money shift = ploy for money

S

Somefakename

New Member
#1
Messages
18
Likes
0
Location
USA
#1
Just read the money shift thread in the E46 forum. It was enough to get me thinking if I really want to go ahead with my lease. I have been driving stick for about 10 yrs and have never heard of the money shift. Is this problem isolated to BMW? Has anybody heard of this happening to a G35? I am not bashing BMW, I just want to be informed before I take the plunge.
 
Kirby

Kirby

2
#2
Messages
4,917
Likes
18
Location
Reading,PA
#2
It can happen to ANY manual transmission vehicle, just to varying degrees based on the drive train. It definitely is not limited to BMW. It's more likely to happen in a 5 or 4 -> 2 shift. Why? 1st gear is *so* low that the wheels will more likely just lock up (and spin out of control and wreck the car instead of the engine [hihi] ).
 
MrElussive

MrElussive

2
#3
Messages
6,984
Likes
0
Location
New Jersey
#3
Yeah, the "money shift" is possible to do on all manual transmissions. And unfortunately, it's more likely to happen to new cars, because the owner is not fully used to the shift pattern of the gearbox. The trick to avoiding a "money shift" is not let the gear glide into place. When you are making a shift, you control the shift knob, don't let the shift knob control your hand. If you are too gentle, the shift knob is more likely to "glide" into the wrong gear and you will be SCREWED.
 
brahtw8

brahtw8

2
#5
Messages
1,129
Likes
0
Location
Milwaukee, WI
#5
Kirby said:
It can happen to ANY manual transmission vehicle, just to varying degrees based on the drive train. It definitely is not limited to BMW. It's more likely to happen in a 5 or 4 -> 2 shift. Why? 1st gear is *so* low that the wheels will more likely just lock up (and spin out of control and wreck the car instead of the engine [hihi] ).
Click to expand...
AFAIK, the reason why the money shift is usually a 5-4 shift that has become a 5-2 shift is that 4 and 2 are both located at the bottom of a standard H pattern, and the movement from 5-4 is down, left, then down, just like the movement from 5-2. If you go too far left, you may find 2.

It is also possible to do a 3-2 money shift on a botched upshift from 3-4.

1st gear is usually difficult to engage at speeds above 25 MPH or so, and the added resistance should be enough to clue one into avoiding the money shift into 1st.

As for the spinning out of control rather than wrecking the engine, the RPMs begin to climb before you completely release the clutch. You will have likely exceeded safe engine speed before the car breaks traction. In short, you may blow up the engine and spin the car.
 
Kirby

Kirby

2
#6
Messages
4,917
Likes
18
Location
Reading,PA
#6
I agree that 5 ->2 is the "accidental" money shift. My comment about a 4->2 money shift is what I call the "dumb ass" money shift. I friend of mine has a Jeep Wrangler. For some reason he likes to do a 4->2 downshift for braking. The Jeep's engine screams at him, and he thinks its OK. [8] When I suggested that it's bad, his answer was "Huh? It's a JEEP". I gave up.
 
E

epj3

Senior Member
#7
Messages
7,370
Likes
0
Location
Lancaster, PA
#7
When my friend had a old chevy blazer, the engine was so crappy that we'd be going down the road in 4th gear, he'd put it in 2nd and the wheels would go WRRRRRRRRR but the engine rpm's wouldnt move [rofl]
 
Kirby

Kirby

2
#8
Messages
4,917
Likes
18
Location
Reading,PA
#8
Hahahha, that's exactly what I was talking about when I said that the wheels could lock up and spin out the car instead of over-revving the engine![hihi]
 
daihard

daihard

2
#10
Messages
139
Likes
0
Location
Bothell, WA
#10
MrElussive said:
Yeah, the "money shift" is possible to do on all manual transmissions. And unfortunately, it's more likely to happen to new cars, because the owner is not fully used to the shift pattern of the gearbox. The trick to avoiding a "money shift" is not let the gear glide into place. When you are making a shift, you control the shift knob, don't let the shift knob control your hand. If you are too gentle, the shift knob is more likely to "glide" into the wrong gear and you will be SCREWED.
Click to expand...
Really? I usually find it a lot more natural to just let the shifter find the right spot to go into than try to *force* it in. When downshifting from 5 to 4, I just pull the shifter out of 5th onto the neutral position and gently (but fast) pull it further down without any horizontal move. I've never mis-shifted that way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


Top