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Clutch pedal got soft at the top. For a few days it was only like that when cold, but now it's like that all the time, so I'm afraid to drive it. So now I've a brand new Clutch Master Cylinder off a 370Z sitting on my desk, but probably won't get it installed for a few weeks... assuming I can drive it to the shop.
Turns out the Z's CMC is different than the G's CMC, and doesn't have this big metal wart on it as a vibration damper. Go figure.
Clutch pedal got soft at the top. For a few days it was only like that when cold, but now it's like that all the time, so I'm afraid to drive it. So now I've a brand new Clutch Master Cylinder off a 370Z sitting on my desk, but probably won't get it installed for a few weeks... assuming I can drive it to the shop.
Turns out the Z's CMC is different than the G's CMC, and doesn't have this big metal wart on it as a vibration damper. Go figure.
Well I guess that's not surprising, sucks it had to come your way. I ended up going with the 370z CMC as well and the shop said it was much easier to install. Saved me some labor and will so in the future if it ends up going out again.
Clutch pedal got soft at the top. For a few days it was only like that when cold, but now it's like that all the time, so I'm afraid to drive it. So now I've a brand new Clutch Master Cylinder off a 370Z sitting on my desk, but probably won't get it installed for a few weeks... assuming I can drive it to the shop.
Turns out the Z's CMC is different than the G's CMC, and doesn't have this big metal wart on it as a vibration damper. Go figure.
Wow, surprised to see this. Sorry man, yet another expense. The whole 6mt drivetrain really is the weak link for this car.
Wow, surprised to see this. Sorry man, yet another expense. The whole 6mt drivetrain really is the weak link for this car.
I miss my G, but I’m glad to have moved on.
^ i'm not sure about the entire 6MT drivetrain being a weak link. aside from the hydraulic components (i.e. CSC/MC) it is generally regarded (at least not on enthusiast forums) as a stout drivetrain. the axles, rear end, driveshaft, joints, gearbox and clutch kit are pretty durable for a stock setup. no question that if there is a weak spot for the 6MT it is the hydraulics. that said, when i had my CSC replaced under warranty mine was only the 2nd CSC warranty claim the dealer had made. this was in ~2014 so they'd seen plenty of 6MT units and they also serviced Nissans so lots of 370Z's. and to be honest, nothing was really wrong with mine but based on my own paranoia from fear-mongering on this forum i had complained enough about 'strange noises' that they went ahead with the repair. the work order did state that a CSC leak was found once they dropped the bell housing. not sure if that was the case or a justification.
i paid to have the MC changed out as well. this is an important step sometimes overlooked - the CSC and MC must be replaced together along with fresh fluid.
like you, i also loved my G but i am also glad to have moved on. especially considering that within a few days of trading it in there was an electrical short and the G caught on fire on the dealership lot. it had just passed the pre-owned inspection with flying colours, and then burst into flames. some kind of crazy coincidence and i'm glad that didn't happen in my carport. after 8+ years of ownership i still find it hard to believe though, and i think some meathead at the dealer must have screwed around with something. upshot is that it's written off, never to see another deserving owner. too bad for a car with 60k miles in 'mint' shape...one of the last NA RWD 6MT sedans around.
Last edited by canucklehead; Oct 22, 2018 at 12:19 PM.
I'm pretty sure when the dealership replaced my CSC under warranty 4 years ago, they did not replace the MC. That said, I'm having my MC replaced this time around and *not* the CSC. Knock on wood. I think it might be prudent to set aside $500 for Zspeed's CSC elimination kit, and then pursue replacement down the road. Maybe in conjunction with some upgraded clutch/transmission parts, or maybe not. Either way, I don't trust the OEM CSC. Period.
^^ meh, it's no Honda MT. but i wouldn't call it clunky. certainly smoother than the G37's gearbox, and the G70 has hill-hold start assist which is a nice feature. the sweetest gearbox i've driven in recent memory was the M240i i tested. butter. G70 falls a tick behind that but is still quite good. those of us with 6MT as a prerequisite are becoming accustomed to compromise to get our desired gearbox. good enough sometimes is good enough. the G70 is much better than good enough. if only i could get it with the bigger engine...
