My next mod (after I get the RJM pedal assembly installed) is for sure going to be the Z1 urethane trans mount. After installing my TWM short shifter, it's hard to get into certain gears while driving spiritedly. I know it's not alignment of the actual shifter because it's smooth as butter at a standstill. It's crazy how much movement you can see of the **** when you get on power / lift. The oem mount must be mush. Seems like the urethane doesn't add crazy amount of NVH like a solid mount would. We'll see if that cures my shifting issues or if I will need to do motor mounts too.

 

Yes! LOL, but it feels like something just lined up here, and you nailed it.

The poly trans mount might be the perfect compliment to a STS for these cars. If you get a STS, first (or part & parcel) upgrade the tranny mount to poly or aluminum. I'm thinking poly, because I'm not a masochist.

4DRZ?

 

From all accounts, solid mounts will rattle your panels off, you fillings out and make you hate life.
So yeah... Urethane is the way to go. Lol

 

Yes, stay away from a solid mount. Even the rating of the urethane makes a big difference. I had a 370Z and noticed the same issue so I ordered a Drop Engineering urethane trans mount. It vibrated so loudly that it literally sounded like someone removed my entire exhaust system. Never heard anything like it. As a result, I was a little skeptical ordering the Z1 trans mount that was also urethane. Surprisingly, it was not nearly as loud and almost unnoticeable with a cat back exhaust.

Not sure how much louder it will be with Z1 or CZP motor mounts though. Anyone use these yet?

 

Yes that does sound like me! I'm glad I did as the single stage red paint fades and stains like crazy - I need to take a buffer to it like every other summer but it keeps it looking like new.

 

Since our shifter is mounted to the tranny and not the body, I can't see how shifter bushings will help your shifting issues.

On some cars, the shifter is mounted to the body and those cars will benefit from stiffer bushes as it reduces the flex between the shifter and body. (most front wheel drive comes to mind)

Some gearboxes you can be gentle with and some you can't.
The G37 gearbox seems to work best when not being gentle. It takes a bit more force to get it to do what you want.

 

Seriously? Was that actually your Toyota at Kodak R&D on Lake Ave and the Ridge 20 years ago?



That's freaking hilarious. What a small freaking world.

 

It was more than likely me though I remember another red MR2 that was occasionally in the same lot for a time.

Small world indeed!

 

Shifting on the 1-2 shift is smoother if you avoid short shifting. Shift at no less than 3000 rpm for a smoother shift. I also use the clutch spring mod. It helps.

After all of these years of owning my 6MT sedan I still cannot find a suitable replacement car. This car offers so much for the money. I love the look over some of the German sport sedans but fear the reliability over the long haul. My brother has a lot of little issues with his 335i M Sport but his car looks awesome with that appearance package.

 

I hear you. I love my 335 e93 and e46 but they are very expensive cars to maintain/repair. This is part of the reason I'm looking to replace the e46. And as others have pointed out I think the g37 will be a significant step up performance wise from my 328i.

Just this past summer my brother was looking for a used low mileage 2 seat convertible as a summer toy. He had his sights set on a used, out of warranty, BMW Z4. I actually talked him out of it (based on repair and maintenance costs) and instead found him a 2010 370Z with less than 7000 miles that was locally owned. He couldn't be happier with it!

 

Over a 1999 328i? Absolutely. Then again, that BMW is a full 700 pounds lighter than the G Sedan. 700 pounds is a *massive* weight difference.

The thing about the G37S 6MT that I find so appealing is the sleeper quality to it. G Sedans are a dime-a-dozen. But a proper 6MT Sedan, with worthy sportscar options direct from the factory, and a few simple bolt-on mods... you end up with a personal and unique experience.

In your world, I suppose the analogy is owning a 335is. Unique and worthy, yet still indistinguishable at a casual glance from the 3-series that litter office parks.

That said, the G you want will have LSD. The 335is... nope.

 

The only car I thought about other than a G was the N54 versions of the 335i or 535i. 535s are impossible to come by with a manual and the options I wanted, and the e90s that have the n54 are a bit fugly, especially out front. Also, out of warranty turbo BMWs that I would want to tune considerably seemed like a recipe for financial ruin. They are fast AF, though. My buddy just got a 1M Coupe, and with a few bolt-ons and tune, that thing SCREAMS.
The G is not as fast and takes a LOT more money to get even in the same ballpark (mods do VERY little when you're used to turbo cars). But they have good bones (BBK, LSD, hydraulic steering, 6MT, gorgeous exterior / interior *IMO, killer exhaust note *IMO), so I'm happy with the car. Even though it's nowhere near as fast as a turbo car could have been with the same $ in mods invested,its still a great bit of fun.

 

He is talking about the transmission mount and not shifter bushings. He's right, it is very difficult to shift smoothly when your transmission is moving around due to a factory mount about as solid as a gum drop.

 

^ this
It's hard to get it to go into gear at a certain location when the entire transmission shifts around and that location is constantly moving.

If I'm driving along at neutral throttle and hammer it, I can watch the **** move back 1/2 inch. Then when I let off, it moves forward an inch. And if I clutch in, it will move back a 1/2 inch to where it started at "rest".
With a short throw shifter that has the movement tightened up, it makes for some craptastic shifting.

 

Wow... That seems like a lot of movement. I will make a note of how much my shifter moves in y 2011 G37 tomorrow...