So how many transmissions have you driven?

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
tn535i
Posts: 5585
Joined: Jul 14, 2006 1:30 PM
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: So how many transmissions have you driven?

Post by tn535i »

The biggest challenge for me was learning to drive a 1 speed forward and 1 for reverse electric... it was hard not to try to shift and I really wanted something to do with my other foot and free hand. I hated it.
Mike W.
Posts: 26872
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: So how many transmissions have you driven?

Post by Mike W. »

tn535i wrote: Mar 10, 2021 2:14 PM The biggest challenge for me was learning to drive a 1 speed forward and 1 for reverse electric... it was hard not to try to shift and I really wanted something to do with my other foot and free hand. I hated it.
I'm just not an A/T guy. I don't know how many times in my wife's car, an E39 touring, with A/T, I've pulled up to a stop sign after getting off the freeway and unconsciously pushed my left foot down and went reaching for the shift lever. At which point my wire reminds me we're in HER car. :laugh:

I've driven plenty of hybrids but no straight electrics. To me an A/T is an A/T regardless if it's got one speed or is quasi shiftable.

Story. I used to meet with an outlying crew of mine once a week. I'd be driving the county supplied car, a hybrid and they thought I was sneaking up on them it was so quiet as it was often going in on battery. Then I tried to rev it up to announce my arrival but the thing wouldn't rev over 1500 even in neutral.
JohnH
Posts: 693
Joined: Jan 24, 2007 9:55 AM
Location: Surrey,UK

Re: So how many transmissions have you driven?

Post by JohnH »

MrZ wrote: Dec 02, 2020 4:11 PM I'd be interested to hear if anyone has driven a vehicle with a preselector gearbox.
A school friend had a Daimler Majestic which I used to drive often. The change pedal was where the clutch pedal usually is. It had lost its 2nd gear which meant you had to do a complicated pre-select routine twice to get it into 3rd. It was a 4sp box.

My old Ford Zephyr 6 estate Mk III had a 4sp column change, which I quite liked. The bench front seat was very useful.

MGB 4sp o/d was a great car. Wish I still had it. It still payed to double-declutch when using it.

I really do enjoy diving autos, as they are go-cart like. Left foot brake acts like a clutch away from the line and allows much quicker braking reaction when on the go.
saruma
Posts: 66
Joined: Oct 10, 2020 4:33 PM
Location: Denver

Re: So how many transmissions have you driven?

Post by saruma »

thought this thread was cool and why not add what i've driven. maybe i got the on the floor/on the tree wrong.

i'm 18 so i'm still getting there in numbers but i kinda wanted to shoot in the water. the 530i had blown shift bushings so throwing my arm in gears was an experience after my friend burned the clutch. i daily a manual, and at this point i'm really uncomfortable driving an auto. i keep using my left leg to push nothing when i drive my girlfriend's car, and i catch myself twisting my hand over the lever.

manual -
- 5 speed on floor (2002 crv, 2006 spectra)
- 6 speed on floor (2013 frs, 2002 530i)

automatic -
- 4 speed on floor (1988 535i, 2005 neon)
- 4 speed on tree (1986 k5 blazer)
- 5 speed on dash (2004 pilot)
- 5 speed on floor (1997 328ic, 2007 camry, 2006 tribeca, 2006 e55 amg, 2005 fx35, 2012 charger)
- 6 speed on tree (2012 ram 1500)
- 6 speed on floor (2016 tiguan, 2006 jetta)
- 7 speed cvt (2019 civic)
- 8 speed cvt (2016 renegade)
Rust Bucket
Posts: 109
Joined: Dec 27, 2020 1:06 PM
Location: Montreal

Re: So how many transmissions have you driven?

Post by Rust Bucket »

Most notable one I've driven was the 1983 E30 318i automatic 3 speeds 3hp22.It was a E30 btw,must have been one of the first E30 sold in Canada.
Acceleration was non-existant,slowest car I've owned,and I owned slow cars,my butt dyno tells me my 1995 Corolla 1.6 3 speeds would have won
that race !

But that car was ridiculous in the corners,being it was the lightest trim imaginable E30,and being a automatic car I did'nt have to care about shifting or wathever.I was purely concentrating on approching exit,that I gathered speed prior for two miles!That car was in great shape, and it was better in the curves than both 318is I owned before, no matter the sport suspension or wathever the "is" means.

Now I'm driving a 6 speed Scion iM hatchback(hey,I took a grown up decision okay),took me more than a year to get used to this clutch,friction point is right on the edge.I could put a block under clutch pedal only allowing 3/8" travel and it would be find.Another thing I can tell you is
Michelin Primacy are no jokes,225s on 18x8.5 made my Scion ridiculous in the curves,I give corrections here and there to unsuspecting sports cars.
Oh the shame in their faces when they see the Scion logo. :rofl:

Had fun abusing a RWD RCLB Chevy 2500 with the 6.0/4l80e.Managed to blow the torque converter.Pro Tip; keep oil level in check in those trannies.
Had much fun getting thru a winter with bald tires in the back (dont do this).Overpass or climbing inclinations were a challenge to prepare for,
momentum is a word that comes to mind.How I still have my full drivers licence is a mistery to me.You got to give gas before,and release gas before,when hooning the thing.There is delay,it's not a sport car.

Once I drove that U-Haul 17' in icy conditions,while going downhill the tranny tried to kill me when it kickeddown throwing the truck sideway.That tranny AINT smooth.Luckily I had my speed in check and it translated in one very nice two corners 180* drift.I'm not one to turn down a great
occasion and that 6.8 V10 got the job done.
Post Reply