Short Shifter Testimonials

Hi Ben, Just wanted to drop you a quick note as to how happy I am with your product. Last week I purchased the full Rogue Octane SSK (with WSR) from Daniel of Beastpower and installed it Saturday. Brought a lot of smiles to my face, I can't believe I waited this long for such a needed, and relatively economical mod, what was I thinking! While I was at it, I replaced the tranny mounts (with yours of course), and put in the Royal Purple Syncromax Manual Gear Oil. Sent a few pics from the install to Daniel who will update his site for even better product promotion. All I know is that I am very happy with your product and will be joyously motoring along.  Constantine Boyadjiev BMW E39 M5 Northern NJ

At full acceleration I have missed shifts into third and fifth gear before. After almost 80,000 miles, my stock shifter was very sloppy. I just installed an Octane Short Shifter Kit in my 98 BMW M3 Sedan along with Rogue's transmission mounts and your recommended selector rod gear joint replacement (BMW parts). Shifting is now a dream come true. Short throws and extremely precise gear selection make my car an absolute JOY to drive. I'd like you to pass along a very hardy and sincere thank you to everyone who made the Octane SSK possible. They did their job very well and obviously enjoy driving as much as I do. Tom Peterson 1998 BMW E36 M3 Mt. Vernon, IN

Thank you Ben, This is what a short shifter was SUPPOSED to feel like. Just got it installed today and the difference is amazing.   The two big things I notice is that getting into first after a stop light is now much easier and more like I remember the stock shifter feeling. The other thing is the second to third shift. I never missed one with the stock shifter but had to really think about it using the other brand. With yours, it is a no brainer again. Just go for third and its there. Cannot thank you enough. The tranny mounts are in and cannot really say I notice them but they were an easy install. Can't wait for the last item, if these other two items are indicative of the overall quality of your items, they will be awesome. Marty McBride 1996 BMW E36 328i Grover Beach, CA

Just a quick note to thank you for supplying shifters for our cars this year.  They felt good on the cars in the shop but we just got through with our first race week of the year and I got to put them through their paces on the track.  Amazing - seriously. We have gotten free shifters from several different companies in the past and they have always come back off and replaced with the stock parts after testing them out.  I feel that in general, short shifters have a cool feel, but that is not really good or a benefit - just different.  In fact, due to the plastic pivot point, the stock shifter has a smoother feel and the longer throw gives better and more accurate gear selection - both advantages on the track in a pressure situation where shifting needs to be automatic and flawless.  Additionally, I installed a huge shift knob on one customer's car at his request and as I feared, the added mass disguised the gates and made shifting and extremely clumsy (they sent the engine back for a rebuild after one weekend due to a mis-shift). At about turn 5 on the first lap in my new E46 car, I hit a quick shift and remembered thinking "Wow, that was solid".  Not a bad accomplishment for a single part to make an impression on a completely new car with well over 100 completely custom fabricated parts!  The shifting was smooth and unlike heavier shift knobs, the Weighted Selector Rod allowed proper gear selection while still adding mass to make movement rock solid.  This is by far the best shifter I have ever used and I am very happy with them.  I have attached one of the few pictures I have gathered from this past week.  I will send more from the weekend later and more from the podium position from next race now that we have our engine management issues straightened out.  Thanks again! James Clay E46 Bimmerworld World Challenge Racecars Bimmerworld.com

I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you and praise your engineering efforts in regards to the Rogue Engineering OCTANE SSK for the E46 6SPD. I am just blown away by this shifter! I have a friend who has the 5SPD version on his '01 330i and I always loved driving it. The 6SPD kit is even better, in my opinion! It has just the same shift effort WITHOUT a weighted selector rod (included in the 5SPD kit). The Self Adjusting Pivot Point is the icing on the cake, though. The gear selection feel is just so nice and crisp with hardly any excess play and no binding whatsoever...and that's after the kit has just been installed! The car is just a whole new toy now. I'm in the process of putting together a bit of a sleeper with my '04 330i and Rogue's products are exactly what I'm looking for. As far as the OCTANE SSK, I like the short throw, I like the build quality, I like the innovative approach, I like being able to use the stock shift knob without any shift feel problems. Ben, you and Rogue Engineering nailed it. Thank you and keep up the good work! I look forward to future developments from the folks at Rogue. Lervin Abadia 2004 BMW 330 6-spd Seattle, WA

