Question about shifter

[Orangecar]

Hello all, This is my first post on this great forum.
I recently drove a manual 135 and almost everything about it was perfect. However, the shifter did not have a very solid feel. It felt a bit flimsy. I am wondering whether it was just this specific car that had a flimsy gear shifter, or that this is typical for the 135.
I owned an e46 330 with the performance package until August last year, and in my memory the shifter in that car felt much more solid.

[jeremyc74]

Its like that on all of them. As a matter of fact just about every newer vehicle has a rubbery feel to the shifter. They're doing it to protect the tranny from people shifting too hard I woudl imagine. The aftermarket will take care of it though.

[mrgoochio]

What was flimsy about it? Vibrations? Side to side room for movement while in gear? Notchy-ness when shifting into gear? Flimsy-ness could be a number of things.. I'm not familiar with BMW shifter assemblies, but my previous Acura utilized rubber shifter bushings. If swapped out for aluminum or other metal/hard bushings, it gives a much more solid feel. Each shift feels more precise. On the other hand, if the 'flimsy-ness' is actually a vibration problem, aluminum bushings may amplify the problem rather than help it.

[Oregon]

Well, I really would like to answer your question with contemporary experience, however, aside from the CDV fitting, the 135 shifter seems just fine after coming from a 71' 2002 with blown-out Porsche synchros, the completely mechanical clunky characteristics common to the 2002 were something you simply dealt with it, notching from one gear to another was 'the deal', de rigeur, the 135, by comparison is an absolute delight, a high-performance luxury. You kids are so spoiled.:wink:

[Kayne]

I drove a 03' Z4 and I felt that the shifter too was a bit flimsy. Sometimes I would be gear searching.

[Chop79]

I thought the shifter felt great. No problems noted.

[MZWIE]

I agree with the OP. Recent BMW mt's have a mushy feel to them. That is why SSK's are so popular with these cars.

BMW needs to take a lesson from VW. Their shifters always feel great.

[Orangecar]

Thanks for all the feedback. Changing gears felt rubbery, and the shifter itself had sort of a plastic feel to it. The three BMWs I have had previously all had a solid feel to the shifter. I guess after a while you probably get used to the shifter feel.

[JohnnyTT]

That's the way BMW shifters feel. I went from different cars to test driving some 6sp BMW's.. I quickly felt it, but then just realized they are all like that. It's just the way they are. You'll get used to real quick.