shifter / shifting dissatisfaction

[petee c]

2001 Boxster S with 43000miles.

I've had it for a week, driven it a few times (only temp tag, waiting for Ontario Plates). So I'm not too used to it yet, or figured out what's normal, what's a fault.

I had a vibration (mostly in the front steering wheel) Thought it might be motor mount, (due to my shifter not always 'schnicking' into gear). However, now after a bit more driving, the vibration is definitely speed related, and gets noticeable at speeds over the 75mph mark, so coupled with the fact that my front tires are worn (won't pass safety) I believe the tires are out of balance and old. A new set of 4 Hankook Ventus V12's coming in a few days.

I've got a enthusiast front motor mount coming from Pedro, and hope that will solve a bit of the issues with the shifter (slight vibration when starting the car in the morning, but doesn't happen all the time) I don't get any crunching sounds, or metal-metal sounds so maybe my mount has a torn rubber bushing, but hasn't completely failed yet....

The shifter just requires more force than my wife's 2003 Honda CRV 5 speed, or my 2002 Jetta 1.8T 5 speed. Our other cars just schnick into gear 99.99% of the time, and with just 2 fingers of effort.... the Boxster seems to require at least twice the force, plus more throw to get it into gear.... is this normal? The clutch also seems stiffer on the Pcar then my other cars....

Peter

[Topless]

All sounds normal for a 8 year old car. Definitely different than Honda , VW.

[petee c]

All sounds normal for a 8 year old car. Definitely different than Honda , VW.

thanks for the input..... it's sad really... the Honda CRV is 6yrs old and has 160,000km (100K miles), and the 2002 Jetta will hit 100K miles this year.... The Pcar ride is definitely more visceral than either car.... The Jetta is no slacker... with the APR chip, it has a claimed 210hp, and very flat torque curve, rides on 17" 225/45 tires too, beefier antisway bars....

[blue2000s]

Most of the controls in the Boxster are not meant to be light or overly easy. The effort to move the lever into gear or press the clutch pedal or turn the steering wheel are meant to enhance the feedback from the car back to the driver. These are features of a sports car that you won't normally find in more general purpose vehicles.

Having said that, as the clutch wears, the pedal force has been said to increase. And a worn engine mount can effect the precision of the shifter.

[number9ine]

Did you have a PPI?

The symptoms you describe sound almost exactly like what happened when I bottomed my car out after being cut off. The transmission casing broke at the mount point, and I felt sluggish shifting, vibration through the steering wheel, pedal box and shifter, and a harder clutch. The problems were MUCH more noticeable at highway speed. All were resolved when the mount was fixed. I will say that the shifter in the 9x6 cars is precise but heavier than my old GTI's shift, which I assume is similar to your Jetta's.

I'd buy an hour of your mechanic's time to look under the car and check your suspension and mounts. $80-100 for peace of mind isn't a bad cost in my opinion, and much cheaper than tires if the ones you have aren't already significantly worn. The vibration and shifting may not be related, so balancing your tires and aligning the car might solve that problem. If you mount and balance tires and there's a suspension problem or a bad mount the symptoms will continue, and may accelerate wear on your new rubber.

Mark

[petee c]

Did you have a PPI?

Mark

Yeah, got a PPI thru Rennology in Chicago area before I finalized the deal.... They discovered a torn CV boot, which was replaced before I got the car, plus a couple of other minor details

Tires are worn.... there are a couple wearbars showing on the inboard side of the front tires.... Can't get it certified without new tires... will have alignment checked at the same time...

I'll take a peak when the Motor Mount arrives....

P

[geoff]

...I had a vibration (mostly in the front steering wheel) Thought it might be motor mount, (due to my shifter not always 'schnicking' into gear). However, now after a bit more driving, the vibration is definitely speed related, and gets noticeable at speeds over the 75mph mark, so coupled with the fact that my front tires are worn (won't pass safety) I believe the tires are out of balance and old. A new set of 4 Hankook Ventus V12's coming in a few days....

Sounds like out of balance front tires. I had the same thing when I bought my car. The tire shop rebalanced my front tires when the original rears wore out, and the steering wheel vibration/shimmy went away (they checked the tires before balancing and said they were off).

The balance weights just stick on to the inside of the rim, and can come off just from washing the wheels (like everything else, they keep making these things cheaper and cheaper). The place I buy my tires offers lifetime free rebalancing, among other things, and I've found every 10K miles at least one tire needs to have some balance weight adjustments. Just from the way the tires wear will cause changes in tire balancing

[Rob in CO]

2001 Boxster S with 43000miles.

I've had it for a week, driven it a few times (only temp tag, waiting for Ontario Plates). So I'm not too used to it yet, or figured out what's normal, what's a fault.

I had a vibration (mostly in the front steering wheel) Thought it might be motor mount, (due to my shifter not always 'schnicking' into gear). However, now after a bit more driving, the vibration is definitely speed related, and gets noticeable at speeds over the 75mph mark, so coupled with the fact that my front tires are worn (won't pass safety) I believe the tires are out of balance and old. A new set of 4 Hankook Ventus V12's coming in a few days.

