Nice review of auto paddle shifting

mattkim85 · 05-03-2009, 09:26 PM

looks like the paddle shifters are very responsive even on high rpm downshifts.

never got to see a review of someone paddle shifting nor tried it on the 370z..

if i saw this before i got my 6mt, i would have opted for the 7AT..

YouTube - ?????20 ??????Z????????

victort · 05-03-2009, 10:24 PM

wish i knew what he is talking about!

spearfish25 · 05-03-2009, 10:26 PM

Not sure why that video would sway you to the 7AT. It just looks like it takes some of the fun and interactiveness out of driving the Z. The 6MT downshifts are silky smooth regardless of RPMs using SRM. I also recall a review of the 7AT saying that multiple, quick downshifts have a degree of lag the paddle activation and the associated downshift. The review also noted that you can't skip gears with multiple paddle activations at once. Not being able to skip-shift (eg 5th to 3rd without going through 4th) like you can in the 6MT would really annoy me. From the review, the 7AT acts like it's a sequential gearbox but with lag between quick shifts. Granted I haven't driven a 7AT to confirm those claims of shortcomings. I have my 6MT and couldn't be happier with my choice!

victort · 05-03-2009, 10:38 PM

you're right about the lag. downshifting more than 1 gear causes the transmission to go crazy and shakes vigorously. i wished they used a dual clutch and wouldnt mind paying a little more for that option!

Diversion · 05-04-2009, 12:25 AM

Anybody else really like that front bumper in the video? Wooo.. i'd rock one of those.

travisjb · 05-04-2009, 02:12 AM

I'm happy with my 6mt ! had a great day at the track today (Third trackday! All is good!), and was downshifting all day long - perfect heel/toe, every time !

I also have a full exhaust setup from Stillen and it sounds as good/better than this youtube vid... i think that may be part of way the OP likes this vid, the sound... so, go upgrade your exhaust and enjoy your 6mt !

wstar · 05-04-2009, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

Not sure why that video would sway you to the 7AT. It just looks like it takes some of the fun and interactiveness out of driving the Z. The 6MT downshifts are silky smooth regardless of RPMs using SRM. I also recall a review of the 7AT saying that multiple, quick downshifts have a degree of lag the paddle activation and the associated downshift. The review also noted that you can't skip gears with multiple paddle activations at once. Not being able to skip-shift (eg 5th to 3rd without going through 4th) like you can in the 6MT would really annoy me. From the review, the 7AT acts like it's a sequential gearbox but with lag between quick shifts. Granted I haven't driven a 7AT to confirm those claims of shortcomings. I have my 6MT and couldn't be happier with my choice!

I'm loving my 7AT so far, the quirks aren't really that bad once you adapt to them. When driving for performance I never see any reason to skip gears in the 7AT. You just sequentially shift up and down throughout to keep the RPMs in the power band. Maybe on a track if you had a turn that required an insanely short and hard line of limit braking beforehand, you might drop speed so fast via brakes that you couldn't click down through the 7AT fast enough, I donno... maybe I'll have to try that sometime and find out whether the brakes are faster over a big speed drop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by victort

you're right about the lag

There are two different kinds of lag to talk about for a single shift: delay between input and action, and the actual time taken to execute the shift. The execution time is the one people have been claiming is around 500ms, which seems reasonably correct, and hasn't been a practical issue at all to me. Input lag is usually negligible, but occasionally severe on 1-2 upshifts coming off a light I've noticed. I haven't tracked down what conditions cause this. It's like the ECU just queues up paddle inputs for a second or two, then gets back with the program and starts reacting again.

Quote:

downshifting more than 1 gear causes the transmission to go crazy and shakes vigorously

I have no idea what you're talking about. If your transmission 'goes crazy' maybe you've got a defective transmission. Mine never goes crazy or shakes vigorously. I routinely do 2 and even 3 gear jumps, such as alternations between 5 and 7 on the highway (passing and cruising), and of course the awesomeness of the 7 -> 4 downshift (click click click) on the highway (appropriate for max acceleration starting anywhere between about 80 and 110). I never find myself cursing shift lag on the 7->4 shift, but it's so much fun that I've never tried to time it either, I'm too busy grinning.

Quote:

i wished they used a dual clutch and wouldnt mind paying a little more for that option!