As an owner of a 2003 330i with the Performance Package, I was excited about the prospect of an OEM short shifter along with the other goodies the package included.  Coming from a Steptronic transmission, any 6 speed was great but the shorty knob and “reduce” throw was very appealing.  After 6 months of regular driving, I began to sense a level of vagueness that was not what I had expected in a short shift kit.  In reading posts about short shift kits on Bimmerfest.com, I became intrigued with trying out a aftermarket short shift kit to improve the overall shifting characteristics.  I wanted to be sure that I was not stuck with something that was not to my liking so I inquired with Ben from Rogue about the OCTANE SSK.  First I want to thank Ben for his timely response to all of my inquiries and that he stated clearly that if I were not please with his product I could return it with no questions being asked. I can not attest to the install ease or difficulty since I had a friend put it in for me.  Being winter in PA, I was not about to tackle this project at home.  He has his own shop and was quick to offer his assistance.  His only comment was that he had a bit of a challenge aligning the new carrier arm. My initial impression of the OCTANE short shift kit was “WOW” this thing is tight.  There was no vagueness in the pattern.  The slight offset to the right was easily noticed and lines up with the nature placement coming from the transmission.  The throw reduction was not dramatic but just enough to make it an improvement from the OEM version.  Shifting did require a bit more effort, especially at slower speeds, with an OEM shift knob.  The counter weight of a slightly heavier knob took care of this characteristic, in fact, I would highly suggest that you package in a new shift knob should you purchase an OCTANE short shift kit.  Caution though on using a knob that is too heavy, I had a loaner from a friend that smoothed out the shifting but the top heavy nature made it quite easy to get ahead of yourself in shifting and it basically just felt too darn heavy. After using the OCTANE short shift kit for a bit over a month and around 2,000 miles, I can say I am very pleased with the product.  The adapting to the reduce throw, balanced feel and lack of vagueness was an easy transition…one which I would suggest that anyone go for whether you have a standard shift package or the “short lever” OEM version.  The set up of the Rogue product gives you the benefit of a SSK without going to far in the direction of a too short and laborious shift.  Throw in the professional treatment and prompt ordering/shipment process and you have a win win proposition on your hands. Phil Mader “Dr. Phil” on Bimmerfest.com 2003 330i ZHP Mount Joy, PA

I just took my first drive with the OCTANE SSK installed in my 540. Your product really lives up to the claims made by your customers and exceeds the expectations you describe in your literature. I think I am going to really enjoy this modification to my car. Mike Stevenson BMW E39 540 Lagrange, GA

Thank you and Rogue Engineering again for such a well engineered [OCTANE] shift kit. I was previously using the shifter lever from a 1995 BMW E36 M3, I thought that felt good, but your kit is light years ahead in feel and throw civility. Rich Mighty 1988 BMW E30 M3

I just wanted to write and comment on your new OCTANE SSK.  I received the unit a few days ago and was able to put it in prior to a Drivers Ed event (thanks for getting it out to me in time).  I would like to say that the feel and precision of shifts are terrific!  Shifts take the same effort as a stock set-up requires.  The shift "gates" are much more well defined now.  I especially like the 3-4 shift under power, it feels much more direct and connected.  There is a solid feel of engagement when you hit 4th gear.  There is also no slop in the shift lever any more.  I used to be able to wiggle the shifter from side to side when it was in gear, no more.  I am sure that is due in part to the new carrier bushings. The shorter throw is nice as well, shorter than stock but enough travel so you know you're shifting.  It's funny the short throw is not on the top of the list of things I like about the OCTANE SSK.  I am really mostly impressed with the new feel the shifter has over stock.  Finally, there is no additional noise or vibration in the cabin.  I was afraid a SSK might transmit gear noise, but I have not heard anything that is different then stock.  Great job.  I am very happy with the product. Andrew Harkonen 1995 BMW E36 M3

