Merging into heavy traffic yesterday, I shifted quickly from first to second and... the shift **** came off in my hand! After I had shifted to third, I slapped the **** back into place with the heel of my hand. It feels like it's secure now, but it felt secure before.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is the shift **** made to be removed this way? I've seen turn signal stalks work that way on other vehicles, but it was a little disconcerting to have that happen while driving,

 

Happened to me the other day actually. Came off and I just popped it back on. Hasn't happened since.

 

You are shifting too hard, use your wrist:p I've actually had it happen to, the shifter is held on by a clip only- a strong clip!

 

The stock **** will do that. It's just pressed onto the shaft and held in with little clips. However, like someone else said, you're shifting unnecessarily hard if you're yanking it out. Just let it glide into place!

 

I guess I don't know my own strength! LOL!

 

That happened to me while test driving an '08 MCS. It was alarming.

 

When I told my SA about it happening to me, he said it was designed to be removed this way when being serviced. Just be gentle with it.

 

Ripped mine off during my first autocross.

Taught me to relax...

 

Hmmm, that sounds familiar...

 

This one locks in place if anyone is interested in an upgrade.

http://www.cravenspeed.com/mini-and-bmw-shift-*****/

 

This is no personal stab, as prices on those things seem high everywhere no matter the brand but..... I would LOVE someone to definitely explain exactly how an aftermarket **** performs $100 better than the stock one lol.


On topic: You fools stop shifting so hard! lol. The only time this has ever happened to me was when the c clip in an old shifter was actually missing.

 

My whole **** did not come off.... just the very top plastic piece popped off leaving me with an uncomfortable jagged half-****... the plastic locking tabs broke on the two piece shift ****. I glued it back together using thick impact resistant CA. Next time it breaks I will get one of these Craven *****.

 

Supposedly the heavier the **** the easier it is to shift as the inertia helps throw the lever into gear.

 

to an extent. You can have a weighted **** that's too heavy and it really muds up shifts and doesn't feel right. Weighted **** on a friends stock 240SX shifter really felt like crap. Weighted **** on the B&M Short throw on my old cavalier was a night and day difference from the stock and I'd never use that one without a weighted ****. It's not universal from car to car and lever to lever. But still yet, if for weight reasons alone, how would $100 for a **** make sense?

 

Not sure, I drive an automatic now On the manual R50 that I had it had some crappy autozone shifter on it. I bought a stock **** and put it on and it felt much better in my hand.

 

boooooooooo
BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
Shame on you!

lol I kid i kid.

 

A pucker moment indeed. I once was driving my buddy's vintage 'Vette (which was a little tatty, to say the least, and the steering wheel came off. Luckily I was going about 5 mph and was able to stop...

 

I think the moral here is that it could always be worse....

 

Sometime you hit yourself in the face pulling them off or worse. Sounds like you guys really shift hard. Nice vid injected. Could be worse.

 

I didn't like the stock **** on my R53 because it felt too big, so I got an aftermarket ****. I didn't like the stock **** in my R60 either (feels cheap and not crazy about the shape), so I'm still using the aftermarket ****. For something I touch multiple times on every drive, it's definitely worth it to me.

 

I'm not saying a shift **** isn't worth upgrading, just saying there's no way enough R&D goes into a damn **** at the manufacturer to charge the customers $99 for a ball/clip.