[redhed]

question: how long does it take before chrysler switches the LX and JGC over to the Ram/Durango Knob for transmission selection? having used both the knob and the "joy stick", the knob wins by a land slide!! :blink:

 

[Dave Z]

With you there. Durango has the KNob I think and rumor is that 200 might have it too. I am really hoping the stick goes away, I truly dislike it even today.

 

[tomaz]

The only cars i see having it is the Ram, Durango, and Chryslers. Its a Luxury Item (see Jaguars) and good for Utility vehicles. a Charger/Challenger with a Knob instead Paddle Shifters (which is in a sense, Sportier) just isnt right.

 

[redhed]

you can still have paddle shifters even if the main control is "the knob". any chrysler vehicle that has the 8hp installed has to have "the knob" or the "joy stick". i'm not sure about the zf 9 speed...?

 

[Mike V.]

The only cars i see having it is the Ram, Durango, and Chryslers. Its a Luxury Item (see Jaguars) and good for Utility vehicles. a Charger/Challenger with a Knob instead Paddle Shifters (which is in a sense, Sportier) just isnt right.

The knob would still have paddles, like the Ram has a selector buttons.

Mike

 

[Dave Z]

The Knob, in fact, almost requires paddles, because it has no low-gear setting. Just PRND. You get low gear through the manual gear selector. It’s sportier than the normal shifter... because you can shift it faster and more surely. Though you can’t slam it back to get Sport mode as you can in Grand Cherokee (or low gear in 300C).

 

[Tomguy]

I have The Joystick™ in my JGC. I rarely miss the right gear but when I do, it's always when I go to back up from drive. I hit N or P on those occasions. That's the trickiest part of The Joystick™ IMHO. One thing I DO like about it is how I can enter Sport mode quickly, and just as quickly go back to Drive.

 

[Dave Z]

Yes, Tomguy, that's exactly where I have a problem. Unfortunately our 300C has no sport mode, just low gear. Also no paddle shifters! Those were on the lower trim level, the 300S, with the more powerful engine. They were not optional, either, or I'd have gotten 'em.

 

[valiant67]

I still have problems going from a column shifter (the Dakota) to a console shifter (the Challenger or Wrangler). And I accidentally hit the paddle shifter into first sometimes in the Challenger. But I'd adapt to the Knob with no more issues that I already have. It sounds interesting to me.

 

[Tomguy]

Yes, Tomguy, that's exactly where I have a problem. Unfortunately our 300C has no sport mode, just low gear. Also no paddle shifters! Those were on the lower trim level, the 300S, with the more powerful engine. They were not optional, either, or I'd have gotten 'em.

I find that odd. The C is supposed to be the lux package, but has no paddle shifters or sport mode... was that added on later? I don't know if you have a 12 and it was added in 13, or if it'll be added in 14... but I do find it odd either way.

 

[Charger Red]

I'm OK with the knob change as long as it doesn't evolve into the Jag type that retracts into the console when not in use (yet another complexity that will need servicing over time).

Listening to recent complaints about the myiads of ways to control an auto trans it seems ironic that what was supposed to be "automatic" with respect to this activity has evolved into something far more complex than the classic three pedals plus stick configuration.

If people are so enamored with shifting gears why don't they opt for manual transmissions? Is the clutch so off putting? I believe that there's an electronic solution for this as well...

 

[Moparian]

I'm OK with the knob change as long as it doesn't evolve into the Jag type that retracts into the console when not in use (yet another complexity that will need servicing over time).

Listening to recent complaints about the myiads of ways to control an auto trans it seems ironic that what was supposed to be "automatic" with respect to this activity has evolved into something far more complex than the classic three pedals plus stick configuration.

If people are so enamored with shifting gears why don't they opt for manual transmissions? Is the clutch so off putting? I believe that there's an electronic solution for this as well...

Yea its called the DDCT which nobody in America likes apparently.

 

[UN4GTBL]

Yes, Tomguy, that's exactly where I have a problem. Unfortunately our 300C has no sport mode, just low gear. Also no paddle shifters! Those were on the lower trim level, the 300S, with the more powerful engine. They were not optional, either, or I'd have gotten 'em.

Yeah, it's too bad the there is no way of changing gears yourself with the 300 if you don't buy a V6 300S, V8 300s or SRT.

The Charger suffers from a similar situation

 

[JRS200x]

They could make the shifter whatever they wanted, buttons, the knob whatever. It is all electronically controlled anyhow, so basically they just pick whatever control mechanism they like best, it could be buttons if they wanted, it really doesn't matter. That is true for the 8 or 9 speed.

 

[UN4GTBL]

They could make the shifter whatever they wanted, buttons, the knob whatever. It is all electronically controlled anyhow, so basically they just pick whatever control mechanism they like best, it could be buttons if they wanted, it really doesn't matter. That is true for the 8 or 9 speed.

Great idea!

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Some fire trucks have this nice system. One digit displays the gear selected, and the other digit displays the gear that you are in at that moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwxmZdm063Y

 

[bumonbox]

They could make the shifter whatever they wanted, buttons, the knob whatever. It is all electronically controlled anyhow, so basically they just pick whatever control mechanism they like best, it could be buttons if they wanted, it really doesn't matter. That is true for the 8 or 9 speed.

I think the reality is. The only real problem with the eshifter "joy stick" is that it has no set points. I see nothing wrong with a "joystick". Just that it needs to be revised so that you can immediately drop into the gear you want with out any "guess work".
Ultimately, I feel like a knob would feel out of place on a dodge. A joystick, or something else creative is the way to go. Just make a new shifter with set points.

 

[Tomguy]

So basically what you're saying is keep the old-school PRND(SL) but it's 100% electronic, so it's more conventional and comfortable for all, right?

I don't think that's a bad idea BUT I can only assume that would have been their first logical choice, and they did not do that for a reason.

 

[JTE]

So basically what you're saying is keep the old-school PRND(SL) but it's 100% electronic, so it's more conventional and comfortable for all, right?

I don't think that's a bad idea BUT I can only assume that would have been their first logical choice, and they did not do that for a reason.

Gloved hand access, preventing a more wrap around IP, inhibits access to the lower center stack if the lever were mounted on the floor.

Cost, lever, pivot, spring, link to same switch packaged somewhere behind cluster or over the brake pedal vs knob.

Complexity, unique column needed for manual trans.

Ability to package telescoping steering wheel.

Free's up space in console if the lever were to be placed on the floor.

 

[bumonbox]

So basically what you're saying is keep the old-school PRND(SL) but it's 100% electronic, so it's more conventional and comfortable for all, right?

I don't think that's a bad idea BUT I can only assume that would have been their first logical choice, and they did not do that for a reason.

One of the reasons I heard was space. The e-shifter takes up less space. And looking at it, I can attest to that. However, the knob takes up even less space. To me it's not even about being conventional, so much as I think the e-shifter is more annoying than they likely realized. People like me who are accustomed to dropping it into gear solely by feel would find it less reliable in that end. And really, everything is supposed to be about convenience. Me not having to look at the dash to see what gear I am is more convenient.

With all of the gizmos and gadgets, plus added secret spaces, space is a valuable commodity, so I think that's what most of that comes down to. BUT, if dodge has the sporty image, I feel there having a tangible feeling shifter, the joystick, is probably the best fit for the brand.

And for the record, I wasn't refering to having a fully mechanical shift linkage. Certainly using an electronically controlled unit makes sense. Just refering to changing the usability of the lever.