AT vs MT confusion

[NocturnalEmber]

I drove the MT Sport and AT Nismo before ultimately buying the Nismo,

It depends what your looking for but the Nismo just felt more planted on the road out of the box, the transmission is no slush box either, it shifts very quickly up and down. The whole package is very engaging with the nismo recaros and wheel. I just want to drive it all day on the mountain roads, and i look forward to taking it to the track. It feels like its in a different league to the MT.

Not going to lie - i would have both if i could, the MT reminds me of a 90s turbocharged Nissan (which i grew up with and love) except more reliable, not dogged on and no rust, lol. Problem is there is a lot i would want to change that the nismo has out of the box - brakes, suspension, diff (although this comes in the performance), seats, exhaust note, chassis stiffening, wheels etc. The stock flywheel needs changing too because the rev hang between gears is kinda annoying. When you add all that up it just makes more sense to go Nismo (for me at least right now)

Two different cars for different purposes out of the box imo - the nismo is a circuit car and canyon carver, the MT is a GT sports car that is likely quite fun for sliding sideways

The transmission is a slushbox though by design, its a torque converter automatic.

I wouldn't buy an auto car out of preference either way, but for a $70,000~ car it should at least have a dual clutch box if they really want to pull the track card.

Yeah sure its a good car, that's fine, but its still the same chassis fundamentally with bolt ons added in for effect. It makes more sense to me to bolt those onto my performance while still being able to row my own gears. I think the different league feeling is largely subjective to the value people try to justify by paying such a premium for it. Granted it has stiffer suspension, etc but we aren't talking a difference in core chassis dynamics and design, but bolt on additions.

Edit: I couldn't imagine a MT sport from anything but a GT perspective. My car with just nismo intakes and those awful S007's does not hook in 1st and 2nd under heavy acceleration (and third if wet.) Shrinking the rear tires down and adding an open diff to the mix just sounds like an awful time for any type of spirited driving.

 

[kappa_md]

I drove the MT Sport and AT Nismo before ultimately buying the Nismo,

It depends what your looking for but the Nismo just felt more planted on the road out of the box, the transmission is no slush box either, it shifts very quickly up and down. The whole package is very engaging with the nismo recaros and wheel. I just want to drive it all day on the mountain roads, and i look forward to taking it to the track. It feels like its in a different league to the MT.

Not going to lie - i would have both if i could, the MT reminds me of a 90s turbocharged Nissan (which i grew up with and love) except more reliable, not dogged on and no rust, lol. Problem is there is a lot i would want to change that the nismo has out of the box - brakes, suspension, diff (although this comes in the performance), seats, exhaust note, chassis stiffening, wheels etc. The stock flywheel needs changing too because the rev hang between gears is kinda annoying. When you add all that up it just makes more sense to go Nismo (for me at least right now)

Two different cars for different purposes out of the box imo - the nismo is a circuit car and canyon carver, the MT is a GT sports car that is likely quite fun for sliding sideways

I agree % Exactly my thoughts! I drove the NISMO Z and the automatic gearing is really good, I’m quite surprised and impressed. You need to change a lot of stuff for the Performance to achieve the NISMO feel so hats off to Nissan for doing a great job! But I’ve always wanted a Performance MT, MT is non negotiable to me, and it should be Performance not just by name but more importabtly by driving. So had to upgrade alot of things in the suspension-handling department in order to achieve this (e.g. chassis braces, sway bars, KWV3, front/rear camber-toe arms, lightweight forged wheels & PS4S, proper alignment etc.) Power is enough (400 hp) for the street and you either maximize it or it will be a pure waste.

Now the Z literally means serious performance to me

 

[staying_tuned]

I had a highly modded Q60 RS with the archaic 7-speed and I thought it was very quick, surely the 9-speed rocks. EOD as power continues to rise on my perf manual I’m only $1,100 away from rinse and repeat on a clutch swap-out if it goes sideways. Already running stage 2 Nismo (ironic) twin-disk and flywheel on it and it grabs for days and should be good for 700 wheel. I like controlling it, I feel more connected (albeit slower) and it forces a level of focus that allows me to react to surprises faster. There’s no peeing in a jug, no chit-chatting it up while fumbling around for something, none of that. Just driving which is what I got the Z for in the first place.

 

[5thZ]

The transmission is a slushbox though by design, its a torque converter automatic.

I wouldn't buy an auto car out of preference either way, but for a $70,000~ car it should at least have a dual clutch box if they really want to pull the track card.

Yeah sure its a good car, that's fine, but its still the same chassis fundamentally with bolt ons added in for effect. It makes more sense to me to bolt those onto my performance while still being able to row my own gears. I think the different league feeling is largely subjective to the value people try to justify by paying such a premium for it. Granted it stiffer suspension, etc but we aren't talking a difference in core chassis dynamics and design, but bolt on additions.

Edit: I couldn't imagine a MT sport from anything but a GT perspective. My car with just nismo intakes and those awful S007's does not hook in 1st and 2nd under heavy acceleration (and third if wet.) Shrinking the rear tires down and adding an open diff to the mix just sounds like an awful time for any type of spirited driving.

That's why people like me who have a similar approach to you such as buying a "lesser model" to upgrade it to be better at a better price point import nismo's super taikyu winning LSD from Japan for incredibly cheap vs the "inferior" performance and Nismo LSDs. I already have larger tires on specific track wheels also so that's taken care of

The AT is great for sure. Designed my Mercedes. Couldn't be Nissan lol.

But alas it seems despite OPs point about not going in this direction we have all gone in said direction

 

[FSUZ33]

…I like controlling it, I feel more connected (albeit slower) and it forces a level of focus…

That’s gotta be the most sincere justification for a manual I’ve ever heard.
It’s so good you don‘t even want to pee in a jug.
I’m dying. Good stuff man!

 

[NocturnalEmber]

That's why people like me who have a similar approach to you such as buying a "lesser model" to upgrade it to be better at a better price point import nismo's super taikyu winning LSD from Japan for incredibly cheap vs the "inferior" performance and Nismo LSDs. I already have larger tires on specific track wheels also so that's taken care of

The AT is great for sure. Designed my Mercedes. Couldn't be Nissan lol.

But alas it seems despite OPs point about not going in this direction we have all gone in said direction

The blank canvas aspect is nice indeed. Though to be honest I think the sport should have come with an LSD at the bare minimum. By that same logic though, the Performance should also have come with tires that weren't ice skates.

 

[FSUZ33]

Off-topic, but I’m amazed at the negativity on the S007’s. No experience with them, but that’s an expensive tire from a good brand and in a high performance category, so I’m surprised how many people can’t stand them. People talk about them like they drive like cheap All Seasons. Per Tire Rack they’re #31 of 33 in that category, so it does look like Bridgestone really missed the mark.