Base G37 Sedan faster than G37S Coupe?!?!

[hyperm3]

I recently went test driving the G37 as a replacement for my 335 lease.

I know I want the sedan but the only sedan they had was the sport with the paddle shifting auto. However, I wanted to still try the stick so they gave me a sport coupe manual to try.

I drove the coupe first cus I really was interested in the manual. I gotta be honest though, the manual was one of the worst manuals I have ever used. The clutch feel was miserable and incredibly high. The shifter shook so much in neutral that after resting my hand on it for 10 seconds at a stoplight it was numb. I was disappointed.

Then I got in the sedan and left it in auto because I just wanted to see how the sedan felt. Halfway through the test drive the salesman said "Come on, I know you dont like autos but try the paddles". So I gave in and wow, I didnt expect it to be as fun as it was. I was sold on the paddles over the auto.

I completely felt the auto sedan was faster than the manual coupe. And yes, the manual was way noisier in the cabin than the auto.

YMMV

[thahman]

I believe the G37 uses the same 6MT from the G35 6MT. I've had my 05 G35 6MT for roughly 5 months and still haven't perfected shifting, particularly from 1 > 2. As many others have stated the gearbox seems temperamental which I have agreed with, but I'm beginning to think that its really all or nothing with this car. If you try and go slow....well you will really go slow and it feels underpowered, but if you drive it like u stole it, you will get a great thrill. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an in between with going slow and quick...I try to go slightly faster than slow and the car just jumps forward but if I attempt to go slower, on the next run then the transition to second makes the care feel slow. I think this is the nature of this manual unless you become seasoned with the car. Hopefully I will get there soon as I feel 5 months is way too long for it not to respond how I think it should on a consistent basis.

The thing about going quick in this car (it will go but you cant be scared to floor it in first gear)...people may think you are racing and the roar seems a bit much when you simply want to make a quick move from dead stop. The best advice to compensate for this is to learn to start in 2nd gear which in my experience can only smoothly be done on relatively level ground. This method wont allow you to jump off the line and you will very likely get beat by soccer moms and pedestrians for the first few yards but on the flip side you will smoothly catch and overpower most vehicles you encounter.

Don't be scared to floor it and in actuality you don't need WOT unless you are racing because the car will indeed jump off the line by just barely touching the throttle.

With all this said, I am still convinced that the 10% ethanol in gas has a lot to do with the temperamental behavior I and others experience. I use to be exclusively BP but recently switched to shell during a road trip. Unbeknown at that time, that shell didn't use ethanol in the their 93 octane and on the trip back I noticed higher mileage before the low fuel light came on. I also noticed everything seemed smoother during stop and go driving. I didn't seem to get the jerk in first gear when barely pressing the throttle.

Stop being scared and drive the damn thing....

Wow, you couldn't have said it any better than that! It's so true. When you drive the our style VQ35DE, you really have to rev it to get it going with some pep. There is no medium.

I've had my car a little over 2 yrs as of 12/24 and I still can't perfect the 1st gear launch. Anyone who drives my car tells me it's tough to launch it as well.

In contrast to my previous car (1999 Nissan Maxima 5MT VQ30DE), the clutch is very sporty and stiff, and 1st gear is very short. It seems like by the time the car starts moving, you gotta shift it to 2nd. It feels shorter also b/c the car is accelerating quicker, etc, but y'all get my drift.

The 5AT seems to just drive like it's no biggie; but if you're in a 6MT, it's such a different experience. Not a bad one, just different. I love my car though.

[zbad1]

Bringing this thread back from the dead!

I'm so glad to have found this post because I thought I was going crazy. Two times I've had a 07+ G35 sedan as a loaner and the thing blew my mind. It really makes my car feel slow. I think what I'm feeling is torque. It just feels like it wants to take off where as my 06 Coupe MT really has to be reved to feel fast.It's kind of depressing to get my coupe back and give the loaner back because of how slow it "feels". I do think it's actually slower than the loaner but not that drastic of a difference.G-Tech runs in the loaner yeild about a 5.6 second 0-60. In my 06 6MT I usually get a 5.8-5.9. (I hate abusing my clutch, so I don't)I thought it must be because of the new engine and that the g37 must be even more drastic, but then I've driven a few g37 MT's and they feel the same as my 'old' g35 6mt. (maybe a tiny bit quicker)Is it really torque and gearing that makes the new g35 sedan "feel" so much faster??? I'm probably strange compared to most because I'd actually rather have a slow car that feels fast than a fast car that feels slow. (legality, safety, etc)

[joe603]

There was also a change in the way manufactures report engine power between the 06 and 07 years...those HR engines are just better than the 05-06 REVUPs. However, the G37 engine is a step in the right direction. You have to be higher in the powerband to feel faster than previous generations.

