Living with Godzilla.

[GaToR]

Thought I'd start a week-by-week journal of my thoughts on driving the beast.

[ElZorro]

[Libra Monkee]

[GaToR]

Week 3:

This car has enormous personality. I usually drive the pickup on weekends, and since swapping out the Legacy for a GT-R, that hasn't changed.

So: every Monday is the same learning experience. It's not something I'm sure I'll ever fully get used to. Which has its pros, since its like driving an entirely new car every week.

There are just so many nuances to the car to remember. Its like prepping a light aircraft for flight.

"Out of the driveway to the second stop sign, keep it in comfort mode to keep it soft over the bumps."
"Before the on-ramp to the highway put it in Race Mode so it doesn't roll through the corners."
And so on.

Secondly, you'd think driving a transmission that 'shifts for you' would be simpler than a clutch. Think again. The gearing is really short, so you hunt for gears more often. Unlike a manual where you pick a gear for a corner and are stuck with it, you will find yourself doing a down-down-down-up. You could already be working the wheel and the gas and be shifting simultaneously. And unlike a true slushbox (or manual), you can't skip gears. Pressing the left paddle quickly 3 times means 3 quick shifts are coming, whether you were ready or not. No 6th--->3rd option available.

That's not to say its hard to find an ideal gear. Its just that there are more ideal gears. There always seems to be a greater optimum in this car.

Also, the clutch might be operated by a muscular knome inside the rear pumpkin rather than the driver, but this is not a slushbox automatic by any stretch. It is first and foremost a 6-speed manual. Unlike the 370Z, there is no upshift or downshift matching. If you're not applying the correct amount of torque on upshift or down, get ready for the usual jerk and lug associated with manuals shifted outside of the powerband.

And this car hates going slow. The transmission only shifts optimally when you are on the throttle. If you want a smooth ride, it takes a certain driving style. There are 2 basic options for your passenger: jerky or fast. My guess is most will prefer fast.

Contrary to the general notion of 2-pedal vehicles, you can't rely on muscle-memory for this car. You have to use your brain to interpret the car's actions in just starting and accelerating it.

If this is a car that 'drives itself,' why is it that every other car I've ever driven was more 'get in and go' than this one?

All that adds up to a quick lesson every single time you drive it. Never boring, for sure.

[Sabre]

Wow, it does seem like a handful! I think that the more you get to a race car like setup, the more this is true. This car is basically a race car on the road, so I suppose it makes sense.

[GaToR]

Wow, it does seem like a handful! I think that the more you get to a race car like setup, the more this is true. This car is basically a race car on the road, so I suppose it makes sense.

Yeah, in some ways I feel like James May starting the Aston Martin Vantage N24 in the "Best Driving Road" special.
It is no good for the milk run at all. For a 2-minute drive, my suggestion would be to take up walking.


Ramps, corners, and straights... that is a different story entirely.

[sirwilliam]

Yeah, sounds like a horrible situation you have there. Tell you what. I will do a straight up trade for my forester and we'll call it even. I am a glutton for punishment.

[ElZorro]

I am a glutton for punishment.

And I'm just a glutton that gets the punishment like a Python cartoon anvil.

[GaToR]

Yeah, sounds like a horrible situation you have there. Tell you what. I will do a straight up trade for my forester and we'll call it even. I am a glutton for punishment.

I'll get to the part where dating the model makes up for her bad table manners.

Today just happens to be Monday, when I have to re-learn how to drive the GT-R smoothly. Which is entertaining in its own right.

If I were blogging about it last Wednesday, you'd hear all about how its the most epically epic long-distance tourer in the history of long-distance tourers. But its not fresh in my mind anymore. Gotta wait for a good day.

[chicken n waffles]

reminds me of my sti. hated... hated being put-putted around town. lived for and purred at highway speeds. (it also seemed to relish torturing me when i was hungover, and almost seemed to enjoy throttling me around the cabin).

sounds like you have quite a beast on your hands. i'm sure you're loving every second of the learning curve associated with it.

jealous, i am.

