The first one dose not look like an OEM part at all. I would not pay $250 for that, do some more checking. Reputable sites for selling quality BMW parts are a good option in this situation over amazon and ebay.

 

Little ot here but can anyone tell me if the shifter mounting holes are the same on an e46 m3? Im assuming it is but cant confirm.

 

Generally your just changing the rod of the shifter, any of those will work, same with the eBay generic ones. Aslong as it clips into place, it'll work.

My dad has a short shifter from ecs, and that thing is definitely short. I don't like driving it because it's hard to put into gear and extra extra extra notchy. But it definitely is firm. Takes some getting used too

 

You can use e60 sport shifter. OEM, cheap and great results. Google for DIY. There is also one on this site.

 

I used the E60 shift lever/ZHP knob combo. Best choice I think. Of course I changed all the linkage bushings as well. Fantastic shifter. You don't want to have to reach down into a hole to change gears.

Link for the e60 shifter DIY

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=900208

Right on I'm definitely considering getting the e60 shift lever, there is one posted here on eBay for around 90$. This listing seem legit to you guys?

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/121924822725

But the only thing here is that it says it does not fit my 2005 330Ci, can I get confirmation from anyone with experience that this lever in fact DOES work for a 330Ci? I like the fact that it says it's OE genuine BMW but I don't want it to not fit if I buy it. If there's somewhere else I should be getting this kit from instead of eBay let me know

 

I used the E60 shift lever/ZHP knob combo. Best choice I think. Of course I changed all the linkage bushings as well. Fantastic shifter. You don't want to have to reach down into a hole to change gears.

 

+1

Did the same. Very happy

 

Look at the shirt shifter on understeer.com. I've heard good things about them

 

Link for the e60 shifter DIY
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=900208

 

Didn't someone mention that the e60 setup was rubbing against the transmission or some other linkage?

 

Well if you put it in backwards, yes. Coupes though, anyone having a coupe has to do some homework. One way to confirm would be to go to ECS Tuning and input your car then go to the section with the shifters and see if the E60 lever is listed. If not then you can't use it without modification.

E60 levers will be listed as not compatible with E46s because they're for the E60, officially. Doesn't mean they don't actually fit. I'm here to say they fit quite nicely, if you have a sedan.

 

I actually saw this after I replied to the whole thread, but I now see there is a difference between the coupes and non coupes. That's tough, so maybe I should just go with a short shifter kit from bavauto.com? Sounds like the safest bet, they have a kit listed as fitting for my 330 coupe and I trust the site

 

So the e60 lever wouldn't be a good fit for the 330Ci? It's gotta be perfect fitment above all other things. The main reason I'm getting a short shifter is cause a bushing broke somewhere in my shift lever and it needs replaced anyway, might as well get an upgrade while I'm at it.

Well shoot how's that understeer.com 330Ci shift lever? It's 160$ instead of 90 for the e60 but should be a perfect fit.

http://www.understeer.com/onlinestore-shifters.shtml

 

Not what I said skep, you have to do your research. E60 lever fit my car fine but its a sedan. Do your homework dude.

 

Also have a sedan, but I went with the z3 shift lever. I love it but it sits slightly off to the right. No issues other than in 5th gear it's pretty far out there, but it's just visually. I think if I did it again I'd do e60 lever.

 

Don't jump on anything without thorough vetting. There have been a few disappointed people with the aftermarket shifters.

 

SkepTones, the only thing you have to worry about with the E60 shifter is whether you have a 5-speed or a 6-speed in your 330Ci. It will work with a 5-speed, but not the 6-speed. I'll do some homework for you, it's listed here for your coupe on ECSTuning's site: https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330Ci-M54_3.0L/Drivetrain/Shifter/
...and it's much cheaper than that eBay link.

If you can use it, it's a great option. I have one in my wagon. It doesn't rub.

Replace all the other wear items in the shifter linkage, add a ZHP knob, and you'll have a sweet setup.

 

E60 shifter works fine. Someone had an issue with rubbing but I confirmed it works fine when the link arm is in the correct direction

 

Basically all a short shifter in a BMW does is extend the shifter rod further away from the shift lever. So it doesn't have to move as far for the same function. It will increase shift effort but some of the aftermarket kits use different bushing materials or even bearings at the pivot point to lessen the effect. A weighted shift knob actually helps a lot too. On my last car I had one of our Bavarian short shifters and I put a heavy UUC knob on it after running a stock one for years. I couldn't believe the difference.