My 09G37s Sedan is much faster than my 05 G35 6MT coupe (with mods). It also handles better...

[suby01]

yes.

[audtatious]

My 09G37s Sedan is much faster than my 05 G35 6MT coupe (with mods). It also handles better...

And the G37 sport coupe handles better than the G37 sport sedan. The sedan can be much more tail happy than the coupe. Regardless, the sport sedan does a great job. I just took mine on a major mountain road with a full tank of gas and the trunk and back seat loaded with luggage and it did great with some aggressive driving (HWY 129 through the Chattahoochee National Forest outside Cleveland, GA).

[joe603]

And the G37 sport coupe handles better than the G37 sport sedan. The sedan can be much more tail happy than the coupe. Regardless, the sport sedan does a great job. I just took mine on a major mountain road with a full tank of gas and the trunk and back seat loaded with luggage and it did great with some aggressive driving (HWY 129 through the Chattahoochee National Forest outside Cleveland, GA).

Have you driven a G37s Sedan? Not sure on what changed from the G35s Sedan to the G37s Sedan...Any difference between the sedan and coupe is probably due to tires.

[audtatious]

I've had a G37 sedan loaner. The tire patch of both my G's are relatively the same (225F, 245R) so there should not be much of a difference simply with 18-19" rim differences. The sedan being more butt-happy is from reading road test articles for the most part. I have noticed a difference between the two I own thus I tend to agree with the articles.

For sake of design, the G coupe has a shorter overall length by 3.9" (not wheelbase) and has a wider width (+1" overall with wider front and rear track width) than the sedan. I would think from a body-mass perspective there is less flex within the coupe than the sedan as well.

[DallasInfiniti]

Personal experience: So far I've beaten an IS350, Saab turbo, Audi S4, and went neck and neck with a 335i sedan, but couldn't beat him. My 06 330i got beat by all of the above all the time so I'm in heaven everytime I get behind the wheel of my 09 sedan. Never have had an encounter with a coupe though..

[andrewjetmitchell]

The "put you back in the seat" feeling you are feeling is TORQUE!! And with more time in between shifts the 4-door has more time to develop torque and with your fast shifting 7-speed it gets you there faster but in a different way, quicker smaller squirts so to speak. But yeah, my new G35 will put you back in the seat..and it looks like a family car. lol

[dardata]

After over a year of driving my G35 6MT I have finally found a solution to the temperamental shifting woes from 1st > 2nd. Ironically, E90 6MT drivers are having identical issues as G35 6MT owners. While reading the E90 forums I found the exact same descriptions as in the G35 forums, as if we are using the same transmission.

I found one solution in the E90 forums that completely resolved my rough shifting..."After depressing the clutch wait a split second before shifting into second gear." Now...if you still have rough shifting the split second is not long enough or too long, so adjust... Yes, this completely worked for me! I also adjusted my seating potion (I've tried many different potions since ive had the car) back to the lowest setting and slightly closer to the pedals as recommended in both forums and my entire driving experience is much more dynamic. Wow..after a year of driving and researching I finally found the most effective solution to the temperamental 1 > 2 shift! To clarify this is only required for relaxed driving and as most have experienced not necessary for spirited driving

Did Nissan/BMW keep this a secret why wasn't the required shifting style propagated the the dealers or the service manual... I guess some will continue to say some folks just simply don't know how to drive a manual, but just as many have stated, I have been driving manuals for many years and the technique to driving smoothly in the G35 6MT from 1 > 2 is almost counterintuitive, as I have never experienced this behavior in any other car.

The E90 owners also mentioned occasionally not being able to shift into 1st without going to 2nd then back to 1st...exact same issue occasionally occurs in the G35 6MT, although I consider this minor as it rarely occurs.

By the way...Does anyone know if the G35 6MT has a CDV like the E90 6MT?

Below are some links that describe the issue in both forums...

E90 6MT

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthrea ... +2nd+shift

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=369534


G35 6MT
http://www.6mt.net/forum/g35-coupe/34102-shifting.html

http://www.6mt.net/forum/g35-coupe/1608 ... ife-2.html


http://townhall.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f11d708/3

base-g37-sedan-faster-than-g37s-coupe-t467585-40.html

[R/T Hemi]

We don't flame each other here. We just like to for fun.

Never take us seriously especially me.

