1st to 2nd (to be followed up with a 2nd to 3rd, etc. Only kidding...)

[poloplayer]

Hey guys, I've done about 600kays of awesomeness in my gti now, and the gearbox has gotten smoother. However, 1st the 2nd is still quite notchy, so that shift is usually pretty slow. I'm afraid of using excessive force to make a quick shift, so now I just get cars tailgating me until im in second. Do you other GTI owners get this as well?

Oh, and one more question. Does shifting too fast damage the gearbox? I read this from Ian Luff, an ex racing driver I think.

[Wand Weaver]

Shifting fast might damage the gear selector forks, if you slam the gears home all the time.

[Timbo]

Don't forget it is a cable connection from the stick to the box, a mechanism that doesn't handle abuse too well

[simcard48]

Hey guys, I've done about 600kays of awesomeness in my gti now, and the gearbox has gotten smoother. However, 1st the 2nd is still quite notchy, so that shift is usually pretty slow. I'm afraid of using excessive force to make a quick shift, so now I just get cars tailgating me until im in second. Do you other GTI owners get this as well?

Oh, and one more question. Does shifting too fast damage the gearbox? I read this from Ian Luff, an ex racing driver I think.

i've done close to 9000k's in mine and have the same slightly "notchy" problem. I'm not due for a service for a bit, anyone else have the same issue?

[dodgey GTI]

Had the same problem and lots of guys making the usual jokes in the "1st to Reverse Thread". Read the comments in that thread and let me know how you go.

I tried double clutching etc, but matching the revs with a quick feather of the throttle prior to engaging second really helped and allieviated the problem good luck!

[poloplayer]

It's not the acceleration that gets me, its the physical motion of moving the stick from 1st to 2nd. Like you have to pull it to between 1 and 2, then it stops, and then you have to apply some more force to pull it down to 2nd, slowing down gear changes.

[VEEDUB69]

Try pushing the clutch in

[Wand Weaver]

Try pushing the clutch in

It's actually quite a notchy gearbox - but you actually DO have to push the clutch in all the way if you're not going to grind the gears. Unlike many other cars I have driven, the clutch friction point is actually quite far down (near the bottom) in the Polo.

[DaveMack]

Never had that problem.

It's not the acceleration that gets me, its the physical motion of moving the stick from 1st to 2nd. Like you have to pull it to between 1 and 2, then it stops, and then you have to apply some more force to pull it down to 2nd, slowing down gear changes.

I've done 12,500ks now and the gearbox has been sweet from day one. Don't get many tailgaters either ...

Good luck with your gearbox ... hope it settles down.

Cheers, Dave

[poloplayer]

Update:

Done about 1600ks now. Super awesome car I must say, but the 1-2 shift is still getting me It slows the shift down, it takes almost a second from clutch in, to clutch out again.

[Ben_GTI]

hehehehehe, it breaks at ~20,000kms and you can't change gears. I can only laugh now because it works properly after they fixed it.

[shaneth]

Ok i have a question, What the cause of crunching gears. there is the syncro, clutch, gear linkage (its very late and im not thinking right at the moment.) and user. Could the mechanics do something in the service besides droping the oil to do someting about to fix it. Im stumped, any ideas???

[Ben_GTI]

well from what i've heard around the place, if you have better synchro's the gears should line up better. Reverse gear crunches because it has no synchro at all, hence it grinds no matter what you do.