Hi all...

I would appreciate some opinions on the 6MT in the G37. Before I get into the background, this isn't a MT vs AT debate!!

I currently have an '08 5AT. Bought the AT mainly because of a 30 minute bumper to bumper commute. Before the G, I had never owned anything but manual transmissions. Well, after a year or so of ownership, I am missing the manual (surprise!!). Don't get me wrong, I love the convenience of the AT and the paddle shifters work well for spirited driving but I just have far less perceived control of the car.

So, spoke to the dealership and I could trade my AT for an '09 6MT without taking much of a haircut financially. So here are my questions...

1. I hear bad things about the 6MT in the G37. Many mag reviews say it increases the NVH of the car overall. Many people say the clutch takeup is poor and the overall operation isn't great. My last 6MT was a BMW 3 series and they have AMAZING manual trannys. Am I going to be disappointed? I intend to test drive one but would like your opinions.
2. I know that no one will know this definitively, but do you think Infiniti will be putting the rev-match feature on the MT's in the short term (like on the 370z)? If they changed this in 2012 or so, I wouldn't care because I would be ready for an upgrade anyway but if it happened in 2010, I would rather have waited.

So, like I said, this isn't an MT vs AT question. It is more about your thoughts on the QUALITY of the MT in the G.

Really appreciate any comments...

 

I personally have no experience with MT, but I do have a question. You've owned the car for a year and you can straight up trade it for an 09 without much loss? PM me if you don't want to discuss on the thread..

Thanks

 

The clutch is a bit high but you will get used to that. The transmission itself is a bit rough but once you get used to it you can drive it fairly smooth. Overall, I enjoy driving the car in manual but definitely feel there is a lot of room of improvement for their next generation.

 

I personally am in the boat of people who have NO complaints with the MT on the G37. I have an 09 G37S Sedan, so I'm not sure if it's a different setup than the 08 G37 coupe or not, but I think it's a solid, beefy unit.

The clutch is a little strange at first, making the 1 to 2 shift a little tiresome until you get the hang of it. After a few weeks, it's cake. Keep in mind, I've been driving a manual car since I was 15 years old and driving with my permit. I just turned 30. (Ouch!)

As far as NVH, I have NONE. No rattles, the shifts feel nice and crisp, with solid weight. I'm actually thinking about replacing my stock shifter with the B&M unit to see how it feels. (I ran the B&M unit in my SR20DET setup in my 240 and it's ROCK Solid.) I'm the type of person who likes *slightly* notchy gearboxes in general, I feel they give you better feedback and they are much harder to miss a shift in.

Cars I've owned that were a manual are two 94 Acura Integra GSR's, a 2000 Integra Type R, 91 Ford Taurus SHO, (Was actually faster than my Type R, ), 2003 Accord V6 6mt, 2006 Mazdaspeed 6, 1989 Nissan 240sx with 420whp, and a few others that are not quite "Performance" cars. So, I do have some experience with manual transmissions.

Here, I actually found a quote from Car and Driver for you, "The power feeds through a six-speed manual gearbox that's the personification of precise engagement — it makes BMW's 3-series manual transmissions seem rubbery — to a limited-slip rear end and thence to the pavement via a set of 245/45-18 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires. "

 

do you know that your car is worth crap now for trade in? I have an 08 G37 Auto with Navi, premium, and sport with 3600 miles on it. Original Msrp was $44k and its only worth $31k trade in now. yeah, Infiniti's suck arss for trade in value. I suggest you to keep your car unless you are diehard desperate of getting a 6mt

 

eh... the 6MT imo is just a bit notchy. i had my tranny replaced at 7500 miles because synchronizer cones were broken and i was grinding going into gears with the clutch fully depressed. this was not my fault to my knowledge. dunno what was wrong with it or what caused it, but they just replaced it. i prefer other manual cars i have driven...

 

I don't hate the MT in my G, but it certainly could be better IMO. I think mechanically it is probably the thing I like least about the car. That being said, I must reiterate that I don't hate it, I certainly don't have such misgivings that I'd prefer an AT. I guess my assessment of the transmission is that it has a far lower level of refinement than the engine, exhaust, suspension, etc. IMO. The G is a GT car and it seems to me like they yanked a tranny off the shelf that would be at home in the 370Z and put it in the G when everything else in the car is more civilized.

 

I personally love my MT. I think it can be a bit rough like others have said, but it kind of depends on how you drive and how you get used to it. I kind of like the rugged feeling when you're driving spiritedly.

I've always owned MTs until my last car, an Acura TL. I was so bored of the AT that I traded it in and I'll never get another AT. I don't mind MT even in an hour of traffic (although I never really get stuck in that kind of traffic).

Regarding your question about the rev-matching ... I think it's an unnecessary feature. Personally, I think it's fun to do the rev-matching yourself Where's the fun in getting perfect matching every time? That's half the fun!

 

I like my MT a lot, not many complaints here. I do wish it was more "slick" like the honda's are, but we can't have it all. It is definitely an improvement over the last generation G35 that i had though. Those clutches were stiffer and i had a much more difficult time driving that smoothly.

 

Couple gripes here and there, but overall, I think the tranny is pretty solid. I have a thing against Honda trannys, so I don't feel like these are so bad in comparison. It sure beats the crap out of the G35/350Z MT's I've driven.

 

I think the tranny itself is pretty good. I had an 06 Civic Si and it was one of the best shifting manuals I ever drove and the G's is close (if a little more rubbery). What I hate is the clutch. It has a wonky takeup that, 1 year and 30k miles later, still trips me up now and again. Also I worry about its toughness considering I have burned it up a couple of times. I think maybe I'm just getting to the point where I'd like an auto. But as they say, the grass is always greener....

 

The transmission is not the issue even though it has a mechanical feel to it that I like, it's the clutch that has a high take-up point. If you're an experienced MT driver you'll master it in a matter of days.

Take it for a long test drive and judge for yourself.

 

I have a 30 minute bumper-to-bumper commute as well and I don't regret getting a 6MT at all, I think the clutch is a breeze compared to my WRX, and shifting is much smoother as well. If somehow you can trade your 08 for an 09 without much of a hit go for it, I've had about 6 different cars and the smoothness and ease of operation of this clutch/tranny is probably the best.

 

Take one for a test drive, run it through the gears with agressive acceleration to feel the pro's. Then go to a parking lot, or your nearest congested highway and simulate bumper to bumper stop and go for 30 mins.. that should help with the decision. I'd also wait to see what 2010 brings, lest you have a "I could of had a V8 moment."

 

The MT of the G37 is much smoother than the 03 G35 coupe I had, no contest. There is still a "littele" notchiness going into second from first, but nothing like on my previous G35 coupe.

I also drove an 08 Civic Si and that had a very rubbery clutch without engine torque, so it was very forgiving and easy to move about - the G37 has a hydraulic feel to the clutch and you have to get used to the catch otherwise you jerk forwards.

I would not trade the manual for an auto, no way. Auto feels like you're steering it, manual feels like you're driving the car.

Bumper to bumper or free-spirited driving - manual for me.