Hi all, I'm looking at getting the 6-speed SE (Canadian). I've test driven the same vehicle twice already, and the shifter isn't quite as brilliant as I hoped. I had troubles getting it into 4th as it needed a good pull to get it in gear (I crunched it once as it wasn't totally in gear when I declutched) The shifter generally seems to need a bit more effort to get it into gear and is a bit vague, plus the throws are a bit long. Mind you, it's been a few months since I drove a standard (Ford Escort), so maybe that's just the way it's supposed to be?

Is this just something that goes away with some break-in, or is it something that doesn't go away? Perhaps it's also temperature related -- it's been hovering just above freezing around here. It's the only question mark in my mind or I'd go ahead an order one for Feb-Mar to get the HLSD. If it had been a little better, I'd have plunked down the deposit right away.

Just wondering what you 6-speed owners and test drivers thought about it.

Thanks!

Martin

 

just buy, you won't regret it, I just broke 4000km today and the shifting IS easier then when I first got it. though I didn't think it was that hard to begin with.

 

u probably need to get used to the shifter...it's kinda rare to find a car with a cable shifter..i was having hard time finding the 6th gear...kept shoving it into the 4th...
but i'm sure once you get used to it, it will go away..

 

The shifter was kinda quirky to me at first, but with almost 2000 miles, I've gotten used to it and like it a lot. It is slightly more difficult in cold weather though.

I'm very happy that I got the 6-spd. Go for it.

 

I found that the problem laid more in the clutch takeup than in the shifter itself. I've had a 90 Tbird SC, a 94 Z28 and a 2k Lincoln LS in the past 10 years and all of those cars would start to move the car when the clutch was released about 1/2 way. The Max clutch seems to need to be pushed all the way in to the firewall or you risk 'crunching' a gear or two. I've done this a couple of times in the 2-3 shift when accelerating hard. I find the way the car throws me back in the seat, combined with the front end lifting as well as my winter mats being on top of the factory ones, that sometimes I don't get the clutch all the way in - and I mean that I'm probably only about an inch short of being there. It seems to be a very fine line.

I've learned to compensate for it now and it really is nice once I've gotten used to it. I drove the Lincoln about a month ago and found it to be very odd feeling.

Just get the 6spd, you'll like it.

As far as waiting for the HLSD, if you are going to autocross or race SOLO1 by all means go for it. I've got the VLSD in mine and I find it to be entirely acceptable in the snow and rain. Plenty of traction. I have no problem throwing snow up at my mirrors when accelerating hard around corners so I'm sure the diff is working well.

Albert

 

You are absolutely nuts to be asking such a retarded question here, run and get the 6sp quik! If my organs were worth that much i'd sell them off and get one too

 

OK! I think the opinion is pretty unanimous. Thanks!

It's not in any of the brochures (US or CDN), but does anyone know if the current 6 speed SE's have any kind of LSD? I'm pretty sure from flooring it in 2nd in the test drive that something is going on -- instead of one-sided wheelspin on slightly damp road, the tires kind of stuttered a bit -- is that the VLSD moving torque from one side to the other?

Cheers,

Martin

 

It's HLSD or nothing!

 

Get It!Get It! Get It! Are you feeling the pressure yet?