 

The ZHP knob is extremely common here. Using it myself. Great knob, still used as OEM in current M cars

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

Any opinions on what shift rod to use with the ZHP knob so that the shift throw will be reduced, but the height of the shift know stays the same like with the stock shift rod? 5speed manual 330.

I don´t like how low the Z3 knob sits...

 

e36 328 shifter is a good alternative, the same height as stock, but shorter shifts.
I have one installed in my current e46 325i.

 

Again, the e60 rod is pretty perfect. Not low at all

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

Here is the picture of the stock e46 325 shifter (on top) vs e36 328/M3 shifter bottom).

 

Keep in mind 330 has much shorter throw compared to 325. That alone makes a huge difference

 

If you have the money, Get a UUC EVO3 Short shifter and DSSR. Great product, mediocore customer service. The best Short shifter since it is precision machined, and they use a cup which raised the shift lever ball, to acheive proper geometry with the shift selector rod in the transmission.

BavAuto has great customer service and knowledge. You can buy it from them instead of UUC directly and get their quality support for this quality product.

 

If you have the money, Get a UUC EVO3 Short shifter and DSSR. Great product, mediocore customer service. The best Short shifter since it is precision machined, and they use a cup which raised the shift lever ball, to acheive proper geometry with the shift selector rod in the transmission.



BavAuto has great customer service and knowledge. You can buy it from them instead of UUC directly and get their quality support for this quality product.

$500 later you have something that won't shift any better than an E60 gear lever & stock rod. I thought about their shifter but it costs too much for a monthly driver and they overstate how worn out the plastic ball stock levers get. Mine after 140k was fine.

E60 lever/ZHP knob combo + new linkage bushings for the win

 

Worth 6x the price? Thats your call.

 

Not sure where you got "6x's" the price.

If you just get the EVO3 it costs $350, but UUC always has specials and has a $100 trade your old shifter rebate, meaning $250 ish

I bought a new one on eBay for $150. Used ones are normally in the $150-200 range.

The DSSR is optional, but another $100 or so brand new.

Other aftermarket brands (B&M, etc..) are in the $200-$250 range, shifter only no DSSR.

An OEM BMW shifter alone is around $80.

So, there's no way it's 6 times the price. If you look around you can get it for around $100 more than OEM and that is well worth it to me for the reduced notchiness and improved crisper shifting IMO.

Again, you are welcome to your opinion and how you wanna spend your money.

 

Just too damned expensive for my rig. Could not justify installing it in a 325 base with no options. E60 lever had a stronger business case for my application. If I had a higher trim line the UUC probably would be in there. I'm completely satisfied anyway. New bushings make the difference, and the joint. Do not forget those.

New engine & gearbox mounts complete the ensemble. Go big or go home LOL

 

Well guys, I've officially got the new short throw shifter installed into my 330Ci. And I have got to say I love it!

Basically it feels like the shifter on a new sports car. Everything is tight and has only the correct amount of play in it. The throws are way shorter than stock and have more of a notchy and precisely gated feel to each gear. It feels awesome to click past the wall of 1st gear and into reverse gear. It's exactly what I was wanting, and what I was hoping to get by dropping so much on the UUC short shift kit. Feels like it lives up to its name.

One thing I did notice though is offset the angle of the shift knob by just a hair. Like 5 degrees more toward the driver side. Weird but doesn't bother me and still is comfortable.

So bottom line here is you can't go wrong with the whole UUC short throw shifter in your 330Ci (even though it's a little overpriced) [emoji106]

 

Glad you like it.

UUC makes a great product, albeit very expensive. Precision machined, and literally no play, makes shifting crisp, clean, and predictable. Keep in mind the lever is also height adjustable - it is intially set at the highest point and you can lower it from there.

I bought the Delrin bushings for this also, but turned out my shift carrier has two mounting points, so not needed.

I agree that if you have a 320i, or a less optioned E46, or on a budget, it is definitely not the way to go.

However, since clean/crisp shifting is one of the most important pleasures of driving a BMW for me, and i have the 6spd version, I went for it, don't regret paying the surcharge for the UUC product. The only regret i have is calling UUC for their customer support - I should have just ordered from BavAuto and talked to them instead.