Auto or manual - which is best ?

[ATTAK Z]

Views appreciated from current owners of 370s

[Zugara]

Are we thinking of a change?

[DoogyRev]

As in flappy paddles?

 

I herd they were pretty good in the 370....

 

..... flappy paddles with synchro rev thingy would be my choice, if not then manual with synchro rev thingy

[Zugara]

As in flappy paddles?

 

I herd they were pretty good in the 370....

 

..... flappy paddles with synchro rev thingy would be my choice, if not then manual with synchro rev thingy

 

 

Thought the syncro thingy was standard?

 

[DoogyRev]

Thought the syncro thingy was standard?

 

 

Defo an option but I thought only a manual

 

I am sure a 370er will be along to confirm

[Zugara]

Thought the syncro thingy was standard?

 

 

Defo an option but I thought only a manual

 

I am sure a 370er will be along to confirm

 

 

Just placed an order for one, will check the spec sheet....

 

The SynchroRev Match system is only available with the sports package. ...

[DoogyRev]

have you told the wife

[Zugara]

have you told the wife

 

Yep told your wife and she said

 

Mine????? Nagh.

[geoff-r]

You ask a person who owns a manual and they'll say manual. Ask an auto person and you'll get auto.

 

I own a manual one so I'll say manual I personally believe for a good drive of a sports car you need a manual. In the case of the 370 with a sychro rev box it's amazing. But in all honesty I can't speak for the auto owners amongst us, they say it's good but I can't comment I've never driven one, maybe when I get older and a bit more discerning I will go for an auto

[Ebized]

Having driven both (an auto at Silverstone both on track and on the road) there is honestly little to choose in terms of fast road driving. The auto certainly has the edge if you do a lot of commute/town driving though.

 

Why I did opt for the manual? Because it has the edge on the twisty bits IMO and if you need to jump a gear or two its quicker. I do drive/brake very much using the engine braking (I have been accused of removing my brake lights) and for me the pleasure of being in the right gear through sweeping corners without the need to brake and using the torque of the engine is what makes it such a great driver's car - just like the 350 was, although I found the torque of the 296 engine just that little less responsive and not so good to balance with the brakes than the 276 on the Welsh roads. Just me I expect

 

I had a Brabus Smart at one time for work - great fun with the flappy paddles (as no manual option) so I am certainly not against them and the fact so many supercars are so equipped these days shows how far they have come but I'm afraid this old git still likes to exercise his left leg at the end of the day although perhaps I ought to start left foot braking

 

Oh, and yes the 'sport' mode is always on - one of the best features about the 370 - no more double de-clutching on the downshiifts and hope you get it right - every time spot on whether it is one or more gears you are dropping at once.

[mbs]

As in flappy paddles?

 

I herd they were pretty good in the 370....

 

..... flappy paddles with synchro rev thingy would be my choice, if not then manual with synchro rev thingy

 

 

Thought the syncro thingy was standard?

 

 

syncro rev is only available with the GT pack or on the Black Edition. Not on the base model.

[swallet]

I have an auto.

I must say not what I was considering initially, but the right car came up at the right price and it happened to be auto so I took it for a test drive.

 

I was very impressed (well I bought it didn't I !). Nothing like the autos of old. Perfect for cruising around town and the commute, but slip it into manual and you can really crack on. I can confirm that the auto box is specced with syncro rev as standard, so every time you flick down a gear you get a nice blip.

The only other auto I have driven is a DB9 and in all honesty, even compared to this the 370's box is pretty good.

 

The only slight annoyance is that although the box will let you take it right to the redline and wont shift until you tell it (and no annoying beeps or flashing lights to warn you). If you let the engine revs drop too low (<1,500 or so) it will change down for you. This took some getting used to as I would change down as I approached some lights and the auto would think the same thing and end up shifting me down two gears. I've got used to it now. I let the car do the driving if I'm in traffic and going slow and flick to manual at all other times.

