Manual transmission, shifting down to 1

fsommers · 01-08-2010, 12:46 PM

I have the manual transmission, which is great, but I sometimes have trouble shifting down to 1 from 2, as I need to when, for example, entering a parking lot or in stop-and-go traffic. I need to double-clutch to get the transmission into 1. I wonder if others have a similar issue. Is it because there is no synchro on gear 1? Not sure. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Chuck76 · 01-08-2010, 12:47 PM

Hmm, I rarely shift into first gear unless I'm stopped. If I have movement in stop and go, I stay in 2nd.

Memphis1 · 01-08-2010, 12:55 PM

1st gear is only to get you going from dead stop... if you're slightly rolling along in traffic or pulling into a parking lot 2nd gear is strong enough to keep you going.

rmorin49 · 01-08-2010, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fsommers

I have the manual transmission, which is great, but I sometimes have trouble shifting down to 1 from 2, as I need to when, for example, entering a parking lot or in stop-and-go traffic. I need to double-clutch to get the transmission into 1. I wonder if others have a similar issue. Is it because there is no synchro on gear 1? Not sure. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Yes, the tranny is fully synchronized in all 6 forward gears but as previously posted, only use 1st to go from a dead stop, 2nd gear is more than adequate to enter a parking lot. In fact if you find yourself in snow or on a slippery surface it is better to start out in 2nd gear.

GT Sounds · 01-08-2010, 02:00 PM

I never downshift from 2nd to 1st, only from dead stops or from reverse.

fsommers · 01-08-2010, 11:47 PM

Thanks for the replies. That's interesting, because I find that sometimes the engine sounds like it would prefer 1st vs 2nd. One example (at least in the US) is driving in a parking garage with those darn speed bumps - I like to cross those really slowly, and 1st seems to suite that well. Or turning into a parking garage, especially in an uphill angle. Would you also keep in 2nd gear in those situations, i.e, when you're just barely going (< 5 mp/h) ? Thanks. -- Frank

teagueAMX · 01-09-2010, 10:44 PM

Look at your tach - let your engine speed be your guild.

I believe that 5 mph in 1st gear is right around 1000 - 1200, so that means cruising very slowly in 1st gear is OK and 2nd is too high a gear at that speed. You're right - you don't want lug down the engine by driving in to high a gear.

Keep in mind that using any gear within the full RPM range of the engine is OK right up to red line, but it may be to your advantage to up shift and run your engine at a lower RPM. That being said, that's reason you have a MT so you make the choices. A tach is an interesting gadget in an automatic transmission car, but it' a tool in a MT car.

I believe that some US manufactures used to have a device in their manual transmissions to block some downshift and force an up-shift at certain rpms. It was "manual transmissions for dummies". Could be wrong but I don't believe BMWs would insult our intelligence by putting those devices in it's MTs. You should be able to downshift into 1st as easily as any other gear, but talk to your dealer about it.

Here's a couple of 'tube vids of the new Ferrari 458 Italia. Now, he's driving a dual clutch transmission, not a full MT, but you can definitely hear that beautiful engine howl as he's going through some very slow turns down shifting into some very low gears. The last one of the Z4 M Roaster and you can really hear him wind out the engine.

richard in NC · 01-10-2010, 07:54 AM

One comment to add. It was rare that I ever dropped into 1st gear except at a standstill.

One consideration in doing so is the large RPM delta. In other words, at 10mph, 2nd gear is 1200 RPM whereas 1st is near 2000. I would assume if you rev matched the shift (by using heel and toe and blipping the throttle) you'd have no problem, otherwise the synchros may not be able to assist through that much delta in RPM. It might also hurt the transmission to try and force it through it.

twin turbo · 01-10-2010, 09:28 AM

I have speed bumps at the entrance to my development (hurray!) and I drop to first all the time. No problems for me, but I am almost stopped when I do it. My only trouble is reverse. I have to double clutch almost every morning to get the car in reverse.

No more double clutching for me, picking up the new GTR today!!!

teagueAMX · 01-10-2010, 09:54 AM

richard in NC makes a good point about rev matching before a down shift.

^^twin turbo a Nissan gt-r, right. Those do the rev matching automatically for you. Nice ride.

