Do it now or wait?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
Do it now or wait?
SO after al the great advice I have decided to get MGW shifter. This is my first year with the car and always had bikes before buying my 03 z. Wondering if I should get comfortable with stock shifter and get experience for a year and than put in MGW or just put MGW shifter in now (maybe will help my shifting skills develop quicker)? The biggest thing is seat time but just wondering about when I should get MGW shifter.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 14,136
Likes: 2,983
From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
ALOT of members here swear the MGW is the best shifter that is available for the C5. So much so, I purchased one to put in my 02. Unfortunetly, I've yet to get the shifter installed (or car out of winter storage 
) so I can't give you feedback on it.
) so I can't give you feedback on it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,153
Likes: 859
From: Rio Rancho, New Mexico
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
SO after al the great advice I have decided to get MGW shifter. This is my first year with the car and always had bikes before buying my 03 z. Wondering if I should get comfortable with stock shifter and get experience for a year and than put in MGW or just put MGW shifter in now (maybe will help my shifting skills develop quicker)? The biggest thing is seat time but just wondering about when I should get MGW shifter.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Anything is better than the stock shifter... there are several different shifters out there, They each have their own characteristics.. So as to your question , no matter what you choose, do it sooner rather than later. MY shifter is very short stroked, very gated ( notchie ) and very fun to drive. No need to start a my shifter is better than your shifter post.. Ive had my shifter for 14 years and still love it, and I enjoy every single shift, and it makes me feel like I am driving a true sports car, and not just a car with a manual shifter.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 17,691
Likes: 1,210
From: Aiken, SC
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '26
Anything is better than the stock shifter... there are several different shifters out there, They each have their own characteristics.. So as to your question , no matter what you choose, do it sooner rather than later. MY shifter is very short stroked, very gated ( notchie ) and very fun to drive. No need to start a my shifter is better than your shifter post.. Ive had my shifter for 14 years and still love it, and I enjoy every single shift, and it makes me feel like I am driving a true sports car, and not just a car with a manual shifter.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 181
Likes: 24
From: San Diego Kalifornistan
It sounds like you don't have much experience shifting a manual car? That's what I understood from what you wrote, anyway. The stock C5 shifter has a similar feel to how most other manual vehicles shift (i.e. long and sloppy ). The only downside I could see to going straight for the MGW is that you'll get most of your experience driving a stick in a car a with nice, short, notchy shifter. This is great when you're driving your Vette, but if you drive other vehicles they'll shift like crap, and you might miss a few gears until you get used to driving a crap shifter again.
Even so, I don't see this as an issue to be concerned with. If I were you, I'd go for an aftermarket shifter ASAP. I daily drive my Vette in traffic with a B&M ripper, and I love everY minute of it.
). The only downside I could see to going straight for the MGW is that you'll get most of your experience driving a stick in a car a with nice, short, notchy shifter. This is great when you're driving your Vette, but if you drive other vehicles they'll shift like crap, and you might miss a few gears until you get used to driving a crap shifter again.Even so, I don't see this as an issue to be concerned with. If I were you, I'd go for an aftermarket shifter ASAP. I daily drive my Vette in traffic with a B&M ripper, and I love everY minute of it.
Last edited by Sea Vette; Mar 29, 2016 at 04:54 PM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,146
Likes: 203
From: Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Do it now, get to know your car better by installing it yourself(before the warranty expires...lol) I drove a stick for years when I first got my Corvette I thought it was me forgetting how to shift...until I got MGW. It was not me it was the stock shifter that I could not row 6 gears without a missed shift!!
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
ET, Sea vette, and I all have the same shifter. It's easy to drive but quite a bit more like a gated shifter than the mgw. Anything is an improvement but it depends what you like.
To me a sports car needs a firm positive click into gear, but many like the slick less notchy feel.
To me a sports car needs a firm positive click into gear, but many like the slick less notchy feel.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
Like I said never owned a stick car but have driven my dads 98 c5 and friends mustang but to me totally different than owning one. I am very competetive and want to learn the right way not the clown that throws it in neutral instead of downshifting. Keep telling myself when got my first bike didnt know how to shift properly and I listened to my dad (and others) , got experience than could shift with the best of them. Plan on owning this car for a while and unless they make a silverado standard extended cab will be my only standard vehicle...haha
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,439
Likes: 2,183
From: Buffalo Texas
I don't remember how long I had my vette, but it wasn't very long !!!!! I hated not knowing what gear I would hit (or miss) and the overall feel just sucked. The MGW was almost like the old Hurst Super Shifter days !!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 5,278
Likes: 539
From: Kelowna BC
Worst video ever, but this is my stock Z shifter as I'm ramping on to the highway coming home one day. People talk about the sloppy stock shifter... you can see in my video, if anything this thing is not sloppy or loose. Does everyone's have this positive an engagement when they shift?
It's so much more notchy, gated feeling than my 3 series was...
https://vimeo.com/151478781
It's so much more notchy, gated feeling than my 3 series was...
https://vimeo.com/151478781
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,439
Likes: 2,183
From: Buffalo Texas
Worst video ever, but this is my stock Z shifter as I'm ramping on to the highway coming home one day. People talk about the sloppy stock shifter... you can see in my video, if anything this thing is not sloppy or loose. Does everyone's have this positive an engagement when they shift?
It's so much more notchy, gated feeling than my 3 series was...
https://vimeo.com/151478781
It's so much more notchy, gated feeling than my 3 series was...
https://vimeo.com/151478781
2. you didn't really try to shift fast ???
3. maybe George (MGW)owned the car first and it was a proto type ???
4. your way more talented than some of us ????
5. I have no more to add ???
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Might as well go ahead and get the better shifter and get comfortable with it. Well worth the expense.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 5,278
Likes: 539
From: Kelowna BC
Was just ramping on the highway, stop busting my...
Thanks for the chuckle. But... does it appear to shift like your factory shifter does/did?
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,439
Likes: 2,183
From: Buffalo Texas
