I ask Santa Claus a new toy, well he was late this year but he did not forget me!!!




he bring me a short shifter for my r56. I should install it in spring . If any of you need different angles pictures or have question about the build quality let me know, I will be happy to take more picture and answer yours queation.

 

How does this one compare to the CAE? There's a local dealer, I think the only authorized importer in the U.S. I've always been interested in the CAE, if the quality and cost are comparable, I'd start looking at something like this again.

 

from discusion on facebook, there is one guy that own 3 CAE shifter and he try the coolerworx shifter. He feel that the coolerworx shifter is a updated shifter of the CAE. It is almost a clone. The only autorised dealer for coolerworx is in Canada. There use to be a dealer in US but he is no more a autorised dealer from what I learn and he did not reply any of my email. The coolerworx is cheaper than the CAE.

 

 

I'll be interested to see your installation and how you go about it. I've looked at this and another one very similar before, but have yet to see it in a 3rd Gen Mini.

 

I got a special price from coolerworx canada. He told me that they are the only represntative in america. I will pm you !

 

I have been observing the Coolerworx for a while now with interest. It is little doubt it is a very close clone of the CAE, at lower price. There are very little usage experience feedback. For me before committing with the CAE and Coolerworx I want to know how much longer the shift **** is compared to stock. From many photos I reckon it elevates it may be by about 3 inches max. I am not crazy about the other short shifters as most, if not all, lower the shift **** to reduce gear shift displacement.

I want higher shift **** so it is closer to the right hand holding the steering wheel. I also like shorter shift displacement, within reason only if I can shift faster on the track. Shorter shift displacement does not always mean faster shift, if you know what I mean.

Here is one update post from MartijnGizmo on Minitorque with a video of he running thru the gears with the engine off.

The street price of the Coolerworx in the US is about $712 shipped.

It would be really helpful if the OP can provide his honest experience with it.

 

$712 is awful high for a shifter, but it beats the $1100 for a CAE that ECS now carries. Looks like it would make for a cleaner installation too.

 

I don't see it being a cleaner installation as it is a nearly exact clone. The things that I notice is the addition of two nuts to lock the shift lateral limit. It can be seen as good or bad without first hand side by side comparison.

 

 

This is what I meant by cleaner. The Coolerworx doesn't have the girder-like tower that requires chopping up the console.

 

I must be missing something. I cannot see the difference in the need to cut up the console. Your Mini's model year may vary.

Coolerworx in a R53 - very nicely cut





my post on these two shifters


Coolerworx


CAE

 

$1039.00 from ECS.

 

CAE sells the cable cassette separately for circa $100 which you must have for Mini. Some vendors do not bundle together into the price.

 

 

I am not familiar with this model year. It does appear to me the installer may have shifted the cable box and hence the entire shifter rearwards. You have to scrutinize closely to see it. You may be able to do this as you no longer use the OEM plastic cable box.

 

I have been thinking of getting one a long time. I have done a lot of research and now my mind is made up, after comparing the two videos that I made against that of MartjnGizmo's over at Minitorque. His video, compared to that of mine, really helps me knowing precisely what to expect.

Since I am in no hurry getting the shifter in my hands I reached out to them for a group buy discount.

I updated my thread with the three videos.

 

I agree the stock shifter is horrible. Are you just looking to crispen up the shifts and remove the slop?

In the video you posted it seems like there is a lot of tension on that shifter that would make quick shifts hard (all my opinion of course). I have the CravenSpeed SS and I absolutely love how it shifts. There is no slop what so ever in that shifter

 

I didn't want to belabor what I am looking for too much. My post of my quest started here. I have rejected the idea of all shifters that retain the use of the stock plastic parts. These are contributors to the vague feels of the throw. As long as the design retain the same pivot point the reduction in throw displacement has to come from lowering the bottom ball of the shift stick, which means you cannot put the cover of the cable box back on.

I want to reduce the throw displacements, improve the snap action tactile and audible feedback. I am quite convinced that to achieve all these, a shifter that is designed from the floor up like the CAE and Coolerworx is the answer. They raise the pivot point, significantly reduce slops everywhere, raises the shift ****, and have a stronger and stiffer metal structure including the cable box.

It would be nice if you can post a similar video on your shifter.

 

Cool, I was just curious. I have the complete opposite desire than you so its neat to see the other side

I want short, so that long shifter is something that wouldn't appeal to me. If that's what you want, by all means, buddy, go for it! It will look great and Im glad you found what you are looking for.

Im sure I can snap a video for you, no problem!

 

An advantage of the 3rd Gen cars is we don't need the box covering the shift linkage because it's all under the console. When I installed a CS short shifter on my R56 i had a cover made by Detroit Tunes (I think) installed to protect the linkage.

 

I don't think our goals of improvements to invest in labour and money for a short shifter are all that different, may be with the exception of long shaft height and how much one is willing to alter the otherwise intact center console. When you say you don't want long, I suppose you mean the shaft length. It sound like sour grapes to me, as any short shifter that retains the factory plastic point cannot achieve this.

The point of long shift shaft is to reduce the distance from the steering grip to the gear **** if that isn't too obvious. To achieve both long shaft length, shot shift throws, minimal slops, crisp snap tactile, a from the floor up design and construction is the best solution at the end of the day. There is one rarely mentioned down side of the common short shifter is by lowering the bottom ball so much that you are pushing and pulling the cable at a severe angle. If I not mistaken, these short shifters only reduce the fore/aft throws, but do not reduce the left/right travel.

BTW, this photo does not show the more severe angle of the cable, which happens when the shifter pushes the cable to the other direction


For most, the biggest obstacle of willing to go with the CAE or Coolerworx is the higher cost, but more important the willingness to cut up the console and may be the boy racer look. Trust me, I struggled with these a long time but my mind is made up as it will make driving the Mini that much more fun.

 

Good news for all of you interested on this shifter. Go see on facebook for coolerworx canada. . . He is the contact for coolerworx in north america.

 

With the CS adjustable short shifter all the linkage connections are within the console. I wish I had taken pictures when I installed mine. The bracket that the pivot point is mounted to is raised about 1/2 to 3/4 inches with bushings which keeps the angles consistent between stock and the CS. Also have a precision two piece metal pivot clip to replace the nylon unit. The combination of the CS shifter, Pro Clip, and S4S Billy Club **** works very well for me. I do like the CoolerWorx, but as you said, the price and hacking of the console required turned me off. That and the fact that I already had the shifter installed before discovering the CoolerWorx.