The reason why the sedan is faster due to the lighter weight and the better gearing. However it even feels faster due to the TCU shifting vs your shifting. The difference not as big as it feels.

What RPM are you shifting when you have issue? I would not recommend to shift in too high rpm for the brake in period. You have to brake in everything in your car not just the engine include the clutch and brakes.

Why does it matter?

As long as it runs on regular its fine with me

Telcoman

Do you run regular gas in your G35? I keep telling my wife to quit wasting money on premium and use the regular. I run regular in my car and it has been a year now without any problems.

[Amays U G37S]

Ok guys. I gotten get in on this thread here.

Ok, the 2010 G37 Journey 7AT is FASTER then the 08' coupe. Now why is that? BECAUSE THE ACCELERATION PEDAL GOES TO THE ECU WHEN U PUSH IT DOWN. Not like the 08'. Where the idiot ECU shifts, when you push the pedal down. The loaner i drove only had 4000 miles. My coupe has 44k.

For some reason the '10 only felt a little bit faster, but that is because the ecu was picking up on the acceleration quicker.

I think our "skyline's" were meant to be careful in certain situations. Like. When you are on ice, and slipping, the slip indicator comes on. When it does, and you are still juicin' the pedal, all power is stopped to the rear. Just like if you were doing a burn out.

Also the new M3's are like this. I got a buddy, his brother is a neuro surgeon. He bought the carbon fiber edition M3. Well when you begin to get s*** in it, it cuts all power. I think the same with our 08's.

Let the mods began.

[durckelg]

Wow, this thread has been going for a while.
I think rotational mass has a lot to do with the speed difference down low. A good portion of the weigh difference between an Base & Sport (whether a coupe or sedan), is in the larger rims and brakes. I have read from a standstill, 1 pound of rotational mass can effect acceleration as much as 5 pounds of non-rotational mass. Unfortunately you are giving up some low end grunt for the improved handling and braking. I do believe the loss is less than it feels, and becomes even less noticeable the faster you are going.

[roots4x]

The sedan has the same width tires and is lighter with the same amount of power. There's really not much to be confused about here. I liked my 07 G35 sport coupe but now that i'm a little older, I really like my 11 G37S 6MT sedan. I will say the added weight on the coupe is very evident. The 19" wheels and tires don't help the situation (unsprung weight).

[roots4x]

After over a year of driving my G35 6MT I have finally found a solution to the temperamental shifting woes from 1st > 2nd. Ironically, E90 6MT drivers are having identical issues as G35 6MT owners. While reading the E90 forums I found the exact same descriptions as in the G35 forums, as if we are using the same transmission.

I found one solution in the E90 forums that completely resolved my rough shifting..."After depressing the clutch wait a split second before shifting into second gear." Now...if you still have rough shifting the split second is not long enough or too long, so adjust... Yes, this completely worked for me! I also adjusted my seating potion (I've tried many different potions since ive had the car) back to the lowest setting and slightly closer to the pedals as recommended in both forums and my entire driving experience is much more dynamic. Wow..after a year of driving and researching I finally found the most effective solution to the temperamental 1 > 2 shift! To clarify this is only required for relaxed driving and as most have experienced not necessary for spirited driving

Did Nissan/BMW keep this a secret why wasn't the required shifting style propagated the the dealers or the service manual... I guess some will continue to say some folks just simply don't know how to drive a manual, but just as many have stated, I have been driving manuals for many years and the technique to driving smoothly in the G35 6MT from 1 > 2 is almost counterintuitive, as I have never experienced this behavior in any other car.

The E90 owners also mentioned occasionally not being able to shift into 1st without going to 2nd then back to 1st...exact same issue occasionally occurs in the G35 6MT, although I consider this minor as it rarely occurs.

By the way...Does anyone know if the G35 6MT has a CDV like the E90 6MT?

Below are some links that describe the issue in both forums...

E90 6MT

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthrea ... +2nd+shift

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=369534


G35 6MT
http://www.6mt.net/forum/g35-coupe/34102-shifting.html

http://www.6mt.net/forum/g35-coupe/1608 ... ife-2.html


http://townhall.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f11d708/3

base-g37-sedan-faster-than-g37s-coupe-t467585-40.html

Dude, you're just waiting for the revs to drop. OF COURSE that will be smoother. When you upshift, you need a lower RPM to match the revs. Another option would be to slip the clutch a bit and you can driver really smoothly. You might also want to try installing a clutch stop.

[audtatious]

Need to get a stock G37 sedan and stock G37 coupe to go to the track together and see what they do in the 1/4 mile. It's too difficult to compare two cars times which had different drivers and different racing conditions.