Hi guys, I've been here for about 2 months reading all of your ramblings on the G35. It is very informative and your responses are great. I think I am going to purchase a 6mt fully loaded G35c.

Now I have a question of my own. This car will be my first manual. I have a little experience from driving my friends car but I just want to know a lil bit more. I have a couple questions that I hope you guys can address.

1. At the end of the sequence of shifting into first, you apply the technique of releasing the clutch slowly and gassing. Does this also apply to the other gears in this car? Or is the clutch much more forgiving? Also, should I run the RPMs higher to match the next gear?

2. Is there a such thing as a healthy clutch grind?

3. Is it a good idea to just leave the car in first gear in stop and go?

4. Is downshifting into first gear recommended?

5. Will it hurt the car if I continously depress and hold the clutch in during traffic?

6. Does the 6th gear share the same function as reverse?

That's basically what I can think of now. I know it's nubbie questions, but I just wanna learn as much as I can so I don't destroy the car when I get it. =P

Thanks for your time... =D

 

I'll do my best. Being a 6MT driver, I'm fairly confident my responses will be accurate.

1. At the end of the sequence of shifting into first, you apply the technique of releasing the clutch slowly and gassing. Does this also apply to the other gears in this car? Or is the clutch much more forgiving? Also, should I run the RPMs higher to match the next gear? First is the only gear where this technique applies, all others are fairly simple, i.e. clutch>shift>release...after a while it will come second nature. Regarding the rev matching question, depending on where you shift, rev matching may not be necessary, however, if you are downshifting, I tend to BLIMP the gas to insure I start out at an RPM that is best for the gear I'm going into.

2. Is there a such thing as a healthy clutch grind? NO!

3. Is it a good idea to just leave the car in first gear in stop and go? I vary, if it's on a slope, I do, but if I'm in bumper 2 bumper and we're not moving, I tend to throw the car in N

4. Is downshifting into first gear recommended? when it applies, sure, for instance, if you're approaching a red light and have already started to slow down and the light turns green, there are speeds (normally between 5-15mph) where you don't want to start in second just cause the rpm's climb slower when starting in a lower RPM.

5. Will it hurt the car if I continously depress and hold the clutch in during traffic? not noticeably, but it's not recommended cuz you are spinning the clutch unnecessarily--someone else can technically explain that better

6. Does the 6th gear share the same function as reverse? no, in order to go into reverse, you must depress the stick downward and slide it into the same area where 6th gear is, but they are NOT the same.

I hope that helps. Good luck and take your time. I've owned many stick driven cars and I still took my time to learn this stick. every cars has it's own feel and sweet spots and you must learn yours b4 you go ballz out (pardon the expression).

2 G or NOT 2 G, there is no question!

Injen SES, Kinetix cats, K&N Typhoon, 19" PIAA Super Rozza's (19x9 & 19x10)

 

I'll give a shot a some of your questions.

1. When shifting into a forward gear other than first, I release the clutch more quickly than when starting out in first. There is still a little overlap as you release the clutch and apply the gas, but just not as much. They synchros will do just fine in shifting to a higher gear, so you do not need to give it gas before sliding it into the next gear. When downshifting (say from 4th to 3rd), then I tend to tap the gas pedal to build the rpms after popping it into neutral so the shift is more smooth and everything is ready to go more quickly. This is helpful when passing or accelerating out of a turn. Heel and toe is still a little difficult, so I guess I need to practice that a little more, but you can still bump the rpms up without h&t.

2. Not that I've ever heard of. Grinding metal or burning clutch is not healable like a cut on your skin. Metal will eventually fatigue after repeated stresses, so try to avoid grinding the gears if you can. Also, try to avoid engaging the clutch at high rpms (say above 4000) or you will get the smell of the clutch burning away. It kind of makes your heart sink into your stomach the first time it happens, and makes you pay attention to avoid it after that.

3. If it's within the speed range of that gear, then it's not a problem. If you're jumping from 5mph to 20mph, you can just leave it in second, but you can drive in first if it's needed.

4. If you're talking about downshifting into first to gain speed quickly, then you have to be careful about not shifting where it will put you close to redline when you get off the clutch. I've found that 2nd gear has enough torque (as do most of the other gears) to get the car moving fast enough in traffic. If you're on a race track, though, then a whole other set of rules apply.

5. It will wear out the clutch more quickly if you continually depress it and hold it. In stop-and-go, I just pop it into neutral if I'm coasting or stopped, then apply the clutch only when shifting. This helps save the clutch, and keeps your left leg from tiring as quickly. Yeah, it can be a pain to continually shift in traffic, but there's not much else you can do about it. Automatic transmission is not an option for me.

6. No. 6th gear is a forward gear, and is a ratio that provides an overdrive situation. FYI, to get into R in a G35, you have to physically press the gear lever down, then that allows you to slide it to the far right and back to engage reverse. It takes a time or two to get used to, but after that, it's easy.

About the VDC, keep it on, unless you need to spin the tires from a stop. It tends to kick in a little too early on those quick starts and throw you into your seat belt, but it can save you from some stupid driving manuevers (but not every time).
Be smart and enjoy the car.

