Soon to be car owner question..?
 

Hi. I am new to this forum, and as you can see by my name, I am a king named Ron. lol :hello:

But I have noticed something with older people that drive automatics. It seems that they don't enjoy driving anymore and they say it is like a chore that they can't get around. And (the only person I know that drives manual) my uncle still has fun in his Mustang and Camaro at 34. Also (by car videos) older older people say they enjoy manuals because they are more engaged with the car.

I am 17 and I may get a 370z for my graduation present (next year). I was wondering I should get an automatic because me being a novice, or get a manual (that I have no experience with) to possibly enjoy driving for the next however many years.

*And do any of you enjoy your 370z still like you did when you first got it?

hey ron and welcome to the forums, to answer your question i would say that most older people who make comments like that aren't really much into driving in the first place and have probably never enjoyed driving. secondly you might want to think about test driving a few cars before you settle on a manual transmission on the Z as it does tend to have a very steep learning curve when it comes to being able to shift properly in the Z. Having said that i will have to agree with alot of others on the forum that the automatic in the 370Z is among the best automatics out there on the market. The main thing you have to keep in mind when thinking about getting a car is what YOU are going to use it for and just go from there.

I think this all just depends on the person and is a cultural/personality thing.

I personally would never even think about getting in automatic in a Z and don't really understand why anyone does. Its probably partially due to my upbringing because my dad is the same way. He is 54 and he drives a 6mt 350z. My first real car I drove for a long period of time was a '78 280z (it was my dad's that he bought in 1981).

So for me Z's run in the family. I didn't make enough money to get the 370z as my first own car (and back then it was still just the 350z) so instead I got a lease on a non turbo subaru impreza. A nice car and decently fast for the cheap $200/month lease.

Anyway I got a manual transmission on that and every car I have ever really driven more than once or twice has been manual. To me its a requirement, Z or not.

I think if you don't have any such disposition to manual transmissions then there is probably not a huge reason for you to get a manual if you don't even have experience with it. Of course to me anyone who gets auto is crazy... But that is just me =)

All the car's that my parents ever had/drove when I was younger were also manual transmission. There have been only two exceptions. One was when my sister was learning to drive my dad got a nissan altima and automatic so my sister would have less problems learning. It was the decision of an inexperienced parent and he regreted it because my sister now has a 6 spd nissan versa and she also drives/prefers manual.

My mother (parents are divored and i have not lived with her since I was 13) finally got an automatic later in life when her health started to fail and she has trouble moving her legs and with body co-ordination so she went the auto route.

Take my input with a grain of salt =)

the way i look at it is this............. whether its manuel or Automatic.....

if you have fun with the car period ( doesnt matter transmission) then thats all that matters.

for me? i have an 7 speed Auto..... and i will say........ i LOVE it to death. i enjoy driving it. why? i love the CAR itself. the transmission i dont give a dang.

Would anyone here that has a MT describe yours as "excellent"? To me this is one of those things like oil temps that Nissan dropped the ball on. The MT is loud, and not very smooth. And before I get bombarded, I still love my Z and wouldn't have another car. I just wish it had a different transmission in it :)

17.
Z for graduation present...
High school graduation present.

Yes! 1st to 2nd feels like what plinko looks like on the price as right!:icon14:


The Price Is Right - Game of the Day - Plinko - YouTube

With that said, I just cant get into the Pad shifters yet, and good Lord I cant stand the way the center console looks on the automatics of this car. Just make sure whatever you get that you enjoy it and treasure it, especially at 17 years old ya lucky dog.

X2

I don't think the 370 Z is a "learn how to drive a manual" car. You must already know how to drive a manual if not just get an automatic. The manual is notorious. Not smooth loud and if you don't know to shift properly forget about ever being able to feel how quick this car is. Stick to Auto.

Hrmm. I find the manual in my car smooth... much smoother after a SS clutch line and better fluid.

Honestly, its really easy to drive.. shiftings easy. (it is a tad loud).. Wouldnt be a hard car to learn in at all.

My first car (2001 civic) was an automatic. I wished it was manual, and hondas are easy to learn on.

My second car (1997 240sx) was an automatic. After 2 weeks of owning it, I parked it in my parent's garage, took out the automatic slushbox and put in a 5 speed manual. The car felt totally different - I was much more in control, the car was much faster, and the car was much more responsive. I still own this car and it is a blast to drive.

I own 3 other vehicles. A (1959 Morgan +4) a (2004 Kawasaki Ninja) and of course my (2011 Z) All of which are manual. I personally think a sporty car needs a manual and I much prefer driving a manual even in traffic. The Z's transmission isn't the smoothest and the clutch is kind of a pain in the butt but it's lightyears easier to drive than my Morgan - which doesn't have synchros, or my 240 which has a crazy stiff clutch. The Z with the sport package also helps smooth out your shifts when you're first learning with it's synchro-rev-matching (SRM).

As far as the Z not being a good car to learn stick on:
The shifting isn't bad, I taught one of my good friends to drive a manual in my Z last week. She stalled a few times in the parkinglot, but then drove it about 50 miles around town at 4:00am with no real issues. She had never driven a stickshift.

However, I would never let my future children have the Z as their first car. It is FAST and it has a temptation to GO FAST. With new drivers, this means you DIE FAST. I think manual transmissions easily get out from under new drivers, this coupled with a powerful engine and rear wheel drive make the car a bit of a handful for new drivers. If you are responsible it would be an okay first car (albeit very expensive for a first car). A kid when I was in high school got a Dodge Viper for his first car :shakes head: and he managed to roll it. Remember that if you want to go fast in it go to a track or autocross - and since you're in highschool you will need one of your parents to go with you to sign a waiver.

In conclusion: I wouldn't recommend it as a first car. I'd get something else like a stickshift civic or even miata (which is fuuun car!) and leave a Z for later once you are a more experienced driver. The Z is an AMAZING car though. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but just looking out for you and I'm not trying to sound like I'm the best driver out there either. Just my .02$

From what I hear, the automatic tranny in the Z is really good. But personally I would only get a MT.

Wow 17 years old and getting a 32-35K sport car? Are you going straight to a 4 year Univeristy or Community College?

All the people complaining about 6m must come from fwd cars. Most rwd vehicles the shifter feels similar. I have no complaints

Lol, I'll be 18 when I get it though.