You know, maybe it's because i've only owned one van, and it has the diesel
5sp(DX), i am always surprised when people complain about the location of
1st gear. it's true, there is a 'trick' to getting in there, but it's a
pretty simple trick, and i imagine anyone who drives one for more than a
few days learns it.

it's so simple, in fact, that perhaps all the other happy 5sp owners on the
list just assume that everyone does itautomatically and the detractors are
just stubbornly attached to their "normal" shift pattern. well, just in
case there's some mechanic out there who curses at that lockout spring
every time he has to pull a 5sp into the garage, allow me to enlighten you:
any time you are coming to a stop, you put it in neutral, REMOVE your hand
a few inches from the shifter knob, and 'drift' it back towards the seat.
your hand's momentum makes the push past the lockout unnoticeable.

if i have calmed the fury of a single DV enthusiast here today, it has been
worth the risk of condescension.

humbly,
-bob
On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 4:46 PM, ralph meyermann
<ralphmeyermann@gmail.com>wrote:

> I don't wanna go crazy but just off the beaten path!!
>
> Velma 82diesel 1.6 na westy
>
> On Jan 12, 2012 6:38 PM, "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Right. The five speed is a dream to drive. This is an example of how one
> uninformed opinion propagates into "fact."
>
> Jim
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 5:55 PM, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@q.com> wrote:
>
> > You had a granny gear, or a ...
>