Five Speed Reverse Gear

Does anyone here know if a 328's manual transmission should require additional force (an aggressive tapping or smacking instead of gently gliding to the left) to shift into reverse.

I'm looking at a used 1997 328is with a manual transmission that seems to only have that one issue.

I brought a relative of mine with who ran it through all of its gears and said everything else checked out.

I thought I should play it safe and find out if that is standard operation.

It takes some force to get it into reverse, but you shouldn't need to smack it.

You shouldn't need to smack your stick...just push it hard...

The trick is to put the trans into any forward gear *before* engaging reverse....if that doesn`t help, then the reverse idler gear is probably very worn.

Originally Posted by Fast Bob

The trick is to put the trans into any forward gear *before* engaging reverse....if that doesn`t help, then the reverse idler gear is probably very worn.

+1 If i don't end up doing as bob has stated it sounds like all my gears are grinding! horrrible, Unless it is warm and i have been running it most the day. Need a bit of force but shouldn't need to put your shoulders into it ;P