BAD manual transmission
#31
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: BAD manual transmission
It's cool, to each his/her own.
I got home like an hour ago and I was driving around for like 3-4 hours straight (no joke, I was in the car from 4:30 - 8PM) and I accelerated really hard many times when I wasn't stuck in gay traffic and the vibrations don't really bother me. When I am accelerating hard, I have two hands on the wheel and I only put it on the shift **** when I have to shift. If you hold the shift **** with a somewhat tight grip and floor it all the way to redline, the vibrating will definitely hurt your hand but that's just improper driving. You're supposed to keep your hand OFF the shift **** UNLESS you are performing a shift.
MrElussive
03 G35C 6MT
I got home like an hour ago and I was driving around for like 3-4 hours straight (no joke, I was in the car from 4:30 - 8PM) and I accelerated really hard many times when I wasn't stuck in gay traffic and the vibrations don't really bother me. When I am accelerating hard, I have two hands on the wheel and I only put it on the shift **** when I have to shift. If you hold the shift **** with a somewhat tight grip and floor it all the way to redline, the vibrating will definitely hurt your hand but that's just improper driving. You're supposed to keep your hand OFF the shift **** UNLESS you are performing a shift.
MrElussive
03 G35C 6MT
#32
Re: BAD manual transmission
Frankly, I don't notice THAT much vibration in mine, and I usually have my hand on the shifter all the time, except in extended cruise mode. Sure there is some vibration, but I just can't imagine how it could hurt your hand. Even at high rpms or with full throttle acceleration the vibration is at a very high frequency.
I would be inclined to attribute the differing perceptions of vibration level to variances in manufacturing and assembly tolerances, but I've learned from many members of this forum that this is not an issue for Japanese manufacturers. Therefore, I'm forced to conclude that those who consider the vibrations excessive must have some inherent physical defect making them overly sensitive in this area. They should seek medical attention. :>)
Now, who's ready for a yummy philly cheese steak?!
2004.5 TB/Willow 6MT Coupe
Aluminum Pedals
BEL RX75 Pro Plus
K&N Hi-Flow
I would be inclined to attribute the differing perceptions of vibration level to variances in manufacturing and assembly tolerances, but I've learned from many members of this forum that this is not an issue for Japanese manufacturers. Therefore, I'm forced to conclude that those who consider the vibrations excessive must have some inherent physical defect making them overly sensitive in this area. They should seek medical attention. :>)
Now, who's ready for a yummy philly cheese steak?!
2004.5 TB/Willow 6MT Coupe
Aluminum Pedals
BEL RX75 Pro Plus
K&N Hi-Flow
#33
Re: BAD manual transmission
i don't get it....a manual transmission shifter that vibrates....ummm, don't they all vibrate? and especially with a car with a stronger engine, wouldn't it vibrate even more? i've driven manuals my whole life (until i purchased a 5at coupe) and the shifter always vibrates even in tiny, dinky honda civics.
and as far as the transmission shaking and trembling, are you referring to the shifter or the entire car? if the car, i think perhaps it could be your driving and your clutch-driving abilities. because i know that everybody needs to get accustomed to any manual auto despite their experience with a stick. am i correct?
and as far as the transmission shaking and trembling, are you referring to the shifter or the entire car? if the car, i think perhaps it could be your driving and your clutch-driving abilities. because i know that everybody needs to get accustomed to any manual auto despite their experience with a stick. am i correct?
#34
Re: BAD manual transmission
My 6Mt just passed 10K....and I must be driving a totally different car than you!
I have owned both Porsches and BMW's and I think this car is a really easy manual to master. Sure the clutch is way too high from the factory.....just do a minor adjustment and it is great.
I guess that I am just extremely lucky........mine doesn't squeak.....vibrate....buzz.....rattle.....grind... ..slip....etc.
Best bang for the buck I have spent in years.
Sell it!...it dosen't like you and vice versa.
"Remember.....If you drink,don't park....accidents cause people!"
I have owned both Porsches and BMW's and I think this car is a really easy manual to master. Sure the clutch is way too high from the factory.....just do a minor adjustment and it is great.
I guess that I am just extremely lucky........mine doesn't squeak.....vibrate....buzz.....rattle.....grind... ..slip....etc.
Best bang for the buck I have spent in years.
Sell it!...it dosen't like you and vice versa.
"Remember.....If you drink,don't park....accidents cause people!"
