General Chat
Q:
so i am looking for a new z or zx and their are 2 i am looking at but they are auto
but they are turbo!!
i love the driving fun of a clutch
is their any reason i would not have as much fun in a auto
what is ya'lls opinion on auto vs manual
does turbo matter or not in your decision of one verses the other?
1983 280zx turbo . . . . . . . . this site only fuels my
1981 280zx parts car . . . . . . . obsession!
1977 280z 2+2 38,000 origional miles
1976 ford f100
A:
I prefer 5 sp to auto & Z instead of ZX. Simply a matter of choice. Friend has bad knee so he drives auto. You could buy a parts car & do the swap.
Anyone can drive a new car.
A:
I hate autos. I get so bored while driving, and I get so confused when I try to push in the clutch and its not there...
And I'd take a ZX over a Z cause I like the way it looks better.
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1985 300ZX n/a
A:
lol it does not take much to make them auto to manual.......so get the best one and just make it a manual
A:
My choice was a slush or a metal knee - I chose slush. These ain't racers. do what you like.
Rusty but running.
Polish cell phone and two tubes of Aluma-seal.
And, now we are historic.
A:
it's mainly your preference
if you are going to use it as a daily driver and be in a lot of traffic everyday, then i suggest you get an auto
is your 77 and 81 5 spd?
'1996 Black NA 2+0
A:
I got my auto completely rebuilt by a friend who builds racing gearboxes and engines for a living... I dont know what he done exactly (trade secrets) but everything was replaced with brand new stronger parts; clutchpack, valvebody, bands etc. I can hammer the crap out of my tranny, it changes gear in a snap and I've beaten many manuals in my car because 1st gear typically runs out further on my car than most manuals in my area (ricers) so while they're shifting into 2nd I'm still going.
The downside is that gears dont punch as hard as what a manual does therefore resulting in a loss of horsepower (see factory specs on az-zbum.com for real figures). There is a significant drop in HP in autos vs manual Z cars. But as for driving styles if you want you can change 1st/2nd/Drive just like a manual to really push the rpms. Or if you're feeling lazy just leave it in Drive to cruise, and you can still punch Drive to the floor for instant gear down and speed. I can cook up my tyres big time by doing that...
However I have to mention that the stock auto that came in my Z31 was absolute rubbish. I mean straight up, utter trash. No words can explain how screwed up it was. This is a big contributer to people hating on autos so bad, but you'd have to see mine in action to really appreciate it. If you dont plan on spending money on it go with a manual conversion. I paid lots, and I do mean lots of money to get my automatic transmission to perform so well.
I should add the only reason I didnt convert it to manual is because I wanted to keep my Z31 as original as possible. The overall worth of the car drops big time here in Australia when seriously modified like that because it's no longer original. In the USA this isn't an issue though but just thought I would explain my reasoning for getting my auto beefed up rather than converting to manual.
My aim is different, I want one of the fastest, 100% "original" NAs around... With all that being said I'll be getting a 5 speed turbo one day which I will go crazy on modifying and turning it into a bottomless money pit :)
Rant over...
85' 300ZX NA
86' 300ZX Turbo
88' 300ZX Turbo
89' 300ZX Turbo
300ZX Turbo Project
A:
auto nice if your lazy, manual actually driving your car, fun
73' 240z: F54 4.2L, OS Giken LY DOHC Crossflow head, 17:3comp.ratio, N33, Tripple SU's, T10 Hybrid Draw-Through TT @ 47pds, Roots&Centrifugal Type supercharger, 3-2-1 headers, Centerforce 4 clutch, 6oz flywheel, R300 differential, Super-Hicas
A:
From everything I've read, turbo+AT= faster than turbo+MT. Something about keeping the turbo spooled up better.
1990 2+2 N/A
SHIFT_style
A:
I had 2 81 turbo's. They come with the autos. I loved both of them. I like my 77 also, but for around town driving, give me the auto anytime. You can always upgrade to a 4 speed auto.
77 260Z Rat Rod
A:
If you can get it with a 5 speed I would just hold out.
1990 RS Camao (Ya i know im getting a Z but i still love my Camaro!)
2002 Z28 LS1 T56 yes its fast no you cant drive it!
A:
"From everything I've read, turbo+AT= faster than turbo+MT. Something about keeping the turbo spooled up better."
Peanut Squirrel:
I believe this was true in older turbo cars before things like BOVs and Recirc Valves.
One thing that might be notworthy is that a torque converter in an auto tranny setup has the ability to transfer much more torque to the wheels than a clutch. Usually the strength auto tranny is the limiting factor however, and since it shifts much slower than a skilled driver and a manual, the 0-60 times or qtr mile times are usually slower.
Each has there pros and cons, but my preference will always be manual, regardless of what kind of driving. The only time I'd get auto is for offroading (4x4) purposes, to make life much easier.
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1985 300ZX n/a
A:
If either on e of those cars is in excelent shape and the price is right, buy it. By your posing this question to us, it tells me you dont have a strong opinion one way or the other. If the rest of the car is what you want, go for it. Later if you decide you want a change, swap in a 5 spd.
