Consumer Reports Review - RZ34 Discussion

RicerX

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No, this 9spd is better than the 7spd - no doubt.

I used to be in the "Stick or Die" camp until I actually drove DCT cars (R35, California, Golf R, M6) then I ended up buying one (Z4) - DCTs are actually fun.

Stick is my #1 choice but, DCT is a very close 2nd - I'll never do a normal torque converter auto unless it's a ZF8 and I just flat out don't have any other choice.

The damned 7spd is the only thing I hate about my Q.....and the fact you're stuck with high offset wheels if you don't want to alter the body
Having lived with the Jatco 7AT in a Q50S and a 2018 Titan and going to my 2020 Titan with the 9AT, the 9AT is MILES BEYOND anything the 7AT was in either of my previous cars. Full stop. It's a dramatic improvement. I was holding out hope early on when I saw a ZF9 was going into the Pathfinder that maybe Nissan had a larger partnership or supplier agreement with ZF and we'd see a ZF in the Z. Sadly no...

I'll buy a new Z in a manual, but damn if I'm not curious to drive the AT before I pull the trigger. I used to be "manual or die" but some of these blanket statements on why the AT is for wussies are just silly. I have had two separate groin tear and hip labrum repair surgeries from sports injuries on my clutch leg - I'm honestly not sure how I would do with a clutch in stop and go traffic since those all occurred after I got rid of my 370Z. I guess that just makes me lazy if I don't want to get a 6AT at $50k to figure out it doesn't work for me anymore... Can't wait for the hot takes from the infinite wisdom of the internet because I made a choice based on my personal situation!
 

RicerX

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That's the point, they are NOT superior. They're simply faster at physically changing gears, but don't always choose the correct one for the situation, which is why race drivers and driving enthusiasts always use a manual car.

An automatic car is usually picked by the public because they simply can't drive a "stick shift", they're being lazy ("it's easier to drive in city traffic") and/or because car makers are dropping manual models. The local newspaper does a weekly car news section which used to interview various people about their cars, and one standard question was "automatic or manual?" ... almost all of them picked manual, even those that actually drove an automatic car!
That's why every hypercar you have ever seen has a 5 speed manual transmission and a freshly printed copy of USA Today in the passenger seat so you can read all about the latest bells and whistles in cars today.
 

trackratZ

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The ZF in my Gladiator is impressive, smooth shifts, quick downshifts etc. one of the best auto transmissions out there, but still I'll get the manual. But my worry is Nissan and Infiniti's high take-up clutch action is not fun to drive with, vague engagement gets tiring. Nobody has complained about this so maybe it's no longer noticeable.
 

takemorepills

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Personally I'm torn between the MT and AT. I know the "right" choice is MT, and if I don't get it, I'll regret it when they're no longer made

As for traffic, f-that. I won't do the daily slog in my Z. Every single time I commute I feel like it's a Mad Max world. I've been hit several times in my recent commutes, twice in my Q60, and it pisses me off that my car bares the scars from it. Every damn time has been uninsured, a few were hit and run (seems to be the way things are these days).
Yeah, a MT in traffic can be a bummer, but my Titan is better suited for the urban battle, so I won't consider commuting when choosing transmission.

I am, however, very compelled by how fast the 9AT is.
 

indio22

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My take from a longer term cost perspective. All our manuals have been rock solid, including one over 200k miles with original clutch. But I've had four automatics with issues. (Two cars and two 4x4s.) Currently installing a rebuilt automatic in my 1998 Jeep TJ.

Performance wise, off-road I've found automatics generally better. Due to essentially infinite slow speed control, easing over obstacles, and with less shock to the drivetrain. But on-road, I've yet to find an auto including with the "sport" modes, that shifts exactly how I like to shift. So I'm still having to manually tap the auto gears depending on the situation.

One thing to consider, on some sports cars, the auto will have a lower reving final drive ratio. That can be nice on the highway at the higher speeds. Some guys were complaining about high revving and noise at higher than posted speeds, and I realized it was because they owned the manual version.
 

TaroBaapG35

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The ZF in my Gladiator is impressive, smooth shifts, quick downshifts etc. one of the best auto transmissions out there, but still I'll get the manual. But my worry is Nissan and Infiniti's high take-up clutch action is not fun to drive with, vague engagement gets tiring. Nobody has complained about this so maybe it's no longer noticeable.
Quick fix for the clutch feel was a different helper spring or the rjm clutch pedal. 100% need a new spring or no spring to do quick shifts without it being Jerky.
 

Freewill

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I've never owned anything except manuals since 1987 with my first car. My wife has an auto. I honestly never saw the big deal with a manual in heavy traffic, I've lived in both gridlocked Vancouver and Toronto with manual only. Driving an auto to me simply doesn't bring any real enjoyment.
 

GRMan

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This is a horrible fucking example. That's two different cars.
Same Engine, same chassis, same suspension, same tyres, same diff, just different transmission and the MT one has 30 less hp

Different car? What are you on about?
 

Denver the Last Dinosaur

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^ If you don't already understand the difference, you never will. It's the same with anything else that is largely personal preference.
 

bboypuertoroc

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Same Engine, same chassis, same suspension, same tyres, same diff, just different transmission and the MT one has 30 less hp

Different car? What are you on about?
'21 M3 Competition vs '21 M4. That's two different cars.
 
 





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