Notchy Gearshifts

[CommanderJameson]

The 528 is decidedly notchy between 1st and 2nd, and slightly between 2nd and 3rd. It's better when the car is warm, and silky shifts can be achieved by shifting slowly and gently, even when the car is cold.

What could be causing this? Is it likely to be horribly expensive to rectify?

[adom]

How old and how many miles? probably worn syncro judging by the fact that it goes in well if you don't rush it.

[CommanderJameson]

adom said:

How old and how many miles? probably worn syncro judging by the fact that it goes in well if you don't rush it.

2000 on a V, 52K miles.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Monday 14th August 16:33

[dazren]

Does the 528i have an uprated 2nd gear syncro to allow for traffic grandprix drivers? I think the M5 has one (mine is notchy as well), wouldn't surprise me if the did it across the range.

DAZ

[CommanderJameson]

dazren said:

Does the 528i have an uprated 2nd gear syncro to allow for traffic grandprix drivers? I think the M5 has one (mine is notchy as well), wouldn't surprise me if the did it across the range.

DAZ

Dunno. It's pretty spritely away from the line for a car of its size, though.

[granville]

They are bloody awful, aren't they?

I wouldn't bother with softly, softly; life's too short and Britain too left wing.

Disengage the traction control (I'm sure you do this already) and drop the cltuch with several thousand revs at hand.

With any luck you'll get a delightful 'chirrup' from the rubber and squirm away to the silken sound of the best 6 in the biz.

Smooth changes once rolling are perfectly acceptable and none too tricky to execute.

[Marquis_Rex]

My colleagues E39 BMW 528i Tourings having the same notchy change issues also, but mainly when cold.
He's also peeved with a creaky rear suspension, which was very hard to track down and finally rectify.