I think I'm Shifting Wrong

MJB

DEpointfive, I think we all get that you don't like the manual tranny in our cars... since you kinda mention it in like every post... can you please explain this lifeless clutch feeling.. because I have no idea what you are talking about.

Have you ever owned a manual Z or is this just based off of a test drive?

Our Z's have a lot of pedal travel, high engagement point, I'll give it that. But in all the Z cars I've owned I've always had a nice, smooth shifting gearbox, and never any problems with the clutch. Not sure why so many people say its hard to drive???

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FairladyZ

First comes before second, I learned that in kindergarten

lemon-fresh

Oh man...

(MT question) Who honestly uses 1st gear besides on a hill?

But I mean if you wanna have slow starts and potentially put more wear on your clutch, go for it.

R0bDC

Thanks! Gotta do some reading now see what people think

lemon-fresh

I can summarize as well "not a good idea".

R0bDC

Yeah, I've done enough reading. Ill be taking off in 1st gear from now on, I have been starting to do that for the past month, but i will continue.

DEpointfive0

I'm ok with long pedal travel, never owned a manual Z, Mini Cooper John S Works whateverthehell, that pedal travel was decently long too, and I have put a few thousand miles on a Scion xB MT

With the Scion the clutch engagement point is VERY obvious because the pedal feel isn't linear at all, it's very 2 stage.

The Mini has a stiff clutch pedal (compared to the xB and the Z) and the engagement point is also quite high, but you can feel when it's engaging, it pushes your foot off the clutch that last inch

The Z, the several time I drove it... Felt awkward, and I KNOW I'm not the only one, so I don't know why you're pointing me out specifically... But the travel feels so linear that it just has no real feel to me... (Hence the reason why so many people opt for the different clutch helper spring and whatnot)
I guess you could say the learning curve is high on it compared to any other car I have driven. At the same time I guess it's more raw, (unlike the Audi R8 M/T which feels unstallable)

FairladyZ

The worst clutch feedback I have ever felt is an frs

Literally feels like you don't even have a pedal , no feedback at all

forza370z

Hmmm... I do have the feeling my foot being pushed harder when it reaches the engagement point in my Z. Maybe my foot is extra sensitive then the rest of the world? I've drove VW GTI before, the pedal feels even softer and more linear. Anybody here with me?

DEpointfive0

Never driven one, so I don't know, although I think it'd be a fun car to drive

Haboob

I hate that.

Sometimes I'll throw it in neutral and coast up to a light, but it rev matches me to about 4k at times (depending on when I do it)... then I look around all embarrassed.

Or, I hit the gate (but don't put it in) for 3rd when going 4th to 5th and it rev matches it to 3rd... lol.

Haboob

I get more feedback from this clutch pedal than I did with my SRT (and it feels heavier), however, the SRT's clutch engaged almost at the very bottom, whilst this is at the very top - I still haven't gotten used to it 100% and feel a little jerky when shifting (not sure if it's always going to be like that. ), but it's usually 1-2, 2-3... I'm fairly smooth otherwise.

But for me, different shoes have different feels too and that affects me.

JARblue

Exactly.. I had to break myself of the habit of always coasting to a stop in neutral which I did when I had my Explorer Sport. At highway speeds the SRM gets really agitated

Also, I'm not sure about the so-called linear feel... my friend's 2003 Mustang Cobra clutch was linear. The Z isn't even close - we both drove each other's cars. Driving his car in traffic for more than 15 min was literally a left leg workout that would leave you sore. He recently replaced the clutch with aftermarket and it is much more similar to the Z now. I agree with MJB...

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JARblue

This, too, can have a major impact. My work shoes are big ol' Redwing boots, but on the weekends I wear sandals at the most, so any driving is done barefoot. Polar opposites, but still very manageable

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Mt Tam I am

I am not saying this happened but:

Do not downshift in a turn at speed. Shift down in a straight line, just like braking, before the curve. This mid corner shifting can bring the rear end out. Upshifting does not unbalance the car in the same way.

You very well may be releasing the clutch too fast, while applying too much gas.

I wish you all the best. You will get it and if you'd like to ask another question, please PM me.

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