Flipping +/- on transmission

lighthousemoon · 10-07-2013, 11:07 PM

Possible to recode the transmission "+" and "-" to be reversed like it was on the E46 Steptronic? Feels more logical?

SimonB · 10-07-2013, 11:10 PM

Haha, I totally agree! I've been driving a loaner for the last couple of weeks and I keep pushing or pulling it the wrong way. Haven't seen mention of it being able to code, so I suspect re-wiring would be your only option. MY wheels have the paddles, so hope that they're easier to remember.

bimmerjph · 10-07-2013, 11:37 PM

Its flipped on the F30? Pushing it forward changes up and pulling it back changes down?

Why in the world would they change that?

buildbright · 10-07-2013, 11:43 PM

You can not but BMW changed it because that is the proper way sequential shifting is meant to work.

LS1990 · 10-08-2013, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buildbright

You can not but BMW changed it because that is the proper way sequential shifting is meant to work.

No it isn't, my Holinger sequential transmission is back for up and forwards for down. Look at the LeMans guys when they change gear...

HighlandPete · 10-08-2013, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1990

No it isn't, my Holinger sequential transmission is back for up and forwards for down. Look at the LeMans guys when they change gear...

Isn't that what buildbright is saying? The original change years back was to get it right.

We've had forward for down changes and towards the driver for up changes since about the year 2000.

Can't understand why anyone would want to code to the old way.

HighlandPete

LS1990 · 10-08-2013, 04:08 AM

Sorry yes I misunderstood, I assumed the E46 to be the 'correct' way - I'm sure it is though...

HighlandPete · 10-08-2013, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1990

Sorry yes I misunderstood, I assumed the E46 to be the 'correct' way - I'm sure it is though...

Perhaps like the E39, early E46 models had the opposite change pattern. My 1996 E39 was the old way, got me in bad habits for the later cars.

I'm sure someone will confirm when the E46 went over to the present configuration.

HighlandPete

34.50 · 10-08-2013, 07:14 AM

I miss my CLS 63 shifter - you moved the lever left or right. Left for downshift, right for upshift (just like paddles). Makes so much more sense imo. I hate using the up/down, so I just resort to paddles if I want manual shift

XtoM · 10-08-2013, 07:17 AM

Manually changing gear in an auto haha nice...

drob23 · 10-08-2013, 07:26 AM

I prefer BMW's manual shifting direction to my Audi's S-Tronic. While I agree that it makes logical sense to have "up shift" be forward throw and down shift be backwards...intuitively throwing it forward should initiate an increase of torque (i.e. downshift), engine speed etc. So BMW's setup seems the most instinctive to me.

lighthousemoon · 10-08-2013, 07:35 AM

I understand what you guys are saying. I recall that on my 2001 E46 330i pulling it back initiated a downshift - made sense to me. Then my 2004 E46 330xi reversed it. Someone on the now-down bmw330ci.com uploaded instructions on reversing it and I did that - felt perfect to me!

Guess I'll get used to the pushing forward for downshifting on my new 2014 F30 328d (and oh it's in EBII!)

SomeRandomer123 · 10-08-2013, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Isn't that what buildbright is saying? The original change years back was to get it right.

We've had forward for down changes and towards the driver for up changes since about the year 2000.

Can't understand why anyone would want to code to the old way.

HighlandPete

+1, the most logical and what appears to me to be industry standard method of sequential shifting!

Then on the paddles, left is down, right is up - none of that push and pull bollocks of "E" era!

carzaddict · 10-08-2013, 09:13 AM

my past cars have all been up to upshift....down to downshift.....and ive gotten used to it

naturally this bothered me when i got my F30....but muscle memory has kicked in and ive gotten used to it.

bimmerjph · 10-08-2013, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Perhaps like the E39, early E46 models had the opposite change pattern. My 1996 E39 was the old way, got me in bad habits for the later cars.

I'm sure someone will confirm when the E46 went over to the present configuration.

HighlandPete

I just looked it up, and they did it in 2002.

Waterbelly · 10-08-2013, 10:04 AM

I cut my teeth on a 2000 E46 that had it the "old" way.

I remember when I went for a test drive in my 2010 E90...pulling on to the freeway on-ramp...hitting what I thought was a double down shift and stomping the gas...only to bog down at 1000 RPMs having actually double up shifted! BMW sales guy was like, WTF?