1970 240zt 326whp 320ft/lbs @ 13 psi,
A:
install an upgraded valve body or shift kit and it would take a VERY skilled driver to shift faster AND an AT is not going to have to build near as much boost as you do when shifting a manual (let off gas, depress clutch, change gears, let off clutch, back on the gas)
A:
phxz31:
Stock for stock they are faster because of the ability to build boost before you launch and the fact that you don't loose boost when it shifts. Off the line they can be pretty fast because of this.
The car is still fun to drive as an AT, its just soooo much funner once it's a manual.
Also, there's less of a chance the engine has been abused much in an AT car since it does the shifts really early.
I've done the swap on 2 of my Z's and I would never go back to a AT.
Mario
1976 280Z - Dad's Z (turbo swap?)
1978 280Z - Stock Rebuild | 5 Speed | Twice Pipes | Gutted
1982 280ZX - Turbo | MSnS-E | 5 Speed | Large NPR IC
BROKE: Will build computers, webpages, networks, MS units, troubleshoot computers for money
A:
Cars equipped with auto. transmissions can be converted to a manual trans. Nissan dealers certainly won't do an auto-to-manual conversion for you. Independent shops might do it but you’ll have to line up the parts for them, otherwise you'll have to do the work yourself.
Auto/manual trans. choice is pretty much a matter of personal preference. Most people that buy sports cars want a manual because it’s the nature of a sports car to do DIY shifting. Manually equipped sports cars are more desirable than auto. equipped sports cars. If you’re buying an older used car, then the overall condition of the car, especially the body is going to be a more important factor to consider than whether it has an auto. or a manual trans. Like I said, the trans. can always be swapped.
If you live in an over congested big city where you can’t drive more than two blocks without encountering a traffic light or stop sign and there would be just too much rowing through the gears, then you might want to consider an automatic.
A:
5 SPEED who cares about stop/go traffic!!.. Auto's are for wussy's!!!!!!!!!!
SLAP THAT SHIFTER!!!!!!
89'300zx-Carputer,Black,17's,digital,5spd,My Baby:D
90' TTZ!-UR Pully,seri2 PTU, R34 Brakes,HKS dual's,JW Intake&POP,PRofec B Spec2,Tokyo Rad,etc.
92' Civic- B16,Turbo,StandAlone FS,Programed,All the go!
95' Mitsu Turbo AWD,T3/4 CONV.**12 SEC CAR!!
A:
Just wait around for a Manual TT.. Trust me dude, converting a auto to a manual is like getting a sex change operation.
89'300zx-Carputer,Black,17's,digital,5spd,My Baby:D
90' TTZ!-UR Pully,seri2 PTU, R34 Brakes,HKS dual's,JW Intake&POP,PRofec B Spec2,Tokyo Rad,etc.
92' Civic- B16,Turbo,StandAlone FS,Programed,All the go!
95' Mitsu Turbo AWD,T3/4 CONV.**12 SEC CAR!!
A:
Mario:
You bring up some good points on the A/T turbos.
Still, M/T is so much more fun to drive. I credit the a lot of the joy of driving my car to the fact that its a manual.
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1985 300ZX n/a
A:
The car im thinking about getting a giant loan to buy is the Ferrari 355 GTS F1, which has the paddle shift F1 style transmission with the exact same 6 speed transmission as in the manual but the only difference is that it has an eletronic clutch. Reviews I've read say the F1 transmission is BETTER than the manual. Also the gear change time is 0.012 seconds or something stupid, I dont know many drivers who could shift up and down at that speed constantly all day.
With that said, I dont expect old school drivers to love automatics considering how crappy they've been up until the past decade where technology has improved rapidly. A friend has a 350Z with the 5 speed tiptronic transmission, he says he couldnt imagine driving anything different. It is a matter of choice, but technology is improving so drastically as of late it's no longer really a performance issue but more of a driving style issue.
85' 300ZX NA
86' 300ZX Turbo
88' 300ZX Turbo
89' 300ZX Turbo
300ZX Turbo Project
A:
I've owned and driven both automatic and Manual Zs, I perfer the manual transmission. I drove my 280Z for a few years as an automatic, then I decided I wanted to convert it to a manual transmission. Did the swap and it felt like a different car, much funner to drive.
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)
A:
thank all of you for your advice - lots of good things to think about
i looked at a 83zx turbo auto today and yes i would rather have the manual but... this z was sooooo nice
silver and the paint looked good
black int. in real nice shape it looks almost new
digital dash and power windows and everything except the clock and the a/c/ workes
the engine looked awesome real clean
and verry little rust
new tires
new exhaust
t-tops
oh and i have a 81 manual parts car so i can convert later
all for only $1500
i am going to buy tomorow
who hooooo!
1983 280zx turbo . . . . . . . . this site only fuels my
1981 280zx parts car . . . . . . . obsession!
1977 280z 2+2 38,000 origional miles
1976 ford f100
A:
Go for it man, as many people said above it's simple to convert so even if you hated autos with a passion you can still change it over easier enough. Also "most" autos have had easier lives, and havent had the motor thrashed to death especially if only had 1 or 2 previous owners unless one of them is some crazy hoon that hammered it to death of course.
Good luck!
85' 300ZX NA
86' 300ZX Turbo
88' 300ZX Turbo
89' 300ZX Turbo
300ZX Turbo Project