#35
Re: BAD manual transmission
I recently traded my BMW 325Ci 5 speed manual for a Coupe 6MT. I like the tranny in the 6MT much better than the BMW. BMW had long throws and very "sloppy" and delayed clutch action. I have no problem sacrificing a bit of vibration for the excellent feel and precise engagement of the 6MT. My only complaint with the 6MT is occasional and very annoying clutch chatter since new. I will probably get it checked out at the dealer soon.
#36
Re: BAD manual transmission
Z2G - what I meant is that for a $40k sports-car, the tranny is not smooth nor refined; I feel like I'm getting Parkinsons if I shift above 4500 RPM !!! The amount of vibration in the stick is considerable and I have driven cars that are much smoother at high RPMs, and cost half of our G.
Well, I'm happy that you don't have an issue with this .... Believe me, it's hard to detach from such an issue, especially when I drive it every day .... But, I haven't given up, I'm still trying to get used to it !
Well, I'm happy that you don't have an issue with this .... Believe me, it's hard to detach from such an issue, especially when I drive it every day .... But, I haven't given up, I'm still trying to get used to it !
#37
Re: BAD manual transmission
The shifter vibration is one of the flaws in this car IMO. There are others. The big picture is the only way to look at any car though. Overall I find the G35C/6MT to be outstanding. I tolerate the shifter vibration while I relish its super close, short throws and straight-into-the-gearbox feel.
As to the original poster's comment regarding the 6MT feeling "sluggish" in comparison to a 5AT or whatever, he should remember that with a manual tranny he, not the transmission, has the job of making gear choices. There is more torque available in the 6MT than the 5AT, but ONLY when the driver keeps the engine in the power band by choosing the right gear. The engine needs to be between 3.5K RPMs and redline to get the most out of it when you want power. The AT will do that for you automatically if you like, but you have to run the show in the 6MT. The reward, again, is more peak power to the wheels. I like that...
As to the original poster's comment regarding the 6MT feeling "sluggish" in comparison to a 5AT or whatever, he should remember that with a manual tranny he, not the transmission, has the job of making gear choices. There is more torque available in the 6MT than the 5AT, but ONLY when the driver keeps the engine in the power band by choosing the right gear. The engine needs to be between 3.5K RPMs and redline to get the most out of it when you want power. The AT will do that for you automatically if you like, but you have to run the show in the 6MT. The reward, again, is more peak power to the wheels. I like that...
#38
#39
Originally Posted by traian
I have about 8500 miles on my coupe and owned it for less than 5 months. I prayed and thought that I'll get used to it, that I'll like it (like everybody else on this forum), that it's good, awesome and all this stuff. BUT, I'm dissapointed to admit, that the manual transmission in this car, is totally inadequate (to say the least). It's the opposite of smooth, it shakes, it trembles, it's got ... Parkinson !!! You hear a "clonk" noise for every gear engaged, overall it just gives me the feel of an unrefined transmission. For a 40k car, which aspires to be a BMW-beater, it really doesn't cut it !
I heard that the BMW transmission is perfectly smooth, in fact, I had a friend of mine with a 540i who had his rev limiter kicking in when he forgot to shift into 6'th gear: he said he had the music loud but he didn't feel anything shaking at all until the rev limiter woke him up ! I owned an Acura and some previous Honda models and the transmission there is awesome, extremely smooth. I believe that even a Civic has a better tranny than ours. In our G, once I get it up to around 4500-5000 RPM, I can barely touch the stick as it gets so trembling and resounating that I'm afraid I'll start shaking and never, ever stop. Can you tell me that none of you guys felt that immense jolting when shifting above 4500 RPM ???? Another one that you can test for yourselves is the shake and lack of refinement when ... idling. I mean, what's up with that ? In a different car, I might have taken it in for a tune-up ... It feels like the engine is about to explode at about 5000 RPM, in comparison to other cars which have a much, much smoother feel.
I'm holding back here big time, but I'm really pissed at this car. Even the acceleration, that is praised by so many people, is under what I expected. I still have the impression that the automatic is faster off the line that a manual and in a race we have to catch up rather than smoke the competition (subjective, but I had to say what I felt !).
After all this, though, I still like the car but much, much less than when I first got it. A well-spoken salesperson could lure me into trading this piece of .... for a BMW. And, I have tried, believe me: going to bed with "yes, it's nice, it's beautiful, it's powerful, and so on", to just wake up next morning and start cursing when I see the way it drives.
Enough said ! I'm happy for you guys who like it, but I'm just curious to hear if anybody, I mean anybody, feels even remotely close to what I feel about this car. ANYBODY ????
