Shifter, love it? hate it? don't care?

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Ericwc

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Had our mini se a month now and the one thing I cannot get used to and honestly just hate is the shifter. It make no sense. You have to hold a side button and push forward to go in reverse. Why is the button on the side, how the heck do you grab the shifter and the button at the same time? I have to think about it every time. I feel like I have to pinch it. Then you pull back to go forward. I understand drive in an ICE car is back but with reverse forward it's all out confusing. Did I mention I hate the ergonomics of that dumb safety side button you have to press at the same time? Then to put it in park you have to push a button WTH?
If Mini wants to have a shifter fine use the same basic design used in cars for decades why go and mess with it just because it is electric. If you do want to mess with it make it simple 3 buttons forward, reverse, park, done. Instead they asked how complicated and un ergonomic can we make this thing!
I've owned a lot of vehicles over the years and I adjust pretty quickly to their quirks but this one drives me crazy.
So what's everyone else's thoughts love it? hate it? (why did you not warn me?) don't care?
 
You can go from R to D without the button. But as discussed in the “illogical” thread, many, many of us don’t get why they designed it the way it is.
 
Would you prefer to swipe up or down on your center tablet? Actually having the vehicle guess for you would be more efficient!

The BMW gear selector has been used since 2007 E60 5 series that also first introduced regenerative braking (12V battery) to the lineup. I'd imagine it was done to optimize the ZF Friedrichshafen transmission.
 
insightman said:
What car's shifter has Drive closer to the dashboard than Reverse?
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Hyundai Nexo?

nexoshifter.webp
 
Also dislike it. I drop into neutral way more than I’d care to. So rare I’d ever need it and yet it’s retained as a primary action. Entirely user error, I likely don’t hit the button, doing it too fast, or not hold brake long enough. I personally like buttons, wouldn’t be too happy with a screen based shifter.
 
I remember having to actually pay attention to shifting the first few months, but, since then, muscle memory took over, and now I don't even think about it. So I would say that it's weirdness will fade over time for you. But I'm not a huge fan of the design.
 
insightman said:
Is that set of buttons labeled sideways so the Drive button is closer to the dash than the Reverse button?
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You better believe it! Even Hyundai thought their hydrogen fuel cell Nexo was so brilliant that the IONIQ5's rotary shifter stalk closer to the dashboard.
 
I have no issue with the button. It is right where my thumb falls when gripping the shifter. It is firm to press, but not difficult.

I like having a physical shifter although I get that it is a throwback to when you were literally shifting gears yourself. But it helps me feel more physically connected to the car (and invokes the emotional satisfaction of rowing your own on my previous sporty cars)


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For me, it is also a non-issue. It was pretty intuitive in how it is to be used and I was able to get comfortable with it almost immediately. Having an interlock button is a common and time-tested solution. If there wasn't the interlock button one could easily bump the selector by accident and cause the car to move unexpectedly. Making the selection of a "gear" needs to be a deliberate act and requiring a two-stage process (push the button, then move the selector) makes it very unlikely to be done inadvertently.

As for the R-D direction; folks need to remember that the SE is not a bespoke design but rather more of a retrofit/EV conversion from an ICE Mini Cooper. BMW/Mini would not want to invest the R&D and other expenses involved in creating a unique "direction selector". (we don't have gears really so that feels more accurate) A perfectly serviceable solution already existed in the ICE Mini it is based on so that was used. I am glad they didn't invest in these costs to be honest as it wold likely have resulted in a more expensive car purchase for me.
 
GvilleGuy said:
I remember having to actually pay attention to shifting the first few months, but, since then, muscle memory took over, and now I don't even think about it. So I would say that it's weirdness will fade over time for you. But I'm not a huge fan of the design.
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Having owned or long-term-driven cars with wheel-mounted paddle shifters, I can attest to muscle memory making things rote. In those cars, I almost never realized that I regularly up- or down-shift by slapping the console stick around hard turns (or sometimes up-shift with my left as the right paddle is on the outside). I’d say after a week and 175 miles I’m already halfway there with the SE’s shifter.
 
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SameGuy said:
You can go from R to D without the button. But as discussed in the “illogical” thread, many, many of us don’t get why they designed it the way it is.
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Did not know this THANKS will probably reduce my frustration.

chrunck said:
I think it's fine, though I'd rather just have buttons.

And they didn't do it just because the car is electric; it's the same shifter they use in ICE models.
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I would really hate it in an ICE model since I use the shifter way more.

insightman said:
What car's shifter has Drive closer to the dashboard than Reverse?
Click to expand...
I don't have an issue with R being closer to the dashboard than D its the push forward to go back and pull back to go forward. I would rather it be like a standard shifter where P is at the top then you pull back though the options.

GetOffYourGas said:
I have nonissue with the button. It is right where my thumb falls when gripping the shifter. It is firm to press, but not difficult.

I like having a physical shifter although I get that it is a throwback to when you were literally shifting gears yourself. But it helps me feel more physically connected to the car (and invokes the emotional satisfaction of rowing your own on my previous sporty cars)
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For some reason its just not ergonomic for me I feel like I have to position my hand weird to press the button. I like having a shifter as well I usually rest my hand on them in other cars but not this this one just not comfortable.


jwzimm said:
Having an interlock button is a common and time-tested solution. If there wasn't the interlock button one could easily bump the selector by accident and cause the car to move unexpectedly.
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I get the need for the interlock button. Just hate its location.
 
Speaking of shifter, we just received this error message in our 2 week old Mini SE. Using the unlock button to shift into gear is not working. However, the mini has bypassed this process and I can shift into gear without the unlock button now. Anyone else experience this issue and have a fix? Trying to avoid a visit to the dealer.
069C3E6A-76FA-43D6-9CC7-C4E517212B47.webp
 
Okay, I have to shift my two cents in on this. After three Mini's with the six-speed and one Mini with the dual-clutch, I don't mind the SE selector at all. I only use it when I'm reversing. Yes, it might have taken me a couple of trips to get used to, but it's been smooth shifting since then. Now, if there's something to complain about, it's the location of the (so-called) fog light switch.
 
CruiseEV22 said:
Speaking of shifter, we just received this error message in our 2 week old Mini SE. Using the unlock button to shift into gear is not working. However, the mini has bypassed this process and I can shift into gear without the unlock button now. Anyone else experience this issue and have a fix? Trying to avoid a visit to the dealer.View attachment 17845
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Are you able to put SE into park position ? I advise to use a brake button always for now once you solve a problem.
 
Ericwc said:
Had our mini se a month now and the one thing I cannot get used to and honestly just hate is the shifter. It make no sense. You have to hold a side button and push forward to go in reverse. Why is the button on the side, how the heck do you grab the shifter and the button at the same time? I have to think about it every time. I feel like I have to pinch it. Then you pull back to go forward. I understand drive in an ICE car is back but with reverse forward it's all out confusing. Did I mention I hate the ergonomics of that dumb safety side button you have to press at the same time? Then to put it in park you have to push a button WTH?
If Mini wants to have a shifter fine use the same basic design used in cars for decades why go and mess with it just because it is electric. If you do want to mess with it make it simple 3 buttons forward, reverse, park, done. Instead they asked how complicated and un ergonomic can we make this thing!
I've owned a lot of vehicles over the years and I adjust pretty quickly to their quirks but this one drives me crazy.
So what's everyone else's thoughts love it? hate it? (why did you not warn me?) don't care?
Click to expand...

I'm also not a fan of the design of the shifter, specifically the button on the side. It just seems strange to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
 
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