# stupid noob question--how to shift to reverse?



## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> *Push hard, left. I've seen people use two hands. *


My aunt has been having her 325i 5-spd since august 2001 and to this day she used 2 hands to put it into reverse. :dunno:


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

tgravo2 said:


> *My aunt has been having her 325i 5-spd since august 2001 and to this day she used 2 hands to put it into reverse. :dunno:  *


That would be just like my Mom. Of course, my Mom is so short that from the minimum safe airbag distance, she can't reach fifth gear without leaning WAY over. Third is apparently rather difficult, too.


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## e46shift (Oct 12, 2002)

yup like everyone says, push hard to the left. dont worry you wont break it.

but this reminds me the first day i picked up my car from the dealership. this was my first manual but i knew the reverse was all the way to the left(practiced on my friends XI). anyway it was a long 3 month wait and i guess i was pretty happy maybe adrenaline running but when i got onto the offramp and to the redlight, i accidently put the car in reverse thinking it was first. luckily my brother was following me and left alot of room behind. otherwise...:eeps: 

i like this setup because its simple and honestly not hard to push through the resistance. :thumbup:


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## Mystikal (Dec 20, 2001)

e46shift said:


> *i accidently put the car in reverse thinking it was first. *


I did that a couple months back. In the left turn lane, I was distracted momentarily, and the advance green light came on. I slammed the car into "1st" and let out the clutch FAST. Well, I stopped about a clutch stop away from the car behind me. Now THAT was a wake-up call.


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## dusterbuster (Jan 29, 2003)

Mystikal said:


> *I did that a couple months back. In the left turn lane, I was distracted momentarily, and the advance green light came on. I slammed the car into "1st" and let out the clutch FAST. Well, I stopped about a clutch stop away from the car behind me. Now THAT was a wake-up call.  *


alright, stop scaring me!!!:yikes:


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## Mystikal (Dec 20, 2001)

dusterbuster said:


> *alright, stop scaring me!!!:yikes: *


LOL, I was in a huge rush, with music blasting, with 4 passengers, in a giant snowstorm. Once in a blue moon situation. :angel:


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## 3seriesbimmer (Jun 20, 2002)

When I went to test drive a new SAAB 93 it took me 10 minutes to find the reverse. I think the dealer was wondering why I was just sitting in the parking lot :rofl: Still the strangest set up and I can't even remember how it went other than you have to pull up un the under sind of the shift knob like a trigger. WEIRD!!!:dunno:


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

I had a LOT of trouble finding reverse when I test drove a C240... TO make things worse, the car was parked in steeply angled space with large plate glass windows in front. Gave me a bit of a fright when I *thought* I had it in reverse and it rolled forward.


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## 3seriesbimmer (Jun 20, 2002)

:rofl: just proves we have no business being any other car except our Bimmers:thumbup:


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

3seriesbimmer said:


> *When I went to test drive a new SAAB 93 it took me 10 minutes to find the reverse. I think the dealer was wondering why I was just sitting in the parking lot :rofl: Still the strangest set up and I can't even remember how it went other than you have to pull up un the under sind of the shift knob like a trigger. WEIRD!!!:dunno: *


Yeah, Saab gearhsifts are particularly finnicky and annoying. Do they still make you put the car in reverse to get the key out of the ignition (that's how it was on older 900s)? I just love the simple, elegant setup of the BMW gearshift.


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## 3seriesbimmer (Jun 20, 2002)

I don't quite remember if the gear had to be in reverse or not. I do remember the ignition STILL being in the same goofy place (between the seats) and there is no more key kind of like the 7er or the benz set up infered 

oh SAAB oh SAAB what on earth are you thinking???:tsk:


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

3seriesbimmer said:


> *I don't quite remember if the gear had to be in reverse or not. I do remember the ignition STILL being in the same goofy place (between the seats) and there is no more key kind of like the 7er or the benz set up infered
> 
> oh SAAB oh SAAB what on earth are you thinking???:tsk:  *


On the other hand, they have something like the lowest theft rates in the world, since thieves can't figure out how to start them. :rofl:


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## 3seriesbimmer (Jun 20, 2002)

and don't forget one of the highest depreciation values of any foreign car on the planet


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