*subscribbled*

[Katya4me]

OMG- I feel like I just disappeared and came back to another world. This is awesome.

So, do you need anyone to see how it handles on an autox course?

[schvin]

awesome. more please.

[complacent]

awesome. more please.

you should sit in the driver's seat! (permaboner)

i can't even imagine meeting at the appropriate apex of aptitude, skill and familiarity with that car. it has to be absolutely surreal.

[GaToR]

I've been in cars that can do acceleration.

Some are fast from a roll. Some start out slow and intend to go fast later on. Some accelerate faster the longer you accelerate.

But this isn't big-turbo or big-block, wheel-spin or traction-control acceleration. This is RIGHT NOW, and seamless. Just grips and goes. No hesitation, vibration, anticipation. You have no idea that spool had to occur and boost had to build up to make it happen. It's like it was bottled up and waiting to explode all along.

And this transmission knows exactly what to do when you slap it on the ass. Clunky when slow, but shifts like you can blink when going fast.


I'd describe it further, but I really can't.

So imagine being strapped to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw156YhS ... re=related



The rocket analogy is overused, for sure. But this is the first time I've ever believed that a solid-fuel motor best describes the experience.

[sirwilliam]

OLD FAITHFUL ===>>>

[GaToR]

OLD FAITHFUL ===>>>

Pix up!

I do need to add more.

[sirwilliam]

OLD FAITHFUL ===>>>

Pix up!

I do need to add more.

Dead sexy! I am very jealous.

[Mr Kleen]

So, do you need anyone to see how it handles on an autox course?

I'll pit crew!

[GaToR]

As requested.



Would you like to see more?

[schvin]

awesome shots, thank you.

[GaToR]

Just today started in new office. My commute is a little longer, but WAY more fun!

Fewer stupid stoplights, more cloverleaf-on/off-ramps. And this eats 'em up.


Major downside is that I'm in cop alley now. Got followed by 3 troopers going out to lunch today. Only drove like 6 miles total. No doubt about it: I'm a magnet.

Fortunately, there's not much reward to speeding in this car. 40 or 70? You can't feel the difference. So one eye on the avionics and you're fine.


My policy is just not to slow down for corners, give it a little gas to maintain speed, and resume on the next road. It manages brilliantly.

[scheherazade]

Look out!

http://g35driver.com/forums/northeast/3 ... heels.html

-scheherazade

[GaToR]

Look out!

http://g35driver.com/forums/northeast/3 ... heels.html

-scheherazade

I'm familiar with that guy on NAGTROC.

Being a lease, I wouldn't sweat it as much as if I owned the car. Insurance handles it, and I can argue with the leasing company that they can't hold me accountable for damage that has been fixed when they calculate the end-of-lease residual.

So I don't get stuck with a car that is 'un-sell-able'. That's my one biggest aggrivation and the primary reason I may never purchase again. Selling/trading is a nightmare, IMO.

In a nutshell, I'm not emotionally attached to the car. My only hope is that if someone is stealing my rims they eventually get caught and prison-raped. That's justice in my mind.

[scheherazade]

I'm under the impression that if you get a 'desirable' car, you will sell/trade easy.
evo/sti/m3 ... gtr , I'm sure will sell easy.
(my evo sold in only a couple of weeks, and finding interested parties wasn't a problem.)


Whereas your LGT, or my 3 series, take some effort to move.


-scheherazade

[GaToR]

I'm under the impression that if you get a 'desirable' car, you will sell/trade easy.
evo/sti/m3 ... gtr , I'm sure will sell easy.
(my evo sold in only a couple of weeks, and finding interested parties wasn't a problem.)

Whereas your LGT, or my 3 series, take some effort to move.

-scheherazade

I was more referring to a car that's been nicked. Nobody wants a GT-R with a huge CARFAX history.

I don't want to be the guy with a GT-R and a salvage title on eBay.

Leasing keeps me in a "cars are money-pits" frame-of-mind. I'm renting a fun car. There is 0% chance of taking a 50% loss on investment just because some degenerate wants to leave it sitting on its tub with the fenders caved in.