AdamJay23

Okay let me start off by saying I don't actually own a G37 6MT but I'm really considering buying a coupe (90000 miles for $12500) but there's a couple of weird issues that I can't seem to find an exact answer too.

When it came to test driving the car, the car started fine but when I turned it on it was in 3rd gear. But when I tried to shift into neutral the shifter wouldn't budge. It was stuck. Fearing of messing anything up, I didn't pull hard. I just let go of the clutch and let the car stall. Then, while the car was off I was finally able to move out of 3rd gear. Then I turned the car on, but when I tried shifting to first gear, the shifter wouldn't move fully into first. It's like it was literally being blocked from going into gear. The dealer tried playing it off saying that I must've jammed it by the way I turned it on? He hopped in and eventually got the car into 1st gear. The car drove fine after that, no trouble shifting while driving but when the drive was over and we were back in the lot, he was really struggling to put the car into 1st gear to move the car back into its space. He couldn't even get it into reverse. At this point he just turned the car off and made conversation about irrelevant features about the car. I don't mind buying the car if this issue is easily repairable. The thing is I have no idea what the issue could be.

If anyone has any advice or info I would greatly appreciate it. I really want to buy a G but I don't want to rush into this and end up with a POS. Thank you for your help!

pham

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like a clutch problem. If it's an '08+ it probably has a leaky concentric slave cylinder or master cylinder. Couldn't really tell you for sure but it sounds like a hydraulic leak in the clutch.

The slave cylinder on an 08+ is _inside_ of the transmission, integrated into the throwout bearing - it's one part. It's a part that fails and requires pulling the transmission, I just replaced it on my 2011 with ~100k miles.

AdamJay23

Hey, thanks for the response! It is actually a 2008. I searched around the forums and on Google and it all pointed to the slave or master cylinder. I read that these transmissions aren't too reliable either so it makes sense, I really just wanted to get an input from a G37 owner. Did you get this work done at the dealer? I know warranty only lasts to 70000 miles or something like that? What is the average cost for a repair like this?

pham

iTrader: (1)

I bought the car used with 30,000 miles and have driven it daily, approx. 500 miles/week. I've put 70k miles on the car. I change the oil every 5k miles with Mobil, rotate the tires every 10k. The only other maintenance has been a battery and brake job, the previous owner scored the big brake rotors a bit stopping too hard.

Other than the concentric slave cylinder last week, I've had no problems. There was NOT a leak or "spongy clutch" that led up to the failure, it just failed all of a sudden.

The dealer quoted $2000 in labor alone for the slave, $700 in labor for the master cylinder. I didn't let the dealer quote me parts but replacing both the slave and master cylinder is ~$250 in OEM parts or thereabouts. Zspeed and others offer alternatives for the OEM slave. The OEM slave is seriously a plastic three-prong body that bolts in side your transmission. It has the metal throwout bearing attached to it with some hydraulic lines leading outside to the exterior of the transmission. The OEM piece SHOULD NOT be made of a plastic body.

I personally couldn't afford the $2700 in labor alone to drop a transmission, this makes my fifth clutch/transmission removal. I've done a Honda S2000, a Toyota supra, a honda civic, and a JK body jeep previously. The G37 was probably the easiest to get to the transmission bolts out from the list above. You need a jack and few buddies to help you. I wouldn't attempt it alone.

To get the car high enough in the air we stacked 2x12 boards on top of each other, jack stands on top of that. I had access to a transmission jack but no lift. You take the exhaust out, then the driveshaft, then some brackets and clutch lines, then 13 or 14 (14mm I think) transmission bolts. There are some heatshields and such also.

If you've never pulled a transmission I'm not sure what to say other than this one is relatively easy.... after you get everything out of the way. There are several things that are in the way.

YMMV of course. Also the last thing I can think of:
On first crank after re-assembly, the car cranked and then went dead.
It then proceeded to try to crank for 4 or 5 times, sounded like it was misfiring.
Then it cranked, I've put about 250 miles on the new clutch/flywheel/hydraulic system since. No problems.

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

Walk away.

pham

iTrader: (1)

Also agree with this unless they want to subtract $3000 from the sticker price and you feel like replacing the clutch hydraulic system as soon as you drive it off the lot! Might as well do the flywheel and clutch while you are in there.

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

Nope.

WALK. AWAY.

AdamJay23

Wow that's a good amount of money for repairs, no wonder he was trying to play it off. I think I'm just going to walk away, which makes me really sad because it's one of the only 6MT G37's in my area. Oh well, I guess I'll keep looking!

AdamJay23

That's what I've officially decided. Thanks. Whats your experience with this?

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

Specifically with this particular issue, nothing. However I know never to buy a car for $12,000 that has high mileage and something seriously wrong with it. If it were a dirt cheap project car and you were an experienced mechanic it might be worthwhile.

If you look and are willing to travel you can find a much better G with fewer miles for less money. That isn't broken.