Another ebay short shifter

[M3RK]

Hey guys, so I've been looking around on some of the forums, CL, and ebay and am having trouble finding a z3 or z4 shifter so I looked at what cheap ebay options are available. From what I've read and seen the usual aluminum shifter and the BM knock-offs are pretty much junk. I'm still pretty new to the e30 so I don't know exactly how this would work out but take a look at this shifter on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-84-91-E30-92-99-E36-Short-Throw-Shifter-E30-3-Series-325-325i-325is-325e-/161241805548?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item258ac2b2ec&vxp=mtr

It's only ~$20, solid steel, and looks simple enough. I already have upgraded delrin bushings in my e30 but the shifter is way too long of a throw for me. I want a close, pretty notchy shift. Will this get me in the ball park of that? For $20 it might just be worth finding out for myself but I figured I would ask around first. For reference, I have a 91 318is with some upgraded shifter bushings and a m20 flywheel and compared to my old WRX the shift throw is a mile long lol.

TIA!

[Madhatter]

what do you define as close and notchy? If you want less than a couple inches of throw, the only option is going to be the short shifters AKG and Bimmerworld offer.

[TobyB]

I used something that looked identical to that in the race car, and it's been fine.
I don't shift with 2 hands, but I'm not always nice to it, and it's worked well enough
for what it is. I did smooth off some surface roughness on the ball surface,
and I think I drilled it out to use a solid bushing...

It doesn't shift quite as nicely as the $300 AKG one, but then, it was less than the
shipping on the AKG part. And I haven't killed my 3-4 fork yet, unlike a lot
of AKG users...

Do replace all your plastic parts if you haven't already, and grease everything, too.
(Not your knob, of course.heh. heh heh.)

fwiw,

t

[M3RK]

I guess what I was used to was a couple inches of throw and that very apparent "click-click" shift experience. But I am going to be realistic here and I don't expect a $20 ebay shifter to give me the feel of a $200+ shifter but I'm wondering if anyone a) has any experience with this shifter and b) does anyone know if this is a shifter design that would actually work similar to, for example, a z4 3.0 shifter?

[M3RK]

(Not your knob, of course.heh. heh heh.)

fwiw,

t

Haha solid advice. I guess that answers my final question regarding its durability and like you said, at that price, it probably won't kill me (knock on wood) to try it.

Thanks

[Madhatter]

I guess what I was used to was a couple inches of throw and that very apparent "click-click" shift experience. But I am going to be realistic here and I don't expect a $20 ebay shifter to give me the feel of a $200+ shifter but I'm wondering if anyone a) has any experience with this shifter and b) does anyone know if this is a shifter design that would actually work similar to, for example, a z4 3.0 shifter?

Then, as I told you, if that is what you expect, none of those is going to give you the same experience.

I've put nearly 3000 hard km's on my AKG one and I haven't had a problem with any shift forks. I could understand people running into issues if they rest their hand on the shifter at all because it's so direct, but I don't have that bad habit.