The 'dual clutch' you refer to is a whole different type of transmission, it's nothing like our 7AT. The one in the GT-R is also much heavier and much more expensive than would be practical in our cars, imho.

spearfish25 · 05-05-2009, 05:45 AM

Hey Wstar,

That was going to be my 'real world' concern about the 7AT...the highway drop down to 4th. I love the 6MT for that. You just quickly pop into neutral and then hammer it home into 4th as the engine comes alive and you blow past the guy in front of you. Having never driven the 7AT, I was skeptical about how quickly it dropped 3 gears instead of 2. Sounds like it's not an issue though. Nissan did a pretty nice job of keeping both options excellent.

ACoupe · 05-05-2009, 08:43 AM

Is that a stock Z in that video?
Man it sounds nice!!!!

2bits · 05-05-2009, 08:08 PM

I agree with everything wstar said. No shaking at all. Downshifting is fine enough, though I'm sure it's faster in a manual to go 6 -> 4, rather than 7 -> 6 -> 5 -> 4 in the AT.

7AT performs great, but the experience is just different from an MT. Not worse or better, just different. Depends on what you want out of the driving experience.

05-03-2009, 09:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
mattkim85 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: los angeles, ca Age: 39 Posts: 230 Drives: 09 Z34, 08 AP2 Rep Power: 17	Nice review of auto paddle shifting looks like the paddle shifters are very responsive even on high rpm downshifts. never got to see a review of someone paddle shifting nor tried it on the 370z.. if i saw this before i got my 6mt, i would have opted for the 7AT.. YouTube - ?????20 ??????Z????????

05-03-2009, 10:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1856	Not sure why that video would sway you to the 7AT. It just looks like it takes some of the fun and interactiveness out of driving the Z. The 6MT downshifts are silky smooth regardless of RPMs using SRM. I also recall a review of the 7AT saying that multiple, quick downshifts have a degree of lag the paddle activation and the associated downshift. The review also noted that you can't skip gears with multiple paddle activations at once. Not being able to skip-shift (eg 5th to 3rd without going through 4th) like you can in the 6MT would really annoy me. From the review, the 7AT acts like it's a sequential gearbox but with lag between quick shifts. Granted I haven't driven a 7AT to confirm those claims of shortcomings. I have my 6MT and couldn't be happier with my choice! Last edited by spearfish25; 05-03-2009 at 10:32 PM.

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05-03-2009, 10:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
victort Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 192 Drives: MB Rep Power: 16	wish i knew what he is talking about!

05-03-2009, 10:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
victort Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 192 Drives: MB Rep Power: 16	you're right about the lag. downshifting more than 1 gear causes the transmission to go crazy and shakes vigorously. i wished they used a dual clutch and wouldnt mind paying a little more for that option!

05-04-2009, 12:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
Diversion Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 393 Drives: 09 370Z Silver/Persi Rep Power: 284	Anybody else really like that front bumper in the video? Wooo.. i'd rock one of those.

05-04-2009, 02:12 AM	#6 (permalink)
travisjb A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: GSO Posts: 2,803 Drives: VIR Rep Power: 188	I'm happy with my 6mt ! had a great day at the track today (Third trackday! All is good!), and was downshifting all day long - perfect heel/toe, every time ! I also have a full exhaust setup from Stillen and it sounds as good/better than this youtube vid... i think that may be part of way the OP likes this vid, the sound... so, go upgrade your exhaust and enjoy your 6mt !

05-05-2009, 05:45 AM	#8 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1856	Hey Wstar, That was going to be my 'real world' concern about the 7AT...the highway drop down to 4th. I love the 6MT for that. You just quickly pop into neutral and then hammer it home into 4th as the engine comes alive and you blow past the guy in front of you. Having never driven the 7AT, I was skeptical about how quickly it dropped 3 gears instead of 2. Sounds like it's not an issue though. Nissan did a pretty nice job of keeping both options excellent.

05-05-2009, 08:43 AM	#9 (permalink)
ACoupe Base Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 22 Drives: 2007 G35 Coupe Rep Power: 16	Is that a stock Z in that video? Man it sounds nice!!!!

05-05-2009, 08:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
2bits Base Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 118 Drives: 09 370Z Blk Sp 7AT Rep Power: 16	I agree with everything wstar said. No shaking at all. Downshifting is fine enough, though I'm sure it's faster in a manual to go 6 -> 4, rather than 7 -> 6 -> 5 -> 4 in the AT. 7AT performs great, but the experience is just different from an MT. Not worse or better, just different. Depends on what you want out of the driving experience.