I heard that the BMW transmission is perfectly smooth, in fact, I had a friend of mine with a 540i who had his rev limiter kicking in when he forgot to shift into 6'th gear: he said he had the music loud but he didn't feel anything shaking at all until the rev limiter woke him up ! I owned an Acura and some previous Honda models and the transmission there is awesome, extremely smooth. I believe that even a Civic has a better tranny than ours. In our G, once I get it up to around 4500-5000 RPM, I can barely touch the stick as it gets so trembling and resounating that I'm afraid I'll start shaking and never, ever stop. Can you tell me that none of you guys felt that immense jolting when shifting above 4500 RPM ???? Another one that you can test for yourselves is the shake and lack of refinement when ... idling. I mean, what's up with that ? In a different car, I might have taken it in for a tune-up ... It feels like the engine is about to explode at about 5000 RPM, in comparison to other cars which have a much, much smoother feel.
I'm holding back here big time, but I'm really pissed at this car. Even the acceleration, that is praised by so many people, is under what I expected. I still have the impression that the automatic is faster off the line that a manual and in a race we have to catch up rather than smoke the competition (subjective, but I had to say what I felt !).
After all this, though, I still like the car but much, much less than when I first got it. A well-spoken salesperson could lure me into trading this piece of .... for a BMW. And, I have tried, believe me: going to bed with "yes, it's nice, it's beautiful, it's powerful, and so on", to just wake up next morning and start cursing when I see the way it drives.
Enough said ! I'm happy for you guys who like it, but I'm just curious to hear if anybody, I mean anybody, feels even remotely close to what I feel about this car. ANYBODY ????
I agree with you, im thinking of selling MY G, i want a funner car to drive, sorry my fellow G owners you might lose one
#40
i got automatic so i wouldnt know what ur talking about...
but when i had my s2000
the tranny was PERFECT and the gear box was PERFECT..........but yea when i drove manual G in the dealer... i had hardtime shifting the gears due to weird gear box location
well at least it is not as perfect as s2000 gear box
but when i had my s2000
the tranny was PERFECT and the gear box was PERFECT..........but yea when i drove manual G in the dealer... i had hardtime shifting the gears due to weird gear box location
well at least it is not as perfect as s2000 gear box
#41
Be careful what you ask for. Nissan might just give it to you.
I've owned several Nissans/Infinitis over the years, all of them with manual transmissions of varying designs. As you may or may not know, there are three different types of manual transmission linkages:
* Cable
* Rod
* Direct-to-gearbox
Most Japanese FWD cars use a cable mechanism. It isolates the shifter from the transmission substantially, providing a quiet, vibration-free, non-moving stick in your hand. It also eliminates nearly all feedback, so the experience is one of disconnect and often sloppiness between gates. My Altima 3.5 SE had this type of shifter, and it was universally despised by both me and the automotive press for its numb, rubbery feel.
Rod mechanisms are less common in FWD cars. They're more expensive to design and produce, but provide a more tactile shifter that's as a general rule more precise. You'll get a good amount of feedback with this design; the shifter will vibrate in your hand, and you'll see it flop around under load/no-load conditions, particularly in top gear. My Sentra SE-R and my wife's G20 employed this design with great success IMO. Both cars had/have brilliant gearboxes and shifters that provide a good compromise between feedback, feel and NVH.
Direct-to-gearbox designs, like that in the G35 6MT, are only found in RWD (and possibly AWD) vehicles due to the location of the gearbox. There are no multiple-geometry rod or cable linkages with joints and bushings to isolate vibration and noise from intruding into the cabin. You'll pretty much get what the gearbox gives you in exchange for an inherently precise shift mechanism. As with all things mechanical, some are better than others in design, but the G35's includes an excellent short-throw shifter that's a bit lively IMO for a luxury sports-sedan. It's better suited to the 350Z from which it sprang, and I expect buyers of the new Xterra that includes this gearbox won't complain too loudly of its extroverted character either.
Personally, I'd rate my 6MT's gearbox a notch below my SE-R's/G20's transmission in every category except throw length. But it's not a bad design I don't think. I can see why its level of NVH would be bothersome to those accustomed to FWD Japanese cars like Hondas and Acuras, which pretty much all use cable mechanisms. As I alluded to earlier, there's an easy fix for this: Trade your G35 for an Altima 3.5 manual, which offers nearly identical straightline performance. You'll be rowing what may feel to be a dead fish in coagulated cod oil, but you'll get exactly zero feedback if that's your thing.
