6 MT Question

[Jack's dad]

I have a 6MT Sedan en route and have followed the 6MT vs. DCT discussions with interest and amusement. Given that I have a lease expiring, waiting for DCT was not an option, nor was I that tempted after my experience with an SMG based E46 M3. Time will tell whether I should have waited.

My last two sports cars have been Porsches; a 911 and Cayman S. It is very common in the Porsche world to upgarde to an after-market shifter, typically a B&M. Given the concerns I have read among those who fear that the new 6MT may be too "rubbery" I am curious why I have not read a lot about people going aftermarket. Are there no good alternatives? Is there a reason why this is less common among M3 owners? I may be misreading the situation but it just appears much less common and am curious as to why. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Steve

[GewoW]

To tell you the truth, I just thhink it is simply less common. For m3 owners, and sorry to say this, 95+% of the people will not see the track, so a short sihfter is not something necessary...Yes it would be more fun in run-about-town driving also, but not as important as on the track. Most M3 owners just want a car that provides good performance, wihout ANY luxury compromises, so I would expect them just not to care. Mind you, this is a REAAAAAAALLY big generalization, and chances are most people on this board are enthusiasts, and out of everyone that WOULD actually get a short shifter, most would be board members....

My 2 cents...

[!Xoible]

i felt the shifter of the M3, i dont think it needs an upgrade at all. maybe a heavier knob, but i think they got it right for the most part.

[edlms]

been driving my baby for almost 3 months now. the throws seem just about alright, but the knob is, imho, a little to long (causing it to "give" a little, especially when going into reverse - i'm a RHD - giving it the "rubbery" feel).

been looking for a SSK (something like the Z4M kit, but nothing on the market yet. closest i've come to is AC's SSK but looks like it's a one-off for their showcar.

still searching... in the meantime, i'm changing the knob to the M-tech shorter knob to shorten the knob travel distance.

cheers

[rvacha]

The "rubbery" feel is hard to properly describe IMHO. First and foremost is that rubbery does NOT mean sloppy. Throws are short and precise and the gates are exactly where you intuitively expect them with no vagueness whatsoever. I really like the feel of the M3 shifter. Prior to delivery I had planned to get an SSK but I see no need for one now that that I have the car. In fact, I can't imagine that shorter throws would be anything but bad as the stock setup is about as short as possible (without the effort level going up). My only complaint (and I may get used to it) is that the shifter feels a couple of inches too far away for my liking

[Jack's dad]

Thanks for the input guys. Sounds like the concerns on this front may have been overblown. The fact that so few people are going aftermarket would appear to suggest that the standard shifter is just fine. Can't wait...

[OzStriker]

From a RHD perspective I find the shifter placement a little awkward, it is too low for me to use with my arm on the center console, so I end up leaning my arm across the hand brake to reach the lever. Not ideal but not a massive issue.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Jack's dad

I have a 6MT Sedan en route and have followed the 6MT vs. DCT discussions with interest and amusement. Given that I have a lease expiring, waiting for DCT was not an option, nor was I that tempted after my experience with an SMG based E46 M3. Time will tell whether I should have waited.

Steve

No firsthand experience for me until next week, but as I posted in some other threads, I spoke to a guy at Rogue Engineering, which makes some nice short shift kits. He had driven the car and said the factory got it just about right. His only complaint was that the know should be higher because of center armrest interference, but that my vary wwith the driver.

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

No firsthand experience for me until next week, but as I posted in some other threads, I spoke to a guy at Rogue Engineering, which makes some nice short shift kits. He had driven the car and said the factory got it just about right. His only ocmplaint was that the know should be higher because of center armrest interference, but that my vary wwith the driver.

when you told me this story before i did not believe it. when i saw it, i did. im very happy with the way it is. i "might" go for a shorter/heavier shift knob.
the way i drive the center console will definitely not be in the way heehhe

[Jack's dad]

I picked up on the center armrest concern a bit when I drove a demo last week. It wasn't extreme and I figure once I get the seat positioned exactly where I want it will be fine. By comparison, and obviously this will vary by person, I thought the shifter in the new Audi coupe really was positioned poorly, at least for me...

