G37 transmission/general questions from potential owner

[cervelo]

Hi-
I am an enthusiastic driver with little experience with performance cars. I have a Mazda6s, which is a very good car and fun to drive, but it's getting old and so I am shopping for a new one. I have driven a bunch of nice cars in the last few weeks--Volvo S60 T5 and T6, Acura TL, BMW 328, the new Mazda6 (still a nice fun car and in my opinion a real bargain), and the Infiniti G37x. The Infiniti was the standout in my opinion. I have been reading about it and have seen several comments critical of the auto transmission--that is has to "hunt" for the right gear and that that is annoying. I didn't notice anything like that on my test drive and was actually pretty much blown away by the car.
Do the G owners find the transmission to be a weak point? I only have one friend with an Infiniti, a 2007 G coupe, and he just loves it and has no complaints.
Thanks a lot for your thoughts.
Mark

[WAldenIV]

09 model year and newer seem fine to me based on loaner cars I've driven.

[370Z/28]

My '08 was jerky on downshift and bogged the engine a lot. Either get a manual or a newer model.

[cervelo]

Thanks to both of you. That is very helpful. I am considering a new one so it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem.

[370Z/28]

Good luck on your purchase. You will love the car. Post a pic when you get it.

[Amays U G37S]

I have no problem with my transmission 2008 infiniti G37 Sport Coupe. It is the 5 speed transmission. 2009 models and up have 7 speed transmissions.

370z/28 meant was that the transmission engine brakes in lower gears, and you can feel the torque, and it braking, a lot. It's not bad, and it doesn't ruin the experience of driving the car, however, people say that the transmissions on the 5 speeds, and 7 speeds, are jerky in lower gears. There has been a fix for the 7 speed transmissions, but I seriously think the clutch in the automatic is very stiff. If you have ever ridden in a 240sx, when the car shifts, it is similar to a transmission upgrade (automatic transmission shift kit), which pushes the car forward when you shift. The G37 is the same exact way, and that's why I think you get the jerky low gear. It is performance based transmission, so the effects of it are a little different from a regular transmission in a camry, or little nissan. Or similar to the new ford transmissions, which is the same affect of 'surging' you forward.

Do not buy any year model under a 2008. 04-07 have oil consumption issues. Not all of them, but something to look out for, if you are buying an older model.

~25k miles on each clutch, everyone is saying. That is why I bought an automatic, the clutch goes out to fast. But, one thing about the G is that the clutch is very soft. Super Soft. I haven't driven a stick in about 2 years, and I had NO problem getting around in a stick shift G37 sedan.

My 5 speed is great. But you will save more gas with a 7 speed. So its up to you. Either way, if you buy a Manual, prepare to change the clutch frequently. I am not a transmission expert, this is just what i've heard and experienced.

[Kendahl]

Only 25k miles on a clutch? My G37S is at 38k and counting. It replaced an RX-7 which had 180k on its original clutch. We used to have a Honda Civic that needed its clutch replaced at 130k because dirt and corrosion on the pilot shaft was interfering with the clutch releasing. The clutch, itself, was still good. We still have a fourteen year old Subaru with 221k on its original clutch.

Slipping is what kills a clutch. When the clutch is fully engaged (i.e. your foot off the pedal), there is absolutely no wear. If you never had to shift or start from a stop, your clutch would never wear out. To minimize slipping, learn how to match revs when you shift and don't apply a lot of power until your foot is entirely off the pedal. Starting from a stop is the worst because slipping is necessary to avoid stalling the engine. Use just enough power to avoid stalling and get your foot off the pedal as soon as possible. The idea is to get the car moving with minimum wear on the clutch. Once you are rolling with your foot off the pedal, it won't hurt the clutch to apply full power.

[audtatious]

Only issue with the 5AT's I have is a somewhat slow 1-2 shift. 2-3 is nice and tight. I will end up getting the shift points adjusted once I get a tune on my Cobb. The only other time I can get them to "hunt gears" is when accelerating, get off accelerating, stomp the accelerator again...it can get lost trying to figure you out.

[370Z/28]

Slipping is what kills a clutch. When the clutch is fully engaged (i.e. your foot off the pedal), there is absolutely no wear. If you never had to shift or start from a stop, your clutch would never wear out. To minimize slipping, learn how to match revs when you shift and don't apply a lot of power until your foot is entirely off the pedal. Starting from a stop is the worst because slipping is necessary to avoid stalling the engine. Use just enough power to avoid stalling and get your foot off the pedal as soon as possible. The idea is to get the car moving with minimum wear on the clutch. Once you are rolling with your foot off the pedal, it won't hurt the clutch to apply full power.

Great information. I don't know why I really never looked at it that way. I can go through the gears very smoothly. I'm going to focus more on getting the clutch in and out is quickly as possible. I've never worn out a clutch, but I rarely keep a car over 30k miles either.