column shifter?

[dletm08]

Does anyone here prefer the column shifter over the shifter on the floor in an automatic?

I might be the only person in the world who likes the shifter on the column.

On plus of it is that it gives you a place to rest your hand when you are station surfing on the radio!

[theholycow]

I love the column shifter, along with a 60/40 split bench with fold-down/up armrest. Besides being out of the way, I've always loved exactly the same radio-changing handrest function as you.

Automatics have no reason to clutter the console area with a shifter. There's nothing that most people need to do with it while driving. In new models there are various types of manual control, but having a column shifter doesn't even prevent that:


...and of course, then there's always paddle shifters or buttons on the face of the steering wheel.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

I had a Chevy S-10 with a column shifter. Now that you mention it, I guess I did sort of like that better. Not a strong preference, though, so I'd never thought about it before. All my other cars have been manual, but I drove other people's automatics with the floor shifter.

[VetteOwner]

i prefer the column shifter even tho i dont like automatics in general, it prevents me from wanting to "shift" the floor shifter like a manual lol.

[Lug_Nut]

"Best" of both?
I have a four speed manual column shifter in my Saab.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

This thread always puts the Cake song Stick Shifts and Safety Belts in my head.

[Jay2TheRescue]

When I'm Cruisin' in my Malibu... Haven't heard that song in ages...

[markweatherill]

I really like the dash-mounted gearshift on the Nissan S-Cargo... don't know if any of those ever got to the US.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Depends on the car I guess, can't imagine driving Marvin with a floor shifter, it would be too low, and I like the center console shifter in Wile-E...

Bigger cars or those with more upright seating are better suited for column shifters, smaller cars with a lower, sportier driving position are better suited to the center console shifter I guess.

However... I miiiight at some point try rigging a button or paddle shifter on Wile-E when I discover more about how the electrics work, since it's an electronic auto in him.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by markweatherill

I really like the dash-mounted gearshift on the Nissan S-Cargo... don't know if any of those ever got to the US.

Like this?



We don't have the S-Cargo in the US, but we have minivans and SUVs with that dash-mounted console shifter. I don't like it. It's more intrusive than a column shifter, but offers none of the additional convenience of a floor-mounted console shifter.