It's been two weeks now since I've had my Rogue Engineering short shifter kit and weighted selector rod (WSR) installed. Thought I'd give as complete a review as possible. Usual Disclaimer: I'm a product whore. No affiliation with RE. I call it the way I see it. Short Review: If you don’t already have a SS, buy this combo now. If you already have a SS, buy the WSR. Both pieces are that good. Really. Background: My last car was a Honda S2000. This car, the Miata, and perhaps the Type R, have the best shifters on the planet IMHO. Snick snick quick. Short, almost too short of a throw with very positive engagement. When I got my M3, I was disappointed with the shifting. . . Long throws and sort of rubbery. Felt like a truck in comparison to my S2000. If you haven't driven an S2000, do so and you'll know what I mean.+ Kit evaluation: First, I brought the kit to the shop that I use, a shop full of BMW hard core racer types that are active in the BMW CCA. They've done a ton of SS installs, including Stygar and [another company] kits. If you are in Austin, this is Terry Sayther's shop. The funny thing is, the tech I talked with is a tinkerer: he had his personal car on a lift and had disassembled his shifter linkage, and was in the process of modifying his current SS kit. While I did not fully understand what he was doing (something about pivot relocation I think), he was proud of his ingenuity. I then stated that I have RE's kit and he wanted to check it out. He said that RE had already done to their kit what he was trying to do! Then, he said that Rogue went beyond what was necessary in terms of component quality, completeness, and aesthetics (after all, one cannot see these parts after installation). He was thoroughly impressed (his words, not mine). WSR evaluation: I have a first production run unit. Well built, solid. Very heavy, as this is the whole point of the WSR. The same tech that looked over the SS Kit said that in the VW world, most SS kits come with a counterbalance to attenuate notchiness. E36 kits do not b/c of the packaging concerns, just too tight down there. He thought the WSR was a great idea. When you compare the WSR to the OE selector rod, it's clear that the WSR is of superior quality, which is typically not the norm in the aftermarket. Install: I did not do this myself, after climbing under the car and looking everything over. I was charged one hour ($72). The tech that did the work said that the install went w/o drama. First Drive: Holy shit, my car felt like my Honda. No kidding. Slightly longer throws, but less notchiness than the S2000. I couldn't have been happier. Engagement is more precise. Resistance to engagement is only slightly higher than stock, thanks to the WSR I believe. On the track: I got the car to the track the weekend after the install. No drama, just precise shifting all weekend long. Today: Still happy with the SS and WSR. But now, I'm so used to it, I need to change something else. Argghh. Other comparisons: The only other car I've driven with a SS kit is a friends with the Stygar parts. The RE kit is quite a bit smoother and more stock-like in the required effort to engage gears. More 'snick snick' if you will. Note, however, that this is not a totally telling comparison since each kit was on different cars. Jeff Abel TX 1997 E36 M3 Sedan

