New gearbox advice / comments please

[Lexuslover]

I know that my convertible is supposed to have the new gearbox and I've read that it is better than the previous 'box , but I find 1st and 2nd gears are very notchy and sometimes difficult to select. When I have a spare moment I'll be going to the dealers and asking to drive their demonstrators as a comparison, (and I need them to open the glovebox for me!), but before I do so, I was just wondering if my mini gearbox was 'normal' or not!

Thanks!
PS. reverse is a complete mystery to me too - do they all 'crunch' when selecting reverse?

[mjg315q]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lexuslover

I know that my convertible is supposed to have the new gearbox and I've read that it is better than the previous 'box , but I find 1st and 2nd gears are very notchy and sometimes difficult to select. When I have a spare moment I'll be going to the dealers and asking to drive their demonstrators as a comparison, (and I need them to open the glovebox for me!), but before I do so, I was just wondering if my mini gearbox was 'normal' or not!

Thanks!
PS. reverse is a complete mystery to me too - do they all 'crunch' when selecting reverse?

I thought someone said yesterday they were getting a new gearbox because of the crunching reverse

Cheers, Peter

[abs0lutely]

Hey

Mine definitely doesn't crunch - and first and second gear are easily selectable!

Hope that helps.

[Paul]

The ones I've driven have been fine.

[CelticLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lexuslover

I know that my convertible is supposed to have the new gearbox and I've read that it is better than the previous 'box , but I find 1st and 2nd gears are very notchy and sometimes difficult to select. When I have a spare moment I'll be going to the dealers and asking to drive their demonstrators as a comparison, (and I need them to open the glovebox for me!), but before I do so, I was just wondering if my mini gearbox was 'normal' or not!

Thanks!
PS. reverse is a complete mystery to me too - do they all 'crunch' when selecting reverse?

Yeah, I agree with your comments. Mine crunches when it goes into reverse unless I am absolutely certain that my foot is hard to the floor when I select the gear (my old car gave a fair bit more leeway than this). Also, first and second are quite stiff - first particularly. Sometimes, I select second, cos I can't be bothered with the effort of getting it into first!

I think I'll have a quiet word with the dealer when it goes back in to have its other faults, whoops foibles, sorted out.

CelticLover

[Carolynn]

First and second are fine but I do have a tendancy to 'crunch' when getting into reverse. The dealer actually said to me about the reverse being 'difficult' on the new gearboxes and gave me some tips, but of course, being soo excited about my new car I didn't listen.

Tends to be ok if I'm carefull and don't rush otherwise, ouch!!!!!!!!!!!

[abs0lutely]

Hmm
Crunching definitely isn't right - yes, it takes a firm push to get into reverse, but mine is nice and quiet.

CelticLover, you have to get that seen to - there's no way that's right! All the gears on mine are easily selectable.

[Wierd Bob]

First gear will occasionaly be difficult to select and also reverse crunch occasionaly. The way I sort it out is this -
If first is stiff I return the stick to neutral and clutch back out and then back in. First slips in fine then.
To stop the reverse crunch I just select first gear and then go to reverse (even if starting from neutral)
This helps avoid the issues. The problems I think are caused by the gears not always returning to the correct positions.
I haven't complained to my dealer yet as I hope the gearbox just needs to bed in.

Regards

Bob

[Lexuslover]

Thanks for the replies, and in some ways - glad to see I'm not the only one - makes me feel less stupid .

Just thought that on a modern car, with a newly specified gearbox which was supposed to be better than the previous one, that difficulties selecting gears and crunching the box unless v.v.careful was a bit out of order.

I will be bringing this up with the dealer and I'll let you know what they say - I can't believe the gears should be that difficult to engage - but then, I've not driven a manual BMW !

Thanks again.

[Rooster]

When I got my Cooper Convertable on 3/07/04, I had a problem with crunching on reverse on occassions and 2nd to 3rd was abit difficult to get in(wasnt as smooth as I expected).

I have now done just under 2,000 miles and dont seam to have the crunching problem on reverse anymore. 2nd to 3rd is smoother but im sure could be smoother? With the reverse problem,I found that you have to have the foot to the floor when pressing clutch into reverse(or any gear for that matter) then "slightly" release the clutch and gently push gear leaver to reverse and it eases in. I dont know if this is suppossed to be like this but thats what I have to do.