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

No firsthand experience for me until next week, but as I posted in some other threads, I spoke to a guy at Rogue Engineering, which makes some nice short shift kits. He had driven the car and said the factory got it just about right. His only complaint was that the know should be higher because of center armrest interference, but that my vary with the driver.

[SS32]

I have a UUC EVO3 short shifter and a UUC weighted knob. Together, they made a HUGE difference on my E46. I've driven a 335, so I know what everyone means when they say it has a rubbery feel, but its not really a bad thing. The throws in the 335 were a lot shorter than I had expected, but there's no harm in making them even shorter. Also, the weight of a new knob does wonders for the amount of effort it takes to shift. I can literally throw my knob from first and it'll click into 2nd. I plan on buying UUC's SSK for the M3 when they develop one and keeping my weighted knob and putting it in the M.

[!Xoible]

hey OT, but 6MT related question.... how do you guys expect to change the shift knob? the entire shift boot is the same leather as the knob, i.e. you need to change the boot with the knob.... any ideaS??

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

I have a UUC EVO3 short shifter and a UUC weighted knob. Together, they made a HUGE difference on my E46. I've driven a 335, so I know what everyone means when they say it has a rubbery feel, but its not really a bad thing. The throws in the 335 were a lot shorter than I had expected, but there's no harm in making them even shorter. Also, the weight of a new knob does wonders for the amount of effort it takes to shift. I can literally throw my knob from first and it'll click into 2nd. I plan on buying UUC's SSK for the M3 when they develop one and keeping my weighted knob and putting it in the M.

I've heard the weighted knob can cause transmission wear? Like the old advice of not resting your hand on the knob when you drive because you cause some force on the linkage that is transmitted to the transmission?

[rvacha]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

I've heard the weighted knob can cause transmission wear? Like the old advice of not resting your hand on the knob when you drive because you cause some force on the linkage that is transmitted to the transmission?

Yeah, that's what they have said for years, but I don't know if it is valid or not. I think a lot of the old guidelines/rules/collective knowledge were drawn from crappy American iron and not from new modern high tech, high quality cars. Can you imagine Toyota or Honda or BMW for that matter designing a tranny that couldn't handle it?

As for weighed knobs in particular my Cooper S has a brick for a knob, basically a solid metal cue ball. 100% stock. 100% cold as hell in the wintertime. 100% Death Valley in the summertime. If I were keeping the car, the knob would go ASAP

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by rvacha

As for weighed knobs in particular my Cooper S has a brick for a knob, basically a solid metal cue ball. 100% stock. 100% cold as hell in the wintertime. 100% Death Valley in the summertime. If I were keeping the car, the knob would go ASAP

Just dip it in that plastic coating they use for tool handles!

[edlms]

Originally Posted by mantis

hey OT, but 6MT related question.... how do you guys expect to change the shift knob? the entire shift boot is the same leather as the knob, i.e. you need to change the boot with the knob.... any ideaS??

good point, never noticed it until now...
and i've got a short knob awaiting my return from overseas...

???

cheers

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by edlms

good point, never noticed it until now...
and i've got a short knob awaiting my return from overseas...

It was the same on the E46. You just get the standard 3-series boot to use with whatever knob you like.

[JuniorDee]

Ask bmw-m-mexico he posted photos of his M and he changed his

See the pics
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111189

[edlms]

cool. thanks...

cheers

[SS32]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

I've heard the weighted knob can cause transmission wear? Like the old advice of not resting your hand on the knob when you drive because you cause some force on the linkage that is transmitted to the transmission?

I asked a guy from UUC about this. I took it with a grain of salt, considering I doubt he would say anything negative about his product, but he did make a good point concerning a knob vs. your hand. He told me that there has never been a reported case of a weighted knob causing any damage. Resting your hand on there is another story, though. A weighted knob weighs ~20oz, your hand+arm probably weigh 5-8lbs.