Well, I have had the RE SSK in my car for about two weeks now. During that time, I have been able to scrutinize my shifter and observe many differences of the such. First, lets start with the install. The shifter was personally installed by the Ben Liaw himself, and it took him a mere 15 minutes to do so. Thanks again Ben. **Initial Impressions** When I first put the car in reverse, I could have sworn I was in 1st gear. That long throw from neutral center over all the way then up to R was gone. :eek: Then, I drove back to RogueFest and decided to have some fun with shifting. My first impression was a bit of a shock as shifting had become so much shorter. It almost felt wrong, as if I was not fully engaged in the gear. Normally when I shifted with the stock shifter, the throws were just that: a shift employed the services of almost every muscle on the right side of my body. A very tedious task to say the least. But I was a bit disappointed when after the kit was put in, I still was moving my whole arm to shift. Why that was, I will say later. So, after Rogue Fest, I had a nice 6 hour drive back to Pittsburgh, where I had plenty of time to test those 3rd 4th and 5th gear shifts. You manual people know how cumbersome that shift to 5th gear is. It is as if you are lunging to the glove compartment to get into gear. The throw from 3rd to 4th is a easy shift, but quite long. But with the SSK in and working, the throws became far more enjoyable. I have been talking about upshifting, but what about downshifting? Well, downshifting happens a lot quicker as well. Before I said that the new throws were not wrist flicks, and this is the reason why. I had become so accustomed to shifting with so much effort that I never tried to simply flick my wrist to shift. It was out of habit that I was still using my body to shift even with the kit in. I then experimented tried just flicking my wrist to shift, and what do you know, it worked ;). If you are one of those people that slam the clutch pedal all the way down when you shift, be ready to have to wait for the RPMs to fall to catch up with your shift. A clutch stop would compliment the SSK immensely. So back in Pittsburgh, I drive in the city and around town, shifting often. The short throw becomes something you get used to, and almost now a short throw. That's a good thing. So I almost forgot that I had a SSK kit in until I drove my friend's E46 with stock setup. Boy what a difference. Something else. At first, it almost felt like I needed just a tiny bit more effort to get the shifter into gear, but if you are shifting with just a flick of your wrist, the shift is easy and quite smooth. It is not as smooth as stock, but pretty close, and a lot smoother than another kit that I had driven with. Overall, I am extremely happy with the RE kit, it's well worth it. This being the first product that I have put on from RE, and having spoken to Mark and Ben personally regarding their products, I can say this. Often times, we strive to get certain mods for our car that are a bit too extreme for our daily driving habits. Huge 15 inch brakes and race shifters are a bit excessive for our cars, no matter how hard it is for us to admit it. The kit is definitely civil enough to drive everyday but a significant improvement over stock. So, I am happy. And I totally encourage anyone who is interested in getting a SSK to drop Ben Liaw an email ben@rogueengineering.com and inquire about a kit. Eddie Choi MD 2000 328Ci

Following is a brief summary before the full write-up (which will be posted on tUNINGwERKS). First, I'll comment on the install, then I'll comment on the shift shorter itself. Install was performed on a '00 323ci. Info on the SS from Rogue Engineering can be found here. INSTALL: Install time according to RE: 30-90 minutes Actual install time: 3 hours Although the procedure is very straight-forward, I felt that RE could have provided better instructions with the unit. Not a big deal - easily remedied. I had a question about the install and e-mailed Rogue. Someone got back to me within a day (on Sunday, to boot!). There are two sticky areas that I ran into, and I assume others will as well. First, while under the car, removing the nylon pivot is difficult because the drive shaft is in the way. Spent a good hour here trying to get it off. Second, removing the rod-bushing clip that keeps the shift carrier in place, was very difficult. There's not a lot of room to work with so it was hard to get enough leverage on anything in order to pry up the clip. All of this will become clear once I get photos up. E46fanatics has a nice write-up on an Auto Solutions install, which was helpful. Aside from those two issues, everything else was a snap. Gotta love the feeling after a self-install.  IMPRESSIONS: I love this mod and I wish I would have done it sooner. Before I did the upgrade, I thought all I would get is a reduced throw, but instead, it's a different driving experience altogether. Shifts are short and crisp. And although shifting is slightly notchier, I don't mind it in the least. I just spent 20 minutes driving the car and had the same 'just-got-my-car-SAG' on my face the whole time. There should be an option for this at the dealer. Ben: thanks again. Although it's too early to make a definitive conclusion, I believe you have a fine product on your hands. I look forward to doing business with you again. I feel comfortable sending friends your way. I'd be happy to answer any questions.... but after I go out for another drive!  Wynn Runjiraviriyapinyo CA 2000 E46 323Ci