Of course, everything else in the cabin will roar, rattle, clink, vibrate and tinkle, and various bits may fall off from time to time. Six of one, half-dozen of the other.
I've owned several Nissans/Infinitis over the years, all of them with manual transmissions of varying designs. As you may or may not know, there are three different types of manual transmission linkages:
* Cable
* Rod
* Direct-to-gearbox
Most Japanese FWD cars use a cable mechanism. It isolates the shifter from the transmission substantially, providing a quiet, vibration-free, non-moving stick in your hand. It also eliminates nearly all feedback, so the experience is one of disconnect and often sloppiness between gates. My Altima 3.5 SE had this type of shifter, and it was universally despised by both me and the automotive press for its numb, rubbery feel.
Rod mechanisms are less common in FWD cars. They're more expensive to design and produce, but provide a more tactile shifter that's as a general rule more precise. You'll get a good amount of feedback with this design; the shifter will vibrate in your hand, and you'll see it flop around under load/no-load conditions, particularly in top gear. My Sentra SE-R and my wife's G20 employed this design with great success IMO. Both cars had/have brilliant gearboxes and shifters that provide a good compromise between feedback, feel and NVH.
Direct-to-gearbox designs, like that in the G35 6MT, are only found in RWD (and possibly AWD) vehicles due to the location of the gearbox. There are no multiple-geometry rod or cable linkages with joints and bushings to isolate vibration and noise from intruding into the cabin. You'll pretty much get what the gearbox gives you in exchange for an inherently precise shift mechanism. As with all things mechanical, some are better than others in design, but the G35's includes an excellent short-throw shifter that's a bit lively IMO for a luxury sports-sedan. It's better suited to the 350Z from which it sprang, and I expect buyers of the new Xterra that includes this gearbox won't complain too loudly of its extroverted character either.
Personally, I'd rate my 6MT's gearbox a notch below my SE-R's/G20's transmission in every category except throw length. But it's not a bad design I don't think. I can see why its level of NVH would be bothersome to those accustomed to FWD Japanese cars like Hondas and Acuras, which pretty much all use cable mechanisms. As I alluded to earlier, there's an easy fix for this: Trade your G35 for an Altima 3.5 manual, which offers nearly identical straightline performance. You'll be rowing what may feel to be a dead fish in coagulated cod oil, but you'll get exactly zero feedback if that's your thing.
Of course, everything else in the cabin will roar, rattle, clink, vibrate and tinkle, and various bits may fall off from time to time. Six of one, half-dozen of the other.
#43
Originally Posted by Bogler
i hear yah. if you were an acura/honda guy b4 you'll feel the same. Had the Si and the RSX-S, both shift smoothly even at 8K rpms and the shifters dont vibrate that much, especially that Type-S, one of the slickest tranny I believe. Better than the IS300 and RX8 which I testdrove b4 I got the G. But knowing all MT cars feel slightly different, you should learn how to adopt and accept. That's what I have done for the last 20yrs of driving stick
4020 P3MCG6T5I
4020 P3MCG6T5I
#44
My wife's s2000 is flawless in the shifting category. My major criticism is also of the shifter and way it engages. There is nothing precise about it. Now is it horrible all the time, no. But I havent established a clear cut formula for pulling of clean good shifts everytime. Despite driving this car the same way.
I also agree about how fast the car is. Its not as fast as I had hoped. Now I did test drive it before I bought it. But in respects I didnt redline(a new low miles vehicle)either. Seems like the car should be faster.
Aside from those 2 top nit picks. The car overall is a blast to drive and its relatively quick despite (my?) less than stellar shifting.
I also agree about how fast the car is. Its not as fast as I had hoped. Now I did test drive it before I bought it. But in respects I didnt redline(a new low miles vehicle)either. Seems like the car should be faster.
Aside from those 2 top nit picks. The car overall is a blast to drive and its relatively quick despite (my?) less than stellar shifting.
#45
I test drove two 6 MT at the dealer and was disappointed. Smooth Take off at normal traffic speed is impossible. That almost made me look for another car. I liked the G but its no fun( compare it to Rx7 or 911 MT).
Finally, I gave 5 At a test drive and bought it.
When you test drive, what you see is what you get. I thought 6 MT needed more R & D. I miss MT sometimes, but when i read about some owners problems with MT i feel 5 AT was not a bad choice.
Finally, I gave 5 At a test drive and bought it.
When you test drive, what you see is what you get. I thought 6 MT needed more R & D. I miss MT sometimes, but when i read about some owners problems with MT i feel 5 AT was not a bad choice.