[Poochie]

Originally Posted by Moflow

Hasn't happened to me.

I agree with others though, I hate this location for reverse. You had to physically push towards the ground in my Nissan to get to R and Subarus have that little ring around the shifter that you have to pull up. I much prefer a system like that.

If you remember, in Japanese cars, the reverse gear is where 6th is and on the Germans, it's by 1st gear..

So when now got my brand new Mini Cooper JCW, I left the dealer and was trying to back out but I was so accustomed to reverse being by 6th, I couldn't find it. I thought that my brand new Mini Cooper was broken

After a half hour of sitting in the lot by myself, sulking, I figured out the German way..

I assumed that was some information that would be more prevalent, with Japan/German manuals :

[natmad]

If I move my shifter slowly, the effort to get through the reverse gate detent is considerable.

If I move the shifter quickly, it will get through with much less effort.

Moving the shifter a bit slower going into first should prevent accidentally going into reverse.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Poochie

If you remember, in Japanese cars, the reverse gear is where 6th is and on the Germans, it's by 1st gear..

So when now got my brand new Mini Cooper JCW, I left the dealer and was trying to back out but was accustomed to reverse being by 6th and couldn't find it. I thought that my brand new Mini Cooper was broken

After a half hour of sitting in the lot by myself, sulking, I figured out the German way..

I assumed that was some information that would be more prevalent, with Japan/German manuals :

It's not uniform in Japanese cars. Mazda has it where BMW has it.

[xxyion]

One thing that surprised me is how there isnt a reverse lockout. Almost all modern 6 speed MT cars i've owned/driven lately have had reverse lockout mechanisms. This is the first car (granted its the first german car) with an MT that doesnt.

Was this a design choice? Or did they feel it just wasnt really needed? I have to admin the first time i learned that you have to just yank the shifter to the left to get into reverse, it kinda worried me that i would have the same issue OP is having. Luckily i havnt since i'm a weak boy.

[AlpsRider]

1st instead of reverse is easily done in a hurry. Reverse instead of 1st? Too much man handling the shifter.

[Really_fat_ninja]

Nope... neither on my M2 or M2C

[BlkSVT]

Maybe not new news, but Getrag seems to use this "lockout" on several of their trannys, the M2C's being one of them. No need to muscle it to get it into R, just a little pop, snap or slap gets it there!

Problem is, once it becomes second nature and things break in a bit, it becomes too easy to pop it to R rather than 1st if you aren't paying much attention

[EmUc]

I did this once years ago with my M3. Missed that the green light turned and shifted to first in a hurry - bam got reverse. Luckily braked before moving too far back. Yeah it was embarrassing. Did not happen in the M2 - knock on wood.

[ROBM2C]

This happened today . Caught it right before I let out the clutch fully . First time .

[Kankles]

I thought the gyms were closed during COVID? You have a home gym Mr Rich guy? Keep rubbing it in our faces (not literally)..

Two tricks you can use:

1. For reverse use the opposite hand from what you normally shift with (called the "redhead" shift)

2. Sit on primary hand to numb it before shifting to reverse (The "Stranger")

3. The "redheaded stranger" - use at your own risk

For real though, weird issue, haven't had it yet

[JggyM2]

Originally Posted by Kankles

I thought the gyms were closed during COVID? You have a home gym Mr Rich guy? Keep rubbing it in our faces (not literally)..

Two tricks you can use:

1. For reverse use the opposite hand from what you normally shift with (called the "redhead" shift)

2. Sit on primary hand to numb it before shifting to reverse (The "Stranger")

3. The "redheaded stranger" - use at your own risk

For real though, weird issue, haven't had it yet

I like the opposite hand for reverse shift idea....

[jkoral]

I did this once in 1996 with my new E36/5. I still remember doing it because it was busy intersection (embarrassing and I had been driving manuals for a while - but it was my first BMW).

It never happened in my subsequent E46s, E82 or F87.

[Gary O]

Humm,
Not had this issue and have owned Three M cars with Manuals.

1998 M3
2005 M3 Comp.
2020 M2 Comp.

I find the reverse detent rather intrusive, and not easy to mess up. I also agree that the slower, and more purposeful you are getting into the reverse gear, the stiffer it seems to work.

I think it just bad habits from a Japanese car? Or just cut down on the curls at the Gym. I can understand the confusion caused by traffic and a little anxiety. Take a deep breath,...relax.. You're driving a BMW M2, should bring a smile to your face.....its a great car and one of the last ones with a Manual.

Enjoy!

[Zoomigo]

My 4th BMW, 3rd manual BMW, and my 2020 M2C is the first one I’ve ever had trouble with reverse. It’s quite easy to hit R while trying to go for first. In fact, the first 2 or 3 days I almost always hit reverse instead of first. About 8 months in now, and still hit R about 10% of the time. Quite annoying