So I've had El Kabong for just over 2 weeks. I now have 340 miles on him (I know not near enough, just been too busy, but I'll make up for it over winter break).
Anyway I have to use both hands to put it in R?? I thought it was just a new car thing, but it's not getting any easier. A few times I have accidentally dropped it in reverse with no real effort but can't duplicate that if I try!
I am kind of a small person 5'4" 120lbs but I've driven sticks for years and never had this problem. I got out the manual and read to be sure and cracked up at this instruction-"Press the gearshift lever towards the left. Thereby overcome the slight resistance and press forward"
SLIGHT????
Annette

 

No biggie. My wife has the same issue and she's smaller than you. She uses 2 hands all the time
And shes driven sports cars all her life

 

I wish mine were that difficult, I put it in reverse trying to go into 1st at the last auto-x I was at...Thank god I didnt lift that pedal back up!

 

I am much taller than you but I bet I have just as tiny hands... there is an technique. Slap it. Quick motion, hit it towards you. If I could show you, I would... never had a bit of trouble with it.

 

It's the reverse gear lock out that you must overcome. Slapping will help, as will "taking a running start". The natural place for the stick in neutral is below third / above fourth, grab it and move it briskly past the lock out and into reverse. Or, just do what we all do. Never go backwards.

p.s. consider getting a Whalen, the added mass of the **** makes shifts easier.

 

You need to hit the gym

 

Often putting it in 1st and then trying reverse w/o letting off the clutch pedal in between will line up the synchros and will make it easy to get into R.

 

My wife had trouble and used two hands on the test drive of the JCW. I'm wondering how it'll work for her when we get it, although she currently prefers to let me drive everywhere, maybe this car will change that some.

 

Actually... I just noticed your location. If you come to a Atlanta MINIs event before you get the hang of it, I'll give you a lesson.

 

I'm glad to see it's not just me and mine!
Jenn, I'm going to try to get to the Atlanta MINIs Toys for Tots at 5 seasons (I'm really dying to try a couple of the beers!) so if you're going to be there let me know!
Thanks,
Annette

 

We're also two weeks in with our MCS, and the only problem we have getting it into reverse is that we're used to reverse being where 6th is! If you throw it into 6th at a standstill and let the clutch out, you don't go anywhere, you just stall it! Seriously, if you can't get it into first with one swift motion toward your leg and then forward, it may need to be adjusted. There is no way it should require anyone to use two hands.

 

They're talking about reverse taking two hands, not 1st...

 

Nah, many women have trouble with reverse in minis and BMWs. A friend of mine has an E36 M3 and she is not a small girl but she still needs to use both hands to get into reverse. I've driven the car and there's nothing wrong with it, they just engineer a rather stiff shift gate. I'm sure a brawny German fraulin has no trouble with it!

Michael

 

I guess I need to make an instructional video.

I've driven many 6-speeds and many different MINIs and never had the slightest problem. You just don't shift it like you would a 5-speed, you don't hold gear shift and put it into place.

Try it some today. Slap gear shift with your right palm towards you, follow through and push it up with your palm.

I think a lot of women are afraid to be a little aggressive with their cars. Don't be, you won't break your shifter off in your hands.

 

I struggle with reverse in my Cooper

I'm also 35 lbs lighter than bocron, and probably have half the strength my miata's snappy gear box made it near impossible to put in reverse for me. I just never backed it up

 

Yeah, but in the Miata you can pop the clutch in first and spin it so you don't need reverse

I agree with the "slap it around" method as well. My '84 Fiero had reverse top left, and I would quickly run the shifter into third to sync everything up and then slap the shifter to the left and palm it up into reverse. I haven't had any problems with the MINI, but I can see how if you were tenative it might not go into gear correctly. I would consider having it checked out next time it's in for service.

 

Just let the car roll a few inches forward/aft and you will be able to get it
in Rev without using so much force (collars in the gearbox will line up).

don't use force.

If you are parked in a flat location where the car will not roll, use either
1 or 2 or 3 to roll the car a few inches.

 

This was my first 6 speed car and I too had some trouble getting it into reverse at first. I'm at 2400km now and find it has softened a little...just like all the gears. 6th is still a little stiff...more driving required

 

I made a similar post when my MCS was new. At that time someone also suggested just using the slapping motion mentioned here today. After nearly two years, that's what I do, you just get used to putting it in reverse with that one quick motion. I've accidentally hit reverse instead of 1st in a couple panic (about to get hit situations) so the lockout is a good thing. If you just push it to the left, it is much much tighter.
Slap it, slap it, slap it.

 

I realize I'm a big guy, but I wish mine were a little tighter, like my 325 was. I've almost dumped in R twice while being in a hurry because of some fool that acts like he can't see me.

I think my first mod is going to be a .50 cal machine gun.

 

OMGosh! Does that bring back memmories! '84 Fiero 2M4 4 sppeed. Move the shifter to neutral, Ready hand near passenger seat, Get a running start, slap, and jab up into reverse. That car had the best Sunroof I have ever had. MIB doesn't have a Sunroof

 

You can try a short shifter and the engagement will be tighter.

 

It's a bicept thing

 

I will need to see a full length picture of you to correctly diagnose the problem.

But what the others have said is correct. Even though it is a new car, don't baby the shifter when trying to engage reverse - push it up and to the left like you mean it!

 

Damn straight. It was a hand-me-down car that my father bought new. By the time I got it he'd put 157K miles on it. When I traded it in it was at 220K miles. Great car, dispite it's faults and little issues. The final nail in the coffin was when the radiator gave out on me in 1998! I decided that I should finally make the jump since there were several other things that were in need of repair at the time.

Every time I see a Fiero on the road I think back to that car. I swear that if I found an '88 GT on a used car lot somewhere I'd be hard pressed not to go home with it! If only it hadn't gotten such a bad rap the first few years, we'd still have them around today. The next version was getting set up for the Corvette engine as an option!