Hey guys i recently(about 2 months ago) got my '04 Auto G35.

I'm probably going to get a new car in a few years when i go off to college and was wondering if it would be better to get a manual or automatic transmission. I've never driven a stick before but am planning to learn soon.

I know its mostly personal preference but I've heard that manual is not only more enjoyable but also faster and more gas efficient.

Thanks in advance for the help and sorry if this is just a stupid question.

 

you should try to drive for a bit before making that decision...

 

yea drive both and find out

 

Alright, I'll try to find someone to let me practice on their car .

Maybe my friend will let me practice in his 240SX .

Thanks for the replies, I just want more options while I'm driving instead of a letter D.

 

i personally prefer manual...but i would recommend an auto b/c in college u wont want a manual...trust me i'm in college

 

Why is that?

drunk driving?

 

If you can deal with the constant clutching and shifting while sitting in traffic, and you're semi-coordinated, the MT will be much more fun to drive. If you suck at it and end up frying the clutch, it's not cheap to replace.

 

I say go for the manual if you like it. I had an '03 g35 sedan in 5AT and sold it and got an '06 6MT coupe and would never go back. This is my first standard car Ive ever owned and learned how to drive manual with it. I dont think I'll ever go back to auto.

 

I heard someone saying Auto is significantly slower. I tried to look up some stats but couldn't find any, does anyone know the difference? And is flooring it in D or tip faster?

 

my friends always said to me why did you get AUTO!! lol i will one day learn manual..

 

The 6MT is so much fun to drive. I have been driving manuals though since I was 16 (first car was a 240SX coupe). It is a blast to accelerate through the gears (all 6 of them!) while going up an on-ramp to a freeway. There are times that you just imagine you are in your own racecar. Stop and go traffic isn't that bad in a manual, I just leave it in Neutral and coast as much as possible, and then use the gears to help me slow down. As far as gas, yes you can conserve fuel if you just shift gears at a low RPM (but that isn't any fun).

Summary: don't be scared of the manual, it becomes second nature after a while, and it is a lot more fun to drive.

 

None of the automatics come with the Rev-up engines, so all of them are significantly slower. Get a manual.

 

Manual!!

Unless you are extremely uncoordinated or really lazy, you should have no problem learning how to drive and dealing with shifting. Manual transmissions are soo much fun. I've been driving them for almost my whole life... my first car was an auto, but i got rid of that after a few months and got a manual... and haven't looked back since then(now 13 years later).

If you drive with fuel economy in mind, you can definitely get better fuel economy in a 6MT version of this car and it will be slightly faster than an auto both due to the fact that the rev-up motor has slightly more power, and also due to the fact that you have your power spread out over an extra gear which means you get more pull in each gear due to it being shorter. A manual transmission also has less parasitic drivetrain loss of power due to the lack of a torque converter and less moving parts in general.

Manual transmissions also don't generally just wear out like an auto tranny does(except for synchros). Auto trannies have several small clutches and hundreds of moving parts inside of them... and if any of them wears out or breaks, you need to replace or rebuild your tranny.

You can also save wear and tear on your brakes if you choose to use compression braking in a manual transmission vehicle.

That being said... 6MT... no questions asked. Plus.. it's a good excuse to not let chicks and other friends (unless they know how to drive a standard) drive your car.

 

^^^ Very well put. I have only owned manuals, and probably always will.

6MT FTW

 

I guess I'll just wait then until I get a 6MT to start modding.

Would a cold air intake filter and a new exhaust be a good start?