100 miles 2010 X5d Initial Impressions

[Thunder22]

On a center console, you push forward to shift into reverse on EVERY car with

P R N D 1 2 3

[KenB]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

On a center console, you push forward to shift into reverse on EVERY car with

P R N D 1 2 3

Not from park....where I start every time I start the car...

[AUU 555]

Originally Posted by KenB

Not from park....where I start every time I start the car...

but you will get use to it

[KenB]

Originally Posted by AUU 555

but you will get use to it

true

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by AUU 555

but you will get use to it

It's not an issue if it is the only vehicle you drive, as you get use to almost anything. But it is mildly irritating if you drive a couple of vehicles, and one goes forward for reverse, and the other goes reverse for reverse.

[Weasel]

Originally Posted by Penguin

It's not an issue if it is the only vehicle you drive, as you get use to almost anything. But it is mildly irritating if you drive a couple of vehicles, and one goes forward for reverse, and the other goes reverse for reverse.

Try going directly from an E65 7 series to anything else... you reach for the gear shifter on the column and turn on the damn wipers!

[alewifebp]

Originally Posted by Weasel

Try going directly from an E65 7 series to anything else... you reach for the gear shifter on the column and turn on the damn wipers!

I had the same experience coming from a 2006 ML. For a while my hand was constantly going towards the steering wheel control, and my foot was pushing the non-existent parking brake.

Personally I feel the BMW design for the shifter makes more sense the way it is.

[jayjay_dee]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

On a center console, you push forward to shift into reverse on EVERY car with

P R N D 1 2 3

[LeMansX5]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

On a center console, you push forward to shift into reverse on EVERY car with

P R N D 1 2 3

Nothing new with pushing forward to go reverse.
I have cars with each of shifters and I find the new shifter to be much safer. Car goes into park if you open door while in drive and other safety features.

[FunfDreisig]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

On a center console, you push forward to shift into reverse on EVERY car with

P R N D 1 2 3

HUH? Just exactly how do you "push forward to shift into reverse" on EVERY center console shifter when you get in the vehicle, start it up and it is in PARK? In fact, in almost EVERY center console vehicle you pull the shifter BACK from Park to Reverse -- but not the current BMWs.

OTOH once the vehicle is moving the shifter direction works as you describe. As I posted earlier, this is an artifact of copying the shift sequence from popular early automatic transmission shifters, which were on the steering column, to automatic "console shifters" when they were introduced.

FWIW the PRND pattern makes sense if you consider that in many situations the first thing you want to do after starting the vehicle in Park is to Reverse (e.g. out a a garage, parking space, etc.) then move through Neutral and into Drive. And often you do not need to return to Reverse until you Park the vehicle.

Funf Dreisig