I bought my 2005 6MT coupe without knowing how to drive a stick. Six months later I am very comfortable with it and never stall, but am still not very smooth shifting 1-2 and sometimes 2-3.

Personally I think the G35 is a difficult car to drive stick. My father has a Porsche 996 Carrera and I can shift it like butter, but I think it is just more forgiving. The G35 clutch seems to have a very short engagement period.

However I love having a manual car and will not go back to an automatic until I need something larger like an SUV. If the 6MT in the 2008 coupe is dramatically improved I will probably trade up but otherwise I love my coupe.

 

Believe me Kroams... shifting 1-2 can be tough sometimes on high RPMs. If you change it to 2nd gear at 3500RPM it will be smooth.
I have no reason to lie to you guys, but after 13 years driving stick, the G35 has been the first car that shifting 1-2 on high RPMs can be a little hard.
Also, as someone mentioned before, the automatic transmission nowadays is just awesome. It has really envolved.

 

get either the MT or AT as long as you get a G bro....having either is fun...as long as the car is fun to drive

 

Like everyone else said, get the one you feel most comfortable with and fits in to your daily life the best. The AT and MT are both great cars and are really close in performance.

 

Well said, and very sensible.....

A lot like the manuals and a lot like the automatic (me included)....It just depends on what you want and need.
I'm very glad they offer it in both versions. Some makers don't.

C.

 

I like the Manual over the Auto everytime. That being said, the Auto setup feels torquier, sot it's not without it's advantages. Nissan is building a great automatic tranny here. Very responsive.

I don't you can go wrong with either. Personally, I really like the manual option. This is a very easy car to drive with a manual. The clutch doesn't offer a ton of feel, so you may experience a bit of jerkiness on occasion. Most new clutches are like this, except Bimmer which always seems to get it right in terms of trannys and clutches.
If you are willing, it's worth it. Heck, I even caught a chirp in the third the other day ! Man I love the VQ

 

yeah, but a 6spd is so much fun driving!... and its still .1-.2 faster!.. especially on a roll.

 

the 1-2 shift is a bitch on a hill haha. Any of you guys know what im talking about? You're on a slight hill, accelerate to about to 2500-3000rpm and shift into second, and the person behind you who is driving and automatic was like about to rear end you during ur 1st to 2nd gear shift. haha

 

i ran into that problem too hahah jk

but seriously.. you do get used to it but the comfort level all depends on you... the G is MY 1st stick and i would change it... from launch... the 6mt is not that much quicker than the 5at but you see the differnece when the 6mt walks the 5at from 60 to 120

 

dude i made 4th chirp.. hahah JK but 2nd and 3rd is easy

 

6spd FTMFW.. but i wish i had a auto when im stuck in traffic.

 

I drive mainly in the city, so I opted for a 5AT. In an ideal situation I would've gotten a 6MT but I know that in the real world, it would've been too impractical for my driving, so I have no regrets.

And don't listen to all these big macho stick guys saying stuff like "you drive a manual but you steer in automatic" or some line like that. I've owned manual cars before and it's not that big of a deal, and unless you care dearly about your 1/4 mile time or your 0-60, nobody will care except in your own mind.

 

Get a 6mt and don't look back!

I'm a Los Angelino who commutes from the Marina to Atwater Village (in between Los Feliz and Glendale) daily. I drive the surface streets and avoid the freeways like the plauge. The commute is bad and gets me angry, but it would still get me angry if I'm diving an Auto regardless.

I knew how to drive a stick before but I really learned on my G. It was tough at first, our clutch is somewhat difficult, but once she's broken in . . . whewwwww baby, there's nothing like it. My daily shot of heroin is everytime I get her to go into WOT and I have complete control of her when I shift at peak rpms.

Or when I want to sidestep someone because they're driving at 70 mph. Goodbye 6th gear, hellooo 4th gear! Rev match and I'm outta here! Controlling your downshifts are so much fun.

Learn how to launch and track it at a straightaway or a more technical course like Willow Springs with turns and slaloms <------ here is where your love for your G will increase 2 fold. Even though she has a heavy a$$, shifting in and out of turns is sooooo much fun.

 

Why you should get the AT:
1. Convenient, free hand to do things.
2. Faster acceleration than 6MT (if you're a novice stick driver).
3. If you haven't really driven a stick before, I wouldn't recommend getting the G35 coupe as the car you learn to drive a stick (reminds me of Richard Gere driving that Diablo in Pretty Woman).

Why you should get the 6MT:
1. Fun to drive, although learning it could take a while.
2. Get to enjoy the engine growling when you want to(just put it in high RPM in low gear).
3. You're getting a G35 coupe! not a Toyota Corolla. The point is to have fun with this car.

Once you drive a stick (and get good at it), you'll never want to go back to an automatic. Although nowadays with the Manual Shift Mode for the automatic, you can have fun with that too

 

I went from a MT (96 Accord) to an AT (99 SAAB 9-5). When it came time to pick the transmission for my G, it was not even a question. My five years in an AT were BORING even though the Saab was a peppy car.

I live in the city and sit through 30 miles of Boston traffic everyday and I do not regret getting the MT one bit. I think it's kind of fun because it lets me hone my shifting and clutch control skills. Driving an MT is like playing golf, everytime you do it you get a little better, but at the same token there's always room to improve.

Ultimately you won't be sacrificing much performance either way. BUT, girls dig guys that can drive stick and if you want any street cred at all, you better be driving a manual. =)