I've notice that when the car is still cold, putting it into 1st gear at a stop is really difficult to get through the gate. Once the car warms up, its like butter. Anyone else experience this?

Mine hardly ever shifts smooth, most especially if it's cold. And the pull on the thing, jeez ! It's like someone is underneath holding the shifter so it's hard to move around.

It's like 35 degree right now but the 40mph wind makes it a very cold day today. Maybe that's the problem.

^^ Yeah that sounds like what happens to me...not a complete stop but very very slow and its really hard to throw into first.

I will say this, I'd rather drive a tough to drive manual then an automatic any day!!!
Even in Grid lock, rush hour, traffic!! :tup:

One thing that helped me get smoother shifts is putting slight "pressure" on the shift knob in the direction you want to shift. The transmission will not let you shift until the clutch disengages. Do not use force, just light pressure.

Doing this will ensure that the shift lever starts moving into the next gear as soon as it is mechanically possible. It seems to make less noise when I do it this way, not sure why (maybe because the revs drop cleanly as the next gear engages).

I keep seeing this thread in passing and thought I would just come in and chime in...

I don't seem to have this apparent problem. :icon23: :tiphat:

Here is my second reply, when cold I take a second or two when shifting from 1st to 2nd to give the cold syncro time to smoothly accept the next gear. I have had pretty good success with this, especially slow speeds. When its warmer and higher rpms come into play I can shift faster without it cliping something on its way into the next gear.:ugh2:

The E92 335i and E46 M3 6MT's clutches are not the average German sports car clutch (I haven't driven an E92 M6 6MT yet, so I can't comment on that)...I have sold several E92 6MT, and I gotta say, their clutch is too soft...too much like the Toyota Corollas and Camrys clutches I think....it has too much give...it's way too buttery

if you want to feel the clutch of a German car, try a Porsche...I think that if you can master the clutch of a Porsche 911 Turbo, you can drive any stick...I had my 350Z 6MT back when and I had perfected clutching and shifting the 350Z, I was able to "race" the car off the line perfectly from a dead stop without over or under -revving and you couldn't feel my shifting...however, when I jumped a 911 Turbo, I thought it was gonna be the same, it took me awhile to perfect that clucth....now that's how you perfect clutching, by perfecting cluthing a Porsche...

Personally, I liked the 350's clutch much more than the 370's...I think the 350's clutch was shorter and firmer...I don't like the slight softness in the 370'z clutch...

Please don't do this. Even putting slight pressure on the knob like that while in gear can cause excessive wear in the synchros. Just take your time when shifting with cold trans fluid and give the car time to make the shift.

I think he means after the car is in neutral, in order to go into the next gear, apply the pressure, not when the car is already in gear. I have found the same thing, especially the first couple of 1-2 shifts. Just pushing toward the 2nd gear gate you can feel the moment when everything matches up right and it slots into gear, without any crunch/grind that you can get from trying to force it in.

The only problem with doing that is that you'll wear out the synchronizers quicker.

Glad I'm not the only one finding this 6MT a bit challenging to drive smoothly. At least I'm not alone. Is that what they mean by, "Cold Comfort?"

I think I'm gonna go buy A 911 so when I get my z I can drive it no problem. :driving:

Just point it downhill and keep it in neutral. Problem solved. :ugh2: