.

No matter which way you cut it, the paddle shifters are nowhere near what a manual will feel like. It's difficult to paddle down into a curve, especially if you want to drop from 6th or 7th to 3rd or 2nd and ease off the clutch and apply gas as you are moving through the curve. It's really difficult to get the down shift to the right gear when you are worried about paying attention to the curve and can't look at the damn display. Sometimes I depress the paddle three times and it only drops two gears, sometimes more...WTF??

Since the transmission is always engaged, it revs up to the appropriate level, but it's definately not the same as a manual when you have so much more control through turns.

The one place where the paddle shifters are good is when you are at highway speed and you want to pass. Paddle down one or to gears and floor it as your passing. Instant power is ready and it feels like you've got a rocket up your a$$. This is the only time it really feels like a manual.

The paddels will let you wind out your gears further if you're accelerating from a stop, but I haven't really felt that much of a difference in performance. The engine is a lot louder, but not necessarily faster, although I haven't timed it. I can say that without using the paddles, the shift into 7th is around 120mph at around 7K RPM, so it still winds those gears out pretty good in auto mode.

-ZCarGo-

I have been so far undecided on the tranny I will go with and the major reason is that I have yet to hear whether you can accomplish a high rev launch from a standstill with the AT. Is there any way to keep it in a neutral gear, up the revs, and then drop it in? Can you hold down the shift paddle or both shift paddles or something to keep it form engaging right off the bat?

Haven't attempted this yet. More than likely, if you did this, the tires will spin and the computer will shut the engine down into impotent mode..that is unless you pressed the anti-slip button to disengage, but then all you're doing is spending money on extra tires. Often, if the tires aren't warmed up and I floor it in auto mode from a dead stop, the wheels will begin to slip and the computer will throttle down the engine.

Just face it, it's an auto tranny with a little bit of fun to it. If I didn't travel 100miles round trip in traffic for my commute I would have gotten the manual tranny. They are a heck of a lot more fun and give you the control your looking for.

My advice is to buy the manual if you don't use the car as a long commuter or aren't in a lot of stop/go traffic. If you are, the AT is a great transmission. It's very smooth and fairly responsive, especially if you downshift with the paddles prior to flooring it.

-ZCarGo-

One of the test reviews for the AT I saw they got the best results by holding the brake pedal with the left foot and revving it to around 1400 rpm.

You can do low-wheelspin launches or burnout launches with the auto in manual mode. It only depends on the revs before releasing the brake pedal.

One thing I like about the paddles is you can be in manual mode cruising in 3rd gear, then slam the accelerator to the floor and shift to 2nd and get crazy wheelspin! (I did this starting at 30mph going around a slight bend) This is more difficult to do with a manual, IMO.

If I end up getting rid of my M for this Z it will have to be the AT. My wife complains that she can't drive the M (great way to keep the car in top shape!) because it is manual. I'm trying my best to keep peace while driving something fun on the weekends.

This is what I have been doing exactly and it works perfectly! Im consistantly running 13.4's in my AT Z. I hold the break down with my left foot and rev just to about 1.5k RPMs and punch it at the same time you let off the break. Your launches will be great! I get no wheelspin most of the time and even managed a faster 60ft time than an 09 GTR this past friday night. When I say consistantly I really do mean consistantly! 8 Runs today, 7 of them were 13.4's and I had one 13.5 flat that was due to a shift just a tad late.

I've also found the best time to shift is right as your needle is hitting 7k RPMs, don't wait for it to hit 7.5 in the AT. If you have quick reflexes and shift as your needle hits 7k your clutch will engage right at about 7.2k RPMs and you'll get a pefect response from the next gear! I got a lot of crap from my buddies for going with an AT at first until they saw me put up 5 13.4 quarters back to back. That shut them up real fast!

Don't feel bad about your friends talking smack on your auto, let the car prove itself in the track. I am done with manual cars, I find more and more atractive the new modern autos. I don't blame you with your auto, I lived in San Antonio and the traffic on the 410 loop is aweful.

What package do you have?, base or Sport? Those are quick times

Hey guys I have a question.. I noticed a small jolt when I am in manual mode and slows down to a standstill around 2nd and 1st gear. I mean I won't downshift the car because in manual mode if you slow down it will just downshift to your speed. but I feel the car when it shifts to 2nd and then 1st. does you rcar do that?

I just went with the base model. Not a fan of leather and don't need the Nav system. And everything I read said the ride was smoother and handled better in the base so thats what I went with. Not missing much, and not having that extra weight from all the add-ons is nice!

oh and for the other guy if your getting a big jolt going from 2nd to 1st your prolly shifting at too high of a speed for that gear. It's the same thing in a manual car, you generally don't wanna go back down from 2nd to 1st unless your rolling under 10 mph or stopped. Any car is gonna react the same to you in that case.