Z4 Beemer · 01-10-2010, 10:38 AM

I think in the all the BMW's I've owned in recent years, as well as the MINI, you do need to be almost stationary or at a very slow crawl to get it into 1st gear. I think its a case of judging the traffic flow and as mentioned above, go into 2nd gear if you can.

jmpeace501 · 01-10-2010, 07:19 PM

I'm with the others, in that I'm only in 1st gear when starting from a dead stop. Usually in parking lots I stay in 2nd gear (I'm also in "Sports" mode 99% of the time, even when i parking lots), but for example if i need to let people walk in front of me then i'll go into neutral and press the brake while they walk and then once i'm ready to go again I'll go from neutral to 1st gear and stay in 1st if appropriate based on speed. But as a general rule, you should never really need to downshift into 1st gear. Practice staying in 2nd gear in parking lots and if you have to go so slow for a few seconds that you feel like you're going to stall just press in the clutch all the way and then revmatch (blip the gas a little) when you're ready to move faster again while still in 2nd gear (if your tires are still moving) and slowly let off the clutch so that it's a smooth transition, or drop down to 1st gear if your tires are no longer moving at all (i.e., then you're coming from a dead stop).

Otago · 01-10-2010, 09:21 PM

Engage 1st gear when you start the car from dead stop. At very steep inclined(uphill), engage 1st gear hold the clutch and use a little bit of gas OR engage e-bake, there’s a few second of delay when you release the e-brake while the car still on hold (jap cars don’t have this trick).

HP10bII · 01-14-2010, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otago

Engage 1st gear when you start the car from dead stop. At very steep inclined(uphill), engage 1st gear hold the clutch and use a little bit of gas OR engage e-bake, there’s a few second of delay when you release the e-brake while the car still on hold (jap cars don’t have this trick).

