You guys are right, I'm glad I ordered a 6MT, even though I live in Miami. Thanks.

 

Well since this forum seems to be made up of the minority manual owners of the G35 coupe, I will post my view.

I’ve driven a stick for the last 17 years. The automatic is not that bad. Sure if you are a driver’s enthusiast, then a stick may be for you. But if you are like me, finding yourself in the forever increasing traffic jam of America, you will love the comfort of the automatic. IMO the G35c is a luxury sports car. And the last time I looked, the automatic is considered a luxury feature. Thus the automatic is the true fit for the car.

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masetodd (enthusiast )
04/25/03 08:17 PM

I don't mean to offend anybody, but the excuse of getting an Automatic because you drive in "traffic" is LAME. If traffic is that heavy all the time, then why buy a sports car at all? Get a minivan or SUV with an automatic so that you can see above the traffic and not worry about shifting.

Sports cars are meant to be DRIVEN. Makes me cringe everytime I walk by a Corvette, Miata, RX-7, or a Z and see an Automatic transmission in it.

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Haven’t you ever heard of style? Maybe you should look it up in the dictionary. I see more people driving their $40,000+ sports cars slower than my grandmother drives. I’m glad the majority of them drive like this. If they all had to drive their cars like the stole them, as I assume you do, then the roads would be littered with wrecks and road rage fist fights galore.

Ps Who says a G35 coupe automatic can’t be DRIVEN. I’m sure there as some auto owners that could kick you A$$ up and down on an AutoX course.

 

I'd rather have a sports car with an automatic than anything with "van" or "utility" in it's name. The automatic doesn't hurt the car's handling one bit, and the manual mode keeps it fun. Would I rather have a manual? Half the time, yes. Half the time, no.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

I haven't driven stick in many years, and only drove a small amount before that. Also, I commute in stop and go traffic and work downtown with a lot of fairly steep hills with stop lights on them.

With those factors, I thought long and hard before choosing a MT or AT. In the end, I felt it was somewhat of a risk, but I decided to go for it and get the 6MT. I just wanted the whole experience.

First is very low and you can creep along. That combined with the torque, it's pretty good with hills. I find that I can creep up the ramps our crowded parking lot at work, another thing I was worried about.

The clutch feels slightly stiff to me, but it hasn't bothered me yet, even in hour long stop and go.

Part of this may be driven by your height. I'm fairly short (5'4"), and I have to stretch a bit to get the clutch fully depressed. I think larger guys will have more leverage and thus feel the clutch is "lighter".

All in all, after a couple of weeks with my coupe, I can say I'm happy with my choice. I look forward to getting in the car, even if all I have ahead of me that long parking lot they call a freeway.

-john

 

I've never owned a manual, but I friggin love my 6MTcoupe/DG/graphite/prem G. The clutch seemed a bit heavy at first, but got used to it after a few days driving. We have something called "mucsles" that get stronger when you work them out. You will get used to the clutch in no time.

 

I could see getting an auto if you live in San Francisco. Really, those hills are atrocious, and would eat even experienced stick drivers for breakfast.

But anywhere else in the country, I can't fathom getting an automatic in the G35. There's just something about the phrase "automatic transmission sports car" that screams "oxymoron"...

2003 G35 Coupe 6MT Leather
Premium, Aero
"There is no spoon"

 

I'm 37, have owned lots of cars, 85% of them manual trannys and used to commute 2 hrs a day in one of the worst places in the US - Wash, DC/Beltway. If I still lived there no way would I have purchased a 6MT. I'd buy a 5AT in a heartbeat.

For those of you who say..."I'll never own an auto trans!", or "Why would anyone ever buy a sports car with a auto trans?"...there are valid reasons for people doing this.
Sports cars with auto trans (whether a Tip, SMG, F1 style paddles, etc) are becoming more and more frequent everyday. Get used to it.

 

Automatic Transmission = More Frequent

...because...

Society = More Lazy



G35 6MT/DG/Fully Loaded

 

I can't argue with that! But even in Germany, where I was born and lived for many, many years the auto trans is more popular than ever - and that population is sports car crazy. When I was a kid growing up there I didn't even know an auto trans existed, (even my grandparents drove manual trans into their 80's) now I visit and it seems 50% of everyone I know/meet has a slushbox! Just look at AMG for an example.