I too don't care much for the transmission/clutch in the second gen cars, but for completely different reasons.

I've got a clutchmasters stage1 clutch and JWT flywheel in my 05 6MT. My clutch pedal requires is much stiffer than the stock setup on Cheryl's 07. When I drive her car, it takes me a few minutes for me to get used to it. The pedal feels so light that in normal driving, I find my shifting to be delayed versus pedal movement. Basically the pedal goes to the floor so quickly that I haven't begun moving the shifter to match.

The pedal itself has very little feel. Less so than the stock setup in my 05. Engagement is very high, but in this area it's very similar to the stock 05 setup.

What really confuses me is that I find it difficult to shift the 07 quickly. I can't shift it nearly as fast as I can my 05. It doesn't make any sense, really. The pedal is lighter, and the shifter is like butter compared to my 05(with ~45k HARD miles on the tranny). Logically, I should be able to perform shifts faster than in my car, but I can't. It's not so much the effort of physically shifting, as it is the synchronizing of the shift with the movement of the clutch pedal.

For everyday driving though, I've found it isn't the clutch pedal, feel, and/or engagement that causes me issues. It's the throttle response. The throttle on Cheryl's 07 requires more pressure to get going than in my car. Response is just as immediate in my car: there's no delay like what I've experienced in the Mazdaspeed 6 or the Mustang GT. Rather, the throttle is more sensitive in my car than in Cheryl's. So much so that I've already stalled her car twice for lack of throttle.

 

im suprised you feel that way about the throttle response in the 07 trey. I actually think the 07 throttle as compared to my 06 coupe is night and day. My 07 the throttle is instant and the rpms seem to fly up with ease as opposed to my coupe.

 

My sedan currently has most of the NA bolt-ons, including lightweight flywheel. I'm pretty sure the flywheel and the other mods account for most of the difference I feel.

 

Well coming from someone who drives old muscle cars on the weekend, I think the clutch on the 07 G is really light as well-

I have no idea why people complain it is too heavy- I would not want it any lighter- its a performance sedan, not a Civic-

throttle response is a little delayed- I agree as well-

It took me a few days to get used to it, but now I dont even think about it when I take off, and this is driving it smoothly-

if you cant drive it smoothly, learn how to drive better- LOL

 

The clutch pedal feel certainly took a little getting used to, but after about 1,000 miles or so, the pedal seems to have softened up. The clutch is fairly forgiving. It's a little tough to shift smoothly, but enough time and practice should iron all those little issues out.

 

For me I have no issues with regards to the stiffness of the pedal. I've driven a handful of stick shift cars with man-clutches and man-clutch pedals. Old school Bowtie with a 396 Rat and an M22 anyone? Or how about a T-56 anything? Go drive an LS1 4th Gen and you'll feel like a girl for complaining about the G's clutch being stiff.

However with regards to my '07 it's a combination of things that confuse first timers and even irritate me every now and then. A high engagement point coupled with an on/off like engagement with regards to the clutch pedal and that damn electronic throttle and that half inch of dead space on the gas pedal make things tricky sometimes.

The biggest hassle comes when trying to launch the car from a stop on a hill. The clutch grabs high so when you think the clutch should be engaging you've actually got a few inches left to go. On top of that you think you're giving the car enough gas but because of the dead space on the gas pedal you have to give it a bit more than you would in other cars with a mechanical pedal. At least that's how I feel. Now when launching from a hill I've gotten use to only stepping on the pedal about 1/2 way. It's certainly not the greatest clutch/shifter combo I've sampled (the Honda S2000 comes to mind here) but it's not the worst either. In the end, if you drive the car for a day, you'll get comfortable with it in no time. At least that's how I feel. And like everyone says, the clutches on/off nature is great for ripping off quick shifts.

 

I was trying different things with mine tonight while driving and I found out that I could shift through all the gears by engaging the clutch no more than 2 inches (no exageration). It is definitely different, but I can tell where it would be helpful on the track.

 

According to those who drove the pre-production G37, the clutch is easier to handle and the shifter much smoother. These updates are expected to make it in to the '08 sedan. I still haven't decided between the coupe or sedan, but either way, I'll wait for the '08 model and a hopefully more pleasurable driving experience.

Also, the engagement of the clutch should be able to be adjusted by a shop.

 

Coming from a 6MT 350Z to the G35 6MT there is definitely a notable difference in the engagement point as well as being a much lighter clutch; however I got used to it after a week or so of driving and have no issues with it.

 

Really?
The TSX shifter/clutch is nice and all but it is pretty hard to drive smoothly due to the damn DBW throttle lag.

 

The clutch took me a few days to get used to it (coming from a 2002 WRX) but I have no issues with it. My wife drove the car for the first time a few days ago. I expected an irate phone call to say what a piece of shxt the clutch was ... but nothing. Later, she told me she thought it was better than the WRX.

I told her I was glad that she and "her" hit it off so well. And, based on this unbiased "experiment" I think it is really a matter of personal preference, not the car.

 

Try driving a 2003 Max SE 6-speed. Redefines hard to drive smooth. I've been driving clutch for over 15+ years. Heck it's what I learned to drive. And that car was near impossible to drive smooth...

 

wow all these complains about the clutch are making me rethink getting a MT. i really wanted a coupe 6MT but im a noob MT driver and it seems i'll never be able to get used to driving it. also, unless i was a pro stick shift driver an AT would smoke me anytime? (assuming their both stock)

 

a MT is faster than an AT, b/c AT shifts slower. with the sequential transmission, they are faster than MT b/c sequential transmission shifts faster than MT.

however, reports show that most drivers who have the option to get either sequential transmission or MT, they prefer MT b/c the MT gives you more control.

the infiniti tiptronic is not sequential transmission, so the inifiniti AT does not shift faster than the MT.

 

The G is my 4th MT vehicle & I don't find it any more difficult to get use to c/w my previous ones.

Yes, the clutch's engagement point may be a bit taller but I am able to compensate by sitting farther back keeping my left knee as straight as possible to allow better foot/ankle control around the engagement point.

PF