 

Ill see if I can sum up all of the main ideas in a few lines:

The G35 6MT very rarely requires a downshift to first, even at 5-15 MPH coming up on a red light, I'll still use second only because our first gear is very very tight, and provides too much acceleration for most situations. Second does have a little lag, but even doing this, most "normal" cars on the road get passed. The clutch is very difficult, and unless you are incredibly confident in your ability to drive this as your first manual, I would not recomend it. Every shift in every car requires rev matching, no matter how forgiving of a clutch you may have, granted, the syncros are there to assist you in this, but most experienced manual drivers will use the synchros as often as I use the card holder. Never leave the car in 1st when sitting, and never hold the car in neutral by holding the clutch. Unnecessary clutch wear is what you want to avoid, especially since youll be learning on this car, and that is the most eaisly avoidable instance. Learn to watch traffic infront of you at red lights to know when to put it in 1st, and remember, if you take a few seconds and people get impatient, IGNORE THEM, getting nervous based on other people watching you drive will almost always result in stalling the car, it was for me when I learned to drive it. Oh and if you wanna go into true 6MT etiquite (sp?) make sure you utilized the dead pedal as much as possible, in other words, dont ride with your foot on or hovering above the cluch, and keep your right hand off the gear selector when not changing gears. Thats pretty much all I can think of....heh so much for this being a short post.

2003.5 G Coupe premium. 6MT Black/black
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Thanks for the reply guys. Very informative =D

 

Hehe dont worry, not takin that as starting a fight at all. As I said, as much as possible...I too am guilty of resting on the clutch for quick 1-2 shifts around town (I live right on the shore so I always have "city-ish" driving in my daily routine) but latley I've been trying my hardest not to rest on or over the clutch. I think everyone in the world is guilty of it, but he was asking how to drive a stick, and I kinda got caught up in what I was typing for a few. Oh well, as far as highway driving I use the dead pedal, the cruise control, and the bose stereo religiously every morning to work =)

2003.5 G Coupe premium. 6MT Black/black
Come join the G35Driver chat on EFnet. Channel name is #G35Driver. Catch me on aim (Xtreme03s10) if you need help setting up mIRC.

 

I love to keep my hand on the shift stick. It connects me with the engine. The vibration of the VQ beast sends chills up my spine. Who said that wasn't part of 6MT etiquette.

 

most of the questions seemed to be answered fairly.
as i am still trying to master the art of manual transmission maybe an input or two might help here.

1. depending at what rpm i am at before i upshift, i will either let the syncrhos work themselves or give it a little gas. since i'm breaking in my car, i can't go too high on the rpms so i switch fairly low. if its 2k rpm or less, i usually let the synchros work themselves on the upshift. if its above that, depending on how much more than 2k it is, i'll apply a little gas to smoothen out the shifting. i find shifting the G35 when i'm pushing the car, it shifts smoother. this car was meant to be driven fast. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

2. i have never grinded a gear on a manual transmission in my life. BUT i have heard others grind gears and it's not a pretty sound. i think all grinds are bad. someone was driving a fairly new bmw 3 series in edgewater, nj once around a parking lot grinding every gear he shifted into. ugh, that sounded horrible.

3. i was told by my friend who is a mechanic that leaving the car in first is not healthy for the car. when stopped, you're best off putting the car in neutral and using the clutch only when needed to shift as stated previously.

4. i've never had to really downshift into 1st gear unless i was slowing down to 2mph and then getting ready to go again. once you're rolling, second seems to work fine for me.

5. besides regular shifting, any unecessary clutch use will just wear it out. it won't necessarily hurt it, just shorten its life a bit making it have to be replaced earlier than usual.

6. 6th gear is a forward gear like someone else said. to get into reverse you have to push stright down on the shifter, and while holding it, slide it ALL the way to the right and then down. make sure it goes into gear cause sometimes it doesn't go in all the way.

and as for a tip, if you know how to drive manual a tad bit on other cars, learning in the g35 will be different. just keep in mind that the clutch on the G35 catches a lot higher than most cars. what i recommend you do at first is from a complete stop on level ground, VERY slowly let go of the clutch when it is in first gear WITHOUT using any gas. see how much you have to bring up the clutch until the rpms slowly drop a little. when you feel the car moving forward a bit, apply a little bit of gas as you let go of the clutch even more. it should help you in the beginning.

[ 2004 G35 coupe ] - | 6MT | Black/Graphite | Premium |

 

oh yea, and two more things

-good luck on the car lucidazn

-i like to keep my hand on the shifter while i'm driving as well, but i heard it messes up the synchros or something. so if i do, i put almost no pressure on it. i think i already might've messed something up. it doesn't vibrate as much as it used to. maybe i just wore it in a bit?



[ 2004 G35 coupe ] - | 6MT | Black/Graphite | Premium |

 

oh yea, and two more things

-good luck on the car lucidazn

-i like to keep my hand on the shifter while i'm driving as well, but i heard it messes up the synchros or something. so if i do, i put almost no pressure on it. i think i already might've messed something up. it doesn't vibrate as much as it used to. maybe i just wore it in a bit?



[ 2004 G35 coupe ] - | 6MT | Black/Graphite | Premium |

 

Thanks guys =D
I <3 this forum =)

 

Yes, holding the gear selector runs the risk of damaging your synchros. As long as you dont put too much pressure down, its not an issue, but believe me, it takes alot less pressure than most would think.

2003.5 G Coupe premium. 6MT Black/black
Come join the G35Driver chat on EFnet. Channel name is #G35Driver. Catch me on aim (Xtreme03s10) if you need help setting up mIRC.