 

Ultiamtely though had it been a striaght choice between a manual and an auto I probably would have followed my instinct and gone manual.

 

In short..

 

Give both a go.

[swallet]

Oh and the magnesium shift paddles are really nice!

[Chris`I]

Oh and the magnesium shift paddles are really nice!

Same as the GTR

 

The others have it covered really. All I can add is this is the first auto I've driven where I considered it on par enough with a manul to buy one. Point to point I'd dare say the auto has it over the manual, even though I can heel toe as second nature, the auto shifts are quicker. The manul does offer the lovely feeling when nail a shift though.

 

Drive both and make your decision.

[chippy]

Is it just me or is there a delay in the upshift when using the auto in manual mode - half a second or so?

[Chris`I]

There will always be a (percieved) delay in upshift as it is just a standard auto box with torque converter and not twin clutch style, but its not more than changing gear yourself, its only about half a second for it to do the full change, let alone react to you. You soon get used ot the sensation, and actually it does it quicker than most humans can, bar race, test or exceptionally good drivers. Put it this way, from the lights, I can keep up with my mate in his Evo running ~380HP, if not beat him on a good day. They are about the same weight and I think my car looses out by about 30HP, but he has 4WD to launch him.

 

There are a few funnies with it though. It also doesnt like to be driven in manual unless you are giving it some. At half assed city driving speeds, the manual mode really does feel like it does slow shifts. Try them flat out and they are perfect. If not driving flat out you are far better off in full auto, but use the padddles to shift still and that will overrride it. Also when city driving, if you change and dont accelerate, the torque converter wont lock, which gives you a very detached feeling as when you then do get on the accelerator, it takes half a second or so (depending on how hard you accelerate) to lock the torque converter which can feel like a slipping clutch.

[Ebized]

There will always be a (percieved) delay in upshift as it is just a standard auto box with torque converter and not twin clutch style, but its not more than changing gear yourself, its only about half a second for it to do the full change, let alone react to you. You soon get used ot the sensation, and actually it does it quicker than most humans can, bar race, test or exceptionally good drivers. Put it this way, from the lights, I can keep up with my mate in his Evo running ~380HP, if not beat him on a good day. They are about the same weight and I think my car looses out by about 30HP, but he has 4WD to launch him.

 

There are a few funnies with it though. It also doesnt like to be driven in manual unless you are giving it some. At half assed city driving speeds, the manual mode really does feel like it does slow shifts. Try them flat out and they are perfect. If not driving flat out you are far better off in full auto, but use the padddles to shift still and that will overrride it. Also when city driving, if you change and dont accelerate, the torque converter wont lock, which gives you a very detached feeling as when you then do get on the accelerator, it takes half a second or so (depending on how hard you accelerate) to lock the torque converter which can feel like a slipping clutch.

 

Which kinda makes me feel that for me personally the manual was the right choice.

[chippy]

Thanks Chris. That probably explains why I've been finding the auto mode the best at the moment as still running it in (still only up to a meesly 120 miles).

 

One thing I do love about the auto is the way it changes gear at a certain amount of revs depending on how hard you've pressed the gas pedal and being able to knock it down a gear with the paddle when you need a boost for overtaking/scaring yourself

[Chris`I]

Yeah, manual shift mode can also be jerky if the gearbox is cold. Best to leave it in auto for 10 mins while it all warms up - which is good practice anyway on a manual car - let it warm up before giving it some beans

 

And fully agree Col, for you the manual is definately the one

[maz77]

any idea what maximum BHP the auto box can handle?

traditionally the auto box will not handle the same power as a manual of the same car when you go shopping for more power. I seem to remember mitsubishi for example stating the auto box on the evo X can safely handle 330 BHP or so before falling to pieces

[Chris`I]

They have 550hp cars in the States on auto boxes. IIRC Stillens SC was test benched on the auto G37s which is the same hardware as the 370z