I've got a enthusiast front motor mount coming from Pedro, and hope that will solve a bit of the issues with the shifter (slight vibration when starting the car in the morning, but doesn't happen all the time) I don't get any crunching sounds, or metal-metal sounds so maybe my mount has a torn rubber bushing, but hasn't completely failed yet....

The shifter just requires more force than my wife's 2003 Honda CRV 5 speed, or my 2002 Jetta 1.8T 5 speed. Our other cars just schnick into gear 99.99% of the time, and with just 2 fingers of effort.... the Boxster seems to require at least twice the force, plus more throw to get it into gear.... is this normal? The clutch also seems stiffer on the Pcar then my other cars....

Peter

I did the Pedro mount on my '01S about 2 months ago and I really like it. What I strongly suggest after that job is done is that you remove the center console and spend an afternoon driving the car and making fine adjustments to the shifter cables. I set them back to original after I installed a B&M a couple of years ago and while the feel was good, I always had some trouble with 3rd gear when the car was cold. After the motor mount and fine tuning, it is much better. IMHO it is worth a couple of hours of slightly awkward driving with no console to get it just right.

[soopster]

The shifter just requires more force than my wife's 2003 Honda CRV 5 speed, or my 2002 Jetta 1.8T 5 speed. Our other cars just schnick into gear 99.99% of the time, and with just 2 fingers of effort.... the Boxster seems to require at least twice the force, plus more throw to get it into gear.... is this normal? The clutch also seems stiffer on the Pcar then my other cars....

Peter

Sounds exactly the same as my 02 Boxster. Shifting is stiff and notchy as it passes the mid point between 1st and 2nd mostly and worse when it's cold. However sometimes shift is perfectly smooth. I really suspect the motor mount is causing the notchy feel and will have it replaced this summer when I get some time. This is my only major disappointment with the car after buying it last March. Fast shifting is impossible between the notchy shift and stiffness. Even when perfectly smooth it does require more effort than other standards I have owned.

I had the Porsche Short Shifter installed last year (I think it's a rebranded B&M if I remember right). Definitely the throw is shorter but only down to what I had expected it to be stock as a sports car. The short shifter is a little bit stiffer shift as well but it does feel more precise. I would definitely recommend the short shifter.

If I can get rid of the notchy shift, the rest would be ok. Let us know the difference that the motor mount makes. Thanks.

Still a great car to drive though!

Edited June 13, 2009 by soopster

[petee c]

I did the Pedro mount on my '01S about 2 months ago and I really like it. .......

Hi Rob,

Do u mind filling me on the symptoms that u experienced that lead u to the diagnosis of the motor mount? was it completely gone, or just beginnning to go? .. I'll investigate tuning the shifter after looking into the motor mount..... (How long did it take to arrive after ordering?)

PEter

[Rob in CO]

I did the Pedro mount on my '01S about 2 months ago and I really like it. .......

Hi Rob,

Do u mind filling me on the symptoms that u experienced that lead u to the diagnosis of the motor mount? was it completely gone, or just beginnning to go? .. I'll investigate tuning the shifter after looking into the motor mount..... (How long did it take to arrive after ordering?)

PEter

Hi Peter,

My main annoyance/symptom that prompted the mount replacement was a balky 2-3 upshift. It was worst when the car was cold but would occur at other times, too. Based on the reading here and at PPBB, it seemed logical to me that the mount had deteriorated and was allowing unwanted movement in the drivetrain. I never had any grinding or other such noises and the car ran fine otherwise.

Pedro sent me the mount in about a week. I inspected the old one and while not completely failed, there were large tears in the rubber on both sides so it was definitely compromised. Installing the enthusiast mount and readjusting my B&M shifter has solved my shifter issues and I like it much better now. I notice perhaps a bit more engine noise and vibration but I find it to be a more than acceptable tradeoff for the better shifter feel/performance.

Let me know if you have other questions and be sure to send your core mount back to Pedro. He needs them to make the new ones.

Rob

[petee c]

Hi Peter,

My main annoyance/symptom that prompted the mount replacement was a balky 2-3 upshift. It was worst when the car was cold but would occur at other times, too. Based on the reading here and at PPBB, it seemed logical to me that the mount had deteriorated and was allowing unwanted movement in the drivetrain. I never had any grinding or other such noises and the car ran fine otherwise.

Pedro sent me the mount in about a week. I inspected the old one and while not completely failed, there were large tears in the rubber on both sides so it was definitely compromised. Installing the enthusiast mount and readjusting my B&M shifter has solved my shifter issues and I like it much better now. I notice perhaps a bit more engine noise and vibration but I find it to be a more than acceptable tradeoff for the better shifter feel/performance.

Let me know if you have other questions and be sure to send your core mount back to Pedro. He needs them to make the new ones.

Rob

Thanks for the info..... I have a balky 2-3 upshift as well..... I have not driven the car enough to say for sure if it is worst when cold, but it us usually worse when accelerating 'hard', I guess it's causing the mount to move more than the prescribed amount.

Thanks,

Peter