6MT thoughts


Well.. I got G35c 6MT for about 1.5 years now (20K miles, several long distance 2k mile trips) . I love the car but it turns out that I have a love/hate relationship with the manual transmission.
Sometimes, I wish 1st gear was pulling stronger (maybe SC?)... I notice that many automatic cars can keep up/pass me while I'm in 1st, but one I shift into 2nd they're history... Also can't stand seeing my GF's head going back and forth while I'm rapidly accelerating from the stop...

In the morning , going to work , no traffic, mostly highway...I love 6MT... it's a blast to drive... G35 shines on the highway!
It's the drive back, traffic, but not always, I'm just tired, and it's not the gear shifting/clutch pressing that is the problem...
I just get nervous (I tend to drive more carefully then, keep long distance in front of the car) and my stomach/lower abdomen( muscles?) start to hurt. By the time I get home I'm pissed off... Maybe it’s my sitting position .. I'm short only 5'6 , I sit very close, otherwise wouldn't be able to push clutch all the way in...If I sit farther away I feel like I’m sliding around...Also, I sit close and use back of the seat to lock myself in when pushing the clutch. I also noticed that while driving in thick sole shoes I get less pain/get less nervous, when driving in thin sole shoes I have to drive more using my toes... Maybe I should adjust my seat someway ? high/low etc ? pedal extensions ? is all this because I’m short or because of 6MT ? Don’t know what to think anymore….

Any advice ?

short 6mt driver

 

Shoot.....look at me, I'm 5'7" and I drive bear footed sometimes..hehe. I dont have a G yet, but with my current car. While driving bear footed, for me, I could feel and be in more control of your car. Its just a totally differ experience then driving with shoes on, thick or not. I really don't know what to say other then don't say to close nor to far, just enough so you could push in the clutch 3/4 way down. You don't have to push your clutch all the way down, thats insane. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

 

Not exactly sure what you mean by get nervous?

 

hahaha. you need to sell your car to me. lol j/p

This sounds like you need to sit closer. Do you have an 05? If you do, you can adjust with the telescoping feature.

 

03-04 got the telescoping feature as well, its just not powered as it is in the 05.

 

You had me wondering there for awhile- "bear" footed- LOL
I was sitting here wondering how a bear would drive a car!

 

I don't really know what to say, I'm 5'3" and I am not really experiencing your problems (I have about 9 months with the G coupe).

My concerns are more that I really hate the seat belt position (feels like you are going to hang yourself) and I think the seats could really have been made to feel more comfortable.

Ordinarily I'd think this is more an issue with a new driver, but you've got a lot of time in the car. Maybe move the seat closer to get more leg on the pedals, recline the seat more to get clearance from the steering wheel, and just try to relax more when you drive. It sounds like the tension of driving the G is making this more of an uncomfortable experience than an enjoyable one.

 

i never knew 04s had the telescoping feature....

 

There is definitely NO telescoping feature on any 2004 G35!! period.

 

It happens something to me. After a while, I decided to wear a light running shoes to see if it makes any different from wearing THICK bottom rubber shoes to thin bottom runner shoes (pretty to close to Nascar's shoes), boy it does feel the fdifference! You can feel more sensitive when releasng the clutch. Whenever I go somewhere, I always wear light shoes and other casual shoes in the trunk if I wanted to change it... depends what I wear. Maybe you can try that and see if that makes any difference.

Wolf

 

Hate to admit, but im also 5'6... but on the lighter side, I do not have
those problems so you shouldn't either. You just need to sitback,
relax, take your time on the shifts, and take it easy on yourself. The
car's 6MT, but the gears are spread apart like a 5MT. Just take your
time.

I always wear flat bottom thin sole shoes when driving MT cars.
Maybe I have longer legs than you? hehehehe

 

Are you new to manual tranny? It seems to me like you're nervous while in traffic because fo the stop and go with the stick. It happens to a lot of new drivers that try manual for the first time.

 

the best thing id say is learn where you are most comfortable with the car. im 5'4 so i am pretty close to the wheel too but when i started getting more comfortable i moved my seat back and started to relax. much better!

you just need to adjust your seat in a way that your comfortable, thats the key (IMO) to driving manuals. sitting too close is just as bad as sitting too far.

as far as the jerking of your gf's head during the shifts, let go of the gas slower then clutch in and slowly feather it out. i noticed that problem too...just let go of the gas slower instead of letting go really quick. feather it out, you know what i mean? that should help a little.

6spds are fun dont be nervous =)

 

oh yeah, rev matching is your friend =) that will make your shifts a lot smoother, especially your downshifts!