Midnight

Well I've had aftermarket shifters in four previous Corvettes and slew of non-Corvette models. My last two Vette shifter were from MGW, a flatstick and a then a unit for a C7 with stock ****. For whatever reason I thought I would change it up and save some money in the process. I read some reviews and thought that I would give Core a try. I initially ordered the retro style off of Ebay and had messaged the seller about the use of a pistol grip and was told that it would break the retro stick. Okay, thats fine I'll get the pistol grip then. Well the seller (Core) kept explaining to me the pistol grip wouldn't work on the retro stick. After repeated dense conversations, he finally realized I wanted the shifter with the Hurst Hard Drive stick. But first I asked about hand clearance issues with that setup. I was assured there had been no previous complaints and he showed me a video of the Hurst-made pistol grip shift setup and said that his was similar. So I went with it.

My initial impression upon receipt of my shifter was that it was a no thrills but solid piece. One cause for concern was the extremely thin plastic gasket to mate the shifter to the bottom box. I went on and installed everything including the outer boot which I modified to accept the Hurst Stick. Core recommends you not reinstall this piece but I didn't mind cutting mine to add some extra sound dampening.

After install I liked the shifter driving a few miles around town. I contacted Core and said I liked it but wouldn't mind having an extension bracket to bring the handle slightly up and backwards. A few days later I drove the car 300 miles and realized there was a constant metal resonance coming from the shift **** (almost like a fan clicking) and a whine everytime you touched the handle in any way. Constant noise. I've never had that issue with any other shifter, especially the MGW. In addition to the noise the handle is extremely hot to the touch after sitting for a few minutes in any ambient temperature above 60 degrees. Also if you plan on any type of spirited driving plan on banging your thumb on the temperature control ****, your knuckle on the menu button and your knuckle on the climate control panel getting the car out of 7th.

Core responded with saying they would send an extension bracket and rubber isolating pad but the shifter would become spongy. Regardless Core stated that it was an aftermarket part and there would be tradeoffs and more noise. Yeah I get that if it's a cam, bigger tires or exhaust resonance. I've never had to make any consolations with a shifter. Ever.

So I told him it just wasn't going to work for me and I wasn't interested in pulling my interior apart once again to go on a fishing expedition to see if this would make the shifter livable. I drive the car over 2K miles per month and need something non-eventful. Core said they don't offer returns and there is nothing wrong with their product designs and 100's of people were happy. I now see why he was so adamant about not selling the original retro shifter because of issues he had before. From the feeling of it he has issues with people wanting to return his products, I've never heard of MGW shifters flying back in returns in anyway. I know from experience that MGW stands behind their stuff but there isn't anything wrong with it, you just have to pay to play.

Yeah I'm not sure, to each their own but it is basically an incomplete part design to me. Not to mention I have $250.00 in it. So I just disputed the charges at my bank and ordered an MGW like I should have to begin with. When I get the MGW, I will pull the Core shifter and send it back.

Maybe if you buy the Hurst-ball handled Core products you will have less heat transfer and be able to retain the factory rubber boots in stock form to decrease sound. But the Hard-drive handled Core shifter has some issues in my opinon.

Internets_Ninja

Every aftermarket shifter I've ever tried to put in a Corvette was crap. And the ones that were solid made all sorts of noise. Luckily the C6 Z06 and C7's come with really good shifters from factory.

Everything you've mentioned above is about what I've experienced with aftermarket shifters. I do think your expectation for an aftermarket shifter,with less dampening and isolation from the transmission itself, would somehow be as quiet as stock is misguided.

Avanti

I don't understand why you didn't just go with what you had already had consistent good luck with. I guess I'm missing something.

Btw, I put a shortened Hurst in my C5 and found a resonance (rattly noise, if you will) with the shifter outfitted with a deeply set, Belgian cue-ball shifter I fabbed. What I did to eliminate the noise was to take three, large steel "drill-stops" with an inside diameter that fit snugly over the shifter-shaft and mounted them on the shaft as high as possible and just under the top of the boot. I Loc-tited the set screws 17 years ago and as of this morning they haven't moved. However, what did/has happen is that the "stops" have effectively acted as vibration dampers and eliminated all errant noise. Viola!

RyanC7

People have had good luck with MGW. Mine should be here today.

I will do the swap along with my Redline D4 this weekend.

rrsperry

Then you haven't used a good shifter. The stock C7 shifter is vague and rubbery, especially on the 2-3 and 4-5 shift. You might get 3ed, or it may get 5th...

The MGW was worth every penny. (and probably should come from the factory on a sportscar...)

Internets_Ninja

Let me be more specific. The raw shifting of aftermarket shifters including Hurts and MGW were great. But everything else about them is garbage. They are loud and rattle and vibrate. My C7 is my daily driver and I can handle the factory shifter just fine. It's not worth going to a noisy and stiff shifter in MY subjective view.

Now the C5 Z06 had an absolute crap shifter. Might as well been out of a pickup truck.

My point is, no aftermarket shifter will be as quiet and dampen the vibrations so his expectation of this was misguided.

Midnight

I can't disagree with a lot of what was said but I experienced no tradeoff with the MGW C7 setup. I just wanted to try something with a bit shorter through at a lower price point. I should know better by now.

i think the oem C7 shifter is completely unusable. You are in out in purgatory with 5,6,7.

My MGW had shipped so Ill have this issue behind me.

CourtneyJudd

I bought a low miles 2014 M7 about a year ago and the factory shifter was just not up to the job so i went with MGW.... took about 4 hours to install and I absolutely love it... no issues, noise, vibes etc.... gets a 10+ from me! CJ

rrsperry

I have no idea what you are going on about... the mgw is absolutely no louder or viby than stock. It’s just simply better made.

muncie21

Another vote for MGW shifters. Awesome product!

Gary barnes 1098

Internets_Ninja

If this is true, I need to buy one ASAP! I've had nothing but bad luck in the past. But now you've got me reconsidering.

VictorBarron

I added a vintage Q Ball to the stock shifter. Feels very comfortable and shortened the throw.

Internets_Ninja

That may have reduced the height, but that wouldn't shorten the mechanisms throw.

thrilled

I have Core-Hurst with A Hurst T handle.Had it for 4 years.Great short throw shifts.It also
looks really good.

Internets_Ninja

I just ordered the MGW. If I hate it I'm blaming this thread lol.

DWillys

Post back either way.

L82Brake

I had a MGW in my C6 and I was one of the first to get the then generation 2 new design. At least one person commented to me about rattling. I never experienced it in my C6 or C7. I also never had the original design to compare it to.

When I got my C7 I at first didnt know it was the same shifter as the C6 ... and missed my MGW and ordered a new one.

Internets_Ninja

Will do, I'm not sure how long it will take to get. Site said could take up to 3-4 weeks? I assume they manufacture them in groups at set date intervals. So I could get it within 7-10 days or 3-4 weeks

I watched some youbube videos on the Gen 2 and how to properly install to not get extra noise. It convinced me that I wouldn't be dealing with anything other than better shifts. I'm pretty good with my stock C7 shifter, but I cannot deny 5-6-7 is a bit vague and I've missed downshifting from 4th to 3rd a couple of times. Now that I ordered my MGW I drove the car this morning and am acutely aware of how sloppy it is.

OP and others definitely changed my point of view in this thread.

rrsperry

Key is making sure you align it properly.

The hardest part for me was fitting the rubber boot back on...