Matt

Meeni · 10-08-2013, 10:24 AM

I don't think you can recode, but if they are anything like the e90, you can open the wheel and rewire very easily. + and - are 2 different wires going to a typical plastic terminal connector, just invert the wiring and you are good to go. No splicing should be necessary.

That being said, the old way is fading away, you'll never be happy if you don't get used to what is now standard.

lighthousemoon · 10-08-2013, 11:29 AM

Meeni - you do have a point

Hmmmmm

johndeere · 10-08-2013, 11:44 AM

My e46 m3 had the same direction gear changes as my f30. Was it older e46 models that had it reversed?

EvenKeel · 10-08-2013, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drob23

I prefer BMW's manual shifting direction to my Audi's S-Tronic. While I agree that it makes logical sense to have "up shift" be forward throw and down shift be backwards...intuitively throwing it forward should initiate an increase of torque (i.e. downshift), engine speed etc. So BMW's setup seems the most instinctive to me.

Bingo.

Cyberdemon · 10-08-2013, 12:14 PM

You downshift under braking, momentum shifting towards the front of the car, easier to push the lever forward.

You upshift under acceleration, momentum shifting towards the rear, easier to pull the lever backwards.

And if it's a problem that's why there's paddles on the steering wheel...or lets be honest that's when you buy a 6 speed because the paddles are more often used for "overtake this old lady" than lapping Laguna Seca.

raleedy · 10-08-2013, 01:42 PM

The current system is a bit illogical. AT cars with multiple forward gears have always had the lower gears below/behind the higher ones. Also forward is more like "up", and faster, backward more like "down" and slower. I have to think twice if I want to use the manual gear change. Maybe 3 times. Oh, well. There are other curiosities: to turn of the engine, push "Start". To engage reverse, push forward on the AT lever. Etc.

