Quote:
Originally Posted by Marrk
You make it sound as though, when people like magazine writers note a notchiness in the shifting that they are noting it because it's no big deal. If it were not an negative issue, they would not note it.
Do I sense that there is some resistance on your part to see the car as anything than perfect? Intolerant of critique, perhaps?
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You seem to think I'm taking this personally.
The problem is that when people complain to the manufacturers, they try to fix things. Which is great for big issues (i.e. tail light condensation). But when it's a non-issue like a little roughness in the shifter, there's a potential for the "fix" to go too far. I'd rather a little roughness in the shifter than having a shifter with no feeling at all. This isn't a luxury car where the driver is to be shielded from the mechanics of the car. This is a sportscar where the driver should be a part of the process.
This type of "softening" is what has progressed the STI from the raw 04 to the current one which is heavier, softer, and lacks a lot of the feel of the original.
As far as the severity of "notchiness" I don't see what the big deal is. When the gear oil is cold, yes it's got a little rough spot between gears. But when the transmission is warmed up the shifter moves smoothly from gear to gear. So it's only a temporary condition with minimal impact on feel. I can shift this car with my fingertips. It's a non-issue.
I'm not anti-improvement, I'm anti-softening. I like having Nav and heated seats in my car. I like A/C and power windows and locks. The keyless entry and start system is really cool and fun to use. But what I don't like is stuff that gets between me and the car's controls.
I miss cable throttle. Not because I think it can do the job better than Drive-By-Wire (DBW), but because I miss being able to feel the engine's vibrations through my foot. I could tell when it was running rough, or even when it came up to temperature. That layer of communication is gone from today's cars, and I think the driving experience is lessened by that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sigh-on-Rice
How does one feel the synchro mesh? Is it by a noise or by a vibration or by an impact?
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The feel through the shifter starts as an almost rubbery feel as the synchros come in contact and the friction material matches revs. Then there's a slight click as the teeth align followed by the shifter slipping into gear very easily. I can tell by the feel when I've engaged only the first synchro and lost the rev match with the second which causes a grind.
Don't pistol-grip your shifter. Just use your fingers and feel what the transmission is doing. The more in-tune you are with the workings of the car, the better you can utilize it.