+1 I use 1st only when the car is completely stop

01-08-2010, 12:46 PM	#1
fsommers New Member 2 Rep 8 Posts Drives: 2009 sDrive35i Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	Manual transmission, shifting down to 1 I have the manual transmission, which is great, but I sometimes have trouble shifting down to 1 from 2, as I need to when, for example, entering a parking lot or in stop-and-go traffic. I need to double-clutch to get the transmission into 1. I wonder if others have a similar issue. Is it because there is no synchro on gear 1? Not sure. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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01-08-2010, 12:47 PM	#2
Chuck76 Private First Class 19 Rep 181 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 3.5i Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Hmm, I rarely shift into first gear unless I'm stopped. If I have movement in stop and go, I stay in 2nd.
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01-08-2010, 12:55 PM	#3
Memphis1 Lieutenant Colonel 91 Rep 1,838 Posts Drives: Z4 SDrive 35i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	1st gear is only to get you going from dead stop... if you're slightly rolling along in traffic or pulling into a parking lot 2nd gear is strong enough to keep you going. __________________
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01-08-2010, 02:00 PM	#5
GT Sounds Enlisted Member 0 Rep 32 Posts Drives: Z4 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	I never downshift from 2nd to 1st, only from dead stops or from reverse.
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01-08-2010, 11:47 PM	#6
fsommers New Member 2 Rep 8 Posts Drives: 2009 sDrive35i Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the replies. That's interesting, because I find that sometimes the engine sounds like it would prefer 1st vs 2nd. One example (at least in the US) is driving in a parking garage with those darn speed bumps - I like to cross those really slowly, and 1st seems to suite that well. Or turning into a parking garage, especially in an uphill angle. Would you also keep in 2nd gear in those situations, i.e, when you're just barely going (< 5 mp/h) ? Thanks. -- Frank
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01-09-2010, 10:44 PM	#7
teagueAMX Colonel 62 Rep 2,087 Posts Drives: Some are road worthy Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: So Cal, USA iTrader: (0)	Look at your tach - let your engine speed be your guild. I believe that 5 mph in 1st gear is right around 1000 - 1200, so that means cruising very slowly in 1st gear is OK and 2nd is too high a gear at that speed. You're right - you don't want lug down the engine by driving in to high a gear. Keep in mind that using any gear within the full RPM range of the engine is OK right up to red line, but it may be to your advantage to up shift and run your engine at a lower RPM. That being said, that's reason you have a MT so you make the choices. A tach is an interesting gadget in an automatic transmission car, but it' a tool in a MT car. I believe that some US manufactures used to have a device in their manual transmissions to block some downshift and force an up-shift at certain rpms. It was "manual transmissions for dummies". Could be wrong but I don't believe BMWs would insult our intelligence by putting those devices in it's MTs. You should be able to downshift into 1st as easily as any other gear, but talk to your dealer about it. Here's a couple of 'tube vids of the new Ferrari 458 Italia. Now, he's driving a dual clutch transmission, not a full MT, but you can definitely hear that beautiful engine howl as he's going through some very slow turns down shifting into some very low gears. The last one of the Z4 M Roaster and you can really hear him wind out the engine. Last edited by teagueAMX; 01-09-2010 at 11:10 PM..
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01-10-2010, 07:54 AM	#8
richard in NC Colonel 1229 Rep 2,602 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 35i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC iTrader: (0)	One comment to add. It was rare that I ever dropped into 1st gear except at a standstill. One consideration in doing so is the large RPM delta. In other words, at 10mph, 2nd gear is 1200 RPM whereas 1st is near 2000. I would assume if you rev matched the shift (by using heel and toe and blipping the throttle) you'd have no problem, otherwise the synchros may not be able to assist through that much delta in RPM. It might also hurt the transmission to try and force it through it. __________________ 2020 X3M non-comp, Alpine White over black : Exec Pkg, ventilated M Sport seats, 20"s 2020 M2 Comp, Sunset Orange/Blk: Orange stitching, DCT, exec pkg, bicolor rims Gone '18 M550i, '16 X4 M40i, '15 M5, '13 X3 35i, '12 335is, '11 X5 50i, '09 Z4 35i, '08 550i, 06 X3, 06 650i, '02 M5, '99 540i
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01-10-2010, 09:28 AM	#9
twin turbo Second Lieutenant 36 Rep 276 Posts Drives: 2020 M340i xdrive Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	I have speed bumps at the entrance to my development (hurray!) and I drop to first all the time. No problems for me, but I am almost stopped when I do it. My only trouble is reverse. I have to double clutch almost every morning to get the car in reverse. No more double clutching for me, picking up the new GTR today!!! __________________ 2020 BMW M340i xdrive 2016 BMW M4 (sold) 2015 BMW M4 (sold) 2014 Audi RS5 (sold) 2012 Audi TT RS (sold)
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01-10-2010, 09:54 AM	#10
teagueAMX Colonel 62 Rep 2,087 Posts Drives: Some are road worthy Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: So Cal, USA iTrader: (0)	richard in NC makes a good point about rev matching before a down shift. ^^twin turbo a Nissan gt-r, right. Those do the rev matching automatically for you. Nice ride. Last edited by teagueAMX; 01-10-2010 at 10:32 AM..
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01-10-2010, 10:38 AM	#11
Z4 Beemer Colonel 84 Rep 2,353 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive 23i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 E92 [0.00] 2004 Z4 2.2i [8.00]	I think in the all the BMW's I've owned in recent years, as well as the MINI, you do need to be almost stationary or at a very slow crawl to get it into 1st gear. I think its a case of judging the traffic flow and as mentioned above, go into 2nd gear if you can. __________________ E89 Z4 sDrive 23i... for the more discerning driver
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01-10-2010, 07:19 PM	#12
jmpeace501 New Member 2 Rep 19 Posts Drives: BMW Z4 (hardtop) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Little Rock, Ar iTrader: (0)	I'm with the others, in that I'm only in 1st gear when starting from a dead stop. Usually in parking lots I stay in 2nd gear (I'm also in "Sports" mode 99% of the time, even when i parking lots), but for example if i need to let people walk in front of me then i'll go into neutral and press the brake while they walk and then once i'm ready to go again I'll go from neutral to 1st gear and stay in 1st if appropriate based on speed. But as a general rule, you should never really need to downshift into 1st gear. Practice staying in 2nd gear in parking lots and if you have to go so slow for a few seconds that you feel like you're going to stall just press in the clutch all the way and then revmatch (blip the gas a little) when you're ready to move faster again while still in 2nd gear (if your tires are still moving) and slowly let off the clutch so that it's a smooth transition, or drop down to 1st gear if your tires are no longer moving at all (i.e., then you're coming from a dead stop). __________________ - Michael Peace ~~~ 2009 z4 30si
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01-10-2010, 09:21 PM	#13
Otago Second Lieutenant 23 Rep 244 Posts Drives: 09 Z4 sDrive 30i manual Join Date: May 2009 Location: Hong Kong iTrader: (0)	Engage 1st gear when you start the car from dead stop. At very steep inclined(uphill), engage 1st gear hold the clutch and use a little bit of gas OR engage e-bake, there’s a few second of delay when you release the e-brake while the car still on hold (jap cars don’t have this trick). Last edited by Otago; 01-11-2010 at 08:57 AM..
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