10-07-2013, 11:07 PM	#1
lighthousemoon Private First Class 16 Rep 111 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW 328d/2011 BMW X5d Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Montgomeryville, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW X5 [0.00] 2014 BMW 328d [0.00]	Flipping +/- on transmission Possible to recode the transmission "+" and "-" to be reversed like it was on the E46 Steptronic? Feels more logical?
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10-07-2013, 11:10 PM	#2
SimonB 135 to 335 M Sport to X3 30d M Sport 164 Rep 1,788 Posts Drives: 2018 X3 30d, optioned up! Join Date: May 2008 Location: Perth, Western Australia iTrader: (0)	Haha, I totally agree! I've been driving a loaner for the last couple of weeks and I keep pushing or pulling it the wrong way. Haven't seen mention of it being able to code, so I suspect re-wiring would be your only option. MY wheels have the paddles, so hope that they're easier to remember. __________________ 2018 X3 30d, Carbon Black Metallic, M Sport Package, Panorama glass sunroof, Lumbar support, Instrument panel in Sensatec, Ambient Lightning, Harmon Kardon Surround Sound , Dynamic Damper Control
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10-07-2013, 11:37 PM	#3
bimmerjph Colonel 121 Rep 2,023 Posts Drives: 2005 Z4 3.0 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Tennessee iTrader: (0)	Its flipped on the F30? Pushing it forward changes up and pulling it back changes down? Why in the world would they change that?
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10-07-2013, 11:43 PM	#4
buildbright Major 155 Rep 1,400 Posts Drives: F80 M3 MG Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (1)	You can not but BMW changed it because that is the proper way sequential shifting is meant to work.
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10-08-2013, 04:08 AM	#7
LS1990 Private First Class 7 Rep 103 Posts Drives: Hopefully 435i soon Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Sorry yes I misunderstood, I assumed the E46 to be the 'correct' way - I'm sure it is though...
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10-08-2013, 07:14 AM	#9
34.50 Lieutenant 38 Rep 596 Posts Drives: 2013 335i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: May 2013 Location: Upstate NY iTrader: (0)	I miss my CLS 63 shifter - you moved the lever left or right. Left for downshift, right for upshift (just like paddles). Makes so much more sense imo. I hate using the up/down, so I just resort to paddles if I want manual shift __________________ 2013 BMW 335i xDrive Sport Line
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10-08-2013, 07:17 AM	#10
XtoM Private 0 Rep 93 Posts Drives: BMW M4. Soon...... Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Manually changing gear in an auto haha nice...
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10-08-2013, 07:26 AM	#11
drob23 Lieutenant Colonel 50 Rep 1,730 Posts Drives: S4 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Michigan iTrader: (1)	I prefer BMW's manual shifting direction to my Audi's S-Tronic. While I agree that it makes logical sense to have "up shift" be forward throw and down shift be backwards...intuitively throwing it forward should initiate an increase of torque (i.e. downshift), engine speed etc. So BMW's setup seems the most instinctive to me.
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10-08-2013, 07:35 AM	#12
lighthousemoon Private First Class 16 Rep 111 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW 328d/2011 BMW X5d Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Montgomeryville, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW X5 [0.00] 2014 BMW 328d [0.00]	I understand what you guys are saying. I recall that on my 2001 E46 330i pulling it back initiated a downshift - made sense to me. Then my 2004 E46 330xi reversed it. Someone on the now-down bmw330ci.com uploaded instructions on reversing it and I did that - felt perfect to me! Guess I'll get used to the pushing forward for downshifting on my new 2014 F30 328d (and oh it's in EBII!)
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10-08-2013, 09:13 AM	#14
carzaddict Lieutenant Colonel 158 Rep 1,573 Posts Drives: 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	my past cars have all been up to upshift....down to downshift.....and ive gotten used to it naturally this bothered me when i got my F30....but muscle memory has kicked in and ive gotten used to it. __________________ 2015i Cadillac Escalade ESV
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10-08-2013, 10:04 AM	#16
Waterbelly Second Lieutenant 177 Rep 202 Posts Drives: 2020 X3M Comp Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: MA iTrader: (0)	I cut my teeth on a 2000 E46 that had it the "old" way. I remember when I went for a test drive in my 2010 E90...pulling on to the freeway on-ramp...hitting what I thought was a double down shift and stomping the gas...only to bog down at 1000 RPMs having actually double up shifted! BMW sales guy was like, WTF? Matt
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10-08-2013, 10:24 AM	#17
Meeni Gateropode 329 Rep 2,848 Posts Drives: BMW 330i 06 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: TN iTrader: (0)	I don't think you can recode, but if they are anything like the e90, you can open the wheel and rewire very easily. + and - are 2 different wires going to a typical plastic terminal connector, just invert the wiring and you are good to go. No splicing should be necessary. That being said, the old way is fading away, you'll never be happy if you don't get used to what is now standard.
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10-08-2013, 11:29 AM	#18
lighthousemoon Private First Class 16 Rep 111 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW 328d/2011 BMW X5d Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Montgomeryville, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW X5 [0.00] 2014 BMW 328d [0.00]	Meeni - you do have a point Hmmmmm
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10-08-2013, 11:44 AM	#19
johndeere mhmmmm 136 Rep 633 Posts Drives: MS3X Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Toronto iTrader: (2)	My e46 m3 had the same direction gear changes as my f30. Was it older e46 models that had it reversed?
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10-08-2013, 12:14 PM	#21
Cyberdemon Brigadier General 1538 Rep 3,331 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 40i, 2018 M3 Comp Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Island NY iTrader: (3)	You downshift under braking, momentum shifting towards the front of the car, easier to push the lever forward. You upshift under acceleration, momentum shifting towards the rear, easier to pull the lever backwards. And if it's a problem that's why there's paddles on the steering wheel...or lets be honest that's when you buy a 6 speed because the paddles are more often used for "overtake this old lady" than lapping Laguna Seca. __________________ Current: '20 X5, '18 M3 ZCP Previous: '11 E90 335i, '11 E90 M3, '16 VW GTI, '15 M235i, '13 335i, '08 TL-S, '00 Corvette
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10-08-2013, 01:42 PM	#22
raleedy Colonel 160 Rep 2,248 Posts Drives: 2016 228i 6-speed Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon iTrader: (0)	The current system is a bit illogical. AT cars with multiple forward gears have always had the lower gears below/behind the higher ones. Also forward is more like "up", and faster, backward more like "down" and slower. I have to think twice if I want to use the manual gear change. Maybe 3 times. Oh, well. There are other curiosities: to turn of the engine, push "Start". To engage reverse, push forward on the AT lever. Etc.
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