^^ meh, it's no Honda MT. but i wouldn't call it clunky. certainly smoother than the G37's gearbox, and the G70 has hill-hold start assist which is a nice feature. the sweetest gearbox i've driven in recent memory was the M240i i tested. butter. G70 falls a tick behind that but is still quite good. those of us with 6MT as a prerequisite are becoming accustomed to compromise to get our desired gearbox. good enough sometimes is good enough. the G70 is much better than good enough. if only i could get it with the bigger engine...
I will take you advice sagely over a car review site...sometimes they are spoiled by 300k cars and forget these are real cars for real people.
Hello all, just wanted to pop in and throw in my vote for a worthy car after a G37 sedan, Lexus ISF. Just a bit of backstory, I had an 04 G35 coupe, 08 G37 coupe, and a 13 and 12 G37 sedan, all 6MT. Loved them all, fantastic cars for the money with a healthy aftermarket. Not great at anything specific, but very good in all categories. It took me a long time to step away from manuals, and I contemplated the Q50/Q60 but when they first came out the RS's were popping belts and the loss of the manual and LSD made it feel too neutered for me. I tried Lexus and I have been very happy with my 08 ISF.
The car has a bit more tech than my previous G37 sedans (front parking sensors, front headlight washers, AFS side to side and auto up/down leveling headlights, but no music bluetooth unless 10+, same as the G's). However, the car has 350whp stock, fairly easily to get 415-420whp with headers and catback. With just an exhaust and cheap summers I ran a 12.7 at 112, and it's plenty fun at autocross too, at least much more so than my buddy's CTSV2. The car lives in the higher RPM's and is quicker than you would think in the higher gears. Sadly the 1-2 gears aren't well suited for 0-60 runs just like the new RCF's, but still plenty of fun. The V8 rumble makes me smile every day and surprisingly the MPG is better than my G37's or WRX ever got, the 8 speed is actually pretty damn good, even better than the new ZF's in the Chargers imo. With the 37 6mt sedan I used to avg about 18-19, and could wring out 27mpg, the ISF gets 20-21 avg, and I can crank out 28-29 if I baby it. It helps with my commute being 25 miles one way, 80% highway. Not the main reason I bought the car, but I've put 50k on it in less than 2 years and it certainly helped. Another factor I love is that I simply don't see them on the roads. I know nearly every owner within the DC/MD area and only see them at Lexus/car events. Less than 6k sold in the states makes it rarer than the Chevy SS, CTSV2, M3, C63, etc. They do hold their price fairly well, so a clean 08-09 with 100k will still run you $19-23k, but honestly they're worth it. Mines a decade old and with 50k of my own, and 80k total nothing has broken. The 11+ ones got a vast number of improvements such as better suspension, wheels, LSD, upgraded lights and interior, but most everything can be upgraded. One weak point of the car was the lower control arm bushings, which when upgraded get rid of all of the play in the wheel and the inner tire wear, another weak point is the bottlenecked exhaust and headers. an FBO ISF runs the exact same times and neck for neck pulls as a heavier FBO RCF. With so many cars making stupid easy power these days, it's tough to find a good NA motor in a reliable platform you can easily daily drive. It sucks that it got a bad rap when it first came out as the C63 and E92M were far more attention grabbing, but the car can definitely hold it's own and was gradually improved to the point that it was equal to the M3 at VIR, and still put down better times than the RCF/GSF. Interestingly enough, again it's not a great car at anything specific(except maybe a relative low cost of ownership), but it's very good at everything. I am happy with my choice.
TLDR: ISF is a great bump in power, while being a reliable daily driver that's both rare and can still hold it's own in 2018.
Last edited by valdaviper1; Nov 5, 2018 at 11:17 AM.
No manual transmission, it's an 8 speed Aisin unit only. Honestly, as much as I love manuals I think part of the appeal for this car is the 8 speed. It can drive as an ES in normal mode, and bang shifts up and down nearly as well as DCT, certainly much better than the 7AT Infiniti still offers. Believe me, I had 7 previous manual cars but am happy with it. The brakes are oem and come with brembo drilled rotors, I simply painted mine.
As far as the quad tips, plenty of people have welded on different tips attached to the mufflers but I prefer these moreso than the new RCF/GSF style.
