[NM_BMW]

Originally Posted by cpippolo

I haven't had problems with grinding, but the shifter is pretty clunky. I miss my RX-8 shifter. That said, I would never go back. I enjoy the torque too much. I think the shifter is the only weakness the car has (OK, Nav and audio maybe not the greatest). I've adapted to it so it no longer bothers me much, and it slows the shifts only slightly once you are used to it. The car provides the best combination of luxury and perfromance out there if you lean towards perfromance, so you wont be sorry.

+1 I've never had grinding. Just difficulty shifting to 2nd quickly.

[PKumarM3]

could be the synchros being worn

i have an 09 LCI 335xi and I have 0 issues.

you can swap trany fluid to mask the grind but thats just doing more bad than good.

[jgalaxy]

The transmission leaves something to be desired. Coming from a Nissan 350z MT this thing feels like shifting a wooden mixing spoon through christmas cake batter. Easy to mis-shift and grind out during high RPM shifts. 1-2-3 biggest culprits. But as a daily dirver its perfectly fine.

[pdjafari]

god the grinding from 1-2 happened again, I notice it mostly when I try to shift quickly...when im subconsciously doing it vs when I'm concentrating on not grinding....

[bimmerFUD]

I love my 6MT, with no mods. Maybe I just got lucky, but I never understand these threads talking about grinding, being clunky, etc. It could be that I've driven MTs for 30 years and I've driven some really bad ones and not many good ones.

[mitchius]

I've also driven MTs for 30 years and I find 1-2-3 borderline acceptable (especially 2-3) but I'd still take it over an auto any day

[lauer87]

I can honestly say that my 6 speed has none of the "grinding" issues mentioned in this thread. I think the car shifts pretty damn good personally, and that's all that matters.

[willie55912]

Has anyone checked the differents gear ratios between a non XI and a XI? I have owned several different AWD cars...Porsche...Audi..and now BMW and it seems you have a "stump" puller gear from 1-2 in all of the AWD cars with manual trans. I will admit....I had a 92 BMW 320is....and the manual in it was much better than the current cars. The feel in my 325xi has gone more Audi like....rubbery....and less direct feel when shifting.

[pdjafari]

ok so it seems like when my car is really cold, the grinding happens...WTF....after about 3 min it doesnt happen anymore...

I'm also not sure its 'grinding' but its more like a 'buzzing' sound when I try to shift into 2nd. It goes into 2nd but the shifter buzzes/rattles almost...not grinds

[NM_BMW]

Originally Posted by pdjafari

ok so it seems like when my car is really cold, the grinding happens...WTF....after about 3 min it doesnt happen anymore...

I'm also not sure its 'grinding' but its more like a 'buzzing' sound when I try to shift into 2nd. It goes into 2nd but the shifter buzzes/rattles almost...not grinds

This is probably due to the tranny fluid being cold. After it warms up it shifts better. I had the same issue in my Evo.

I think I'm going to change my tranny fluid around 15k and see if that helps with anything. I doubt it, but we'll see.

[bimmerFUD]

Originally Posted by Humtek

This is probably due to the tranny fluid being cold. After it warms up it shifts better. I had the same issue in my Evo.

+1 This happens with every MT I've ever owned.

[cycler]

Originally Posted by HERR FSTIR

I have never encountered this problem (September 2008 build e92 335xi)

My only complaints with the 6MT are long throws (sort of fixable with SSK), a little rubbery feeling, and presence of CDV (fixable).

The suspension setup on the xdrive models is more of a problem than the 6MT (also fixable for $2K).

DO a CDV mod $50 and to get rid of that crappy shifting you are talking about I would suggest a UUC short shift kit. It totally changes the shifting dynamics of what you feel especially going from 1st to 2nd

[carrabassett786]

mines fine but I have test driven some horrible ones... I think the 07's are much smoother than '06s though.

[tizzyd]

my car never grinds, but sometimes it is a little hard to put into second coming from first when the engine is cold, but i never have problems when shifting fast. I have the M Sport shift knob, and that made a lot of difference, the shifts feel alot tighter. The only thing my car does is it sometimes is reluctant to go into reverse when i start it up in the morning. It never happens other times, just when the transmission fluid is cold.

[Xi021]

yep i feel the same thing going into 2... i think my car just doesn't enjoy 2 gear. 3rd is where the car really shines, passing and rolling starts... i know its not as fast or tight as an i, but i love it... it fits me.

[scooby9]

It could be synchros. 2nd is really a heavily worked gear. My 2nd gear is tough to get into sometimes but I just live with it...

[Xi021]

Originally Posted by cycler

DO a CDV mod $50 and to get rid of that crappy shifting you are talking about I would suggest a UUC short shift kit. It totally changes the shifting dynamics of what you feel especially going from 1st to 2nd

ummm sorry, whats a CDV?

[LZM Ray]

Originally Posted by Xi021

ummm sorry, whats a CDV?

http://www.zeckhausen.com/CDV.htm

[Xi021]

thanks for the link, it explained alot. i'm hesitant to work on my car myself, i don't have the right tools or experience, if i get a modified cdv from this site where can i get it installed?

[rroof]

I also came from an RX-8 with about the best shifter ever and a carbon fiber driveshaft.

I never experienced any grinding, but didn't like the longish, rubbery feel. The CDV delete helped a lot with driving smoothly as did the replacement to the M-sport shifter. It now shift acceptably to me (I'd do the UUC, but I also have a 335xi), but still nothing like the RX-8 (of course, it has 3 times the torque to handle as well! So, I don't need to shift as often

[LZM Ray]

I still havent gotten mycar yet but quick question

1) how does this grinding sound/feel like? does it hurt the car badly?
2)i am new to manual transmission would i feel the need to do a CDV? or would i be oblivious to how it should feel without a CDV delete mod?
3)being a new MT driver would i know im doing something regarding the grinding you guys speak of in 1st -> 2nd?

and honestly the CDV mod looks VERY hard lol i definitely cannot Do it bymyself.

[pdjafari]

I think im mistaken, my car isnt grinding. What seems to happen is my shifter buzzes when I shift from 1 to 2 occasionally, almost like its not quite all the way into 2. Not sure whats causing it, but it seems when I speed shift (quick shift) from 1 to 2, sometimes it doesnt quite fall into place so it buzzes and makes a buzz sound and vibrates the shifter. The actual tranny makes no noise or grind...