Does the 2nd then in to 1st trick make the shift in to 1st feel totally normal?

Try letting the clutch out again and then trying to engage first. Sometimes the synchros aren't quite lined up and it is tough to engage first.

Seems like this is more of a problem than anyone imagined. A lot of magazine write-ups describe the S2K gear shift as the silkiest out there. Not to me it doesn't. I always felt it takes far too much physical pushing and pulling to be called "silky" - especially going from neutral into first, when there's a definite feel of metal-against-metal contact just before it engages first gear. I hate to say it, but I think my old Triumph Spitfire had the best gear shifter I've ever experienced. :rolleyes:

I think it's a cold weather issue.

I use the 2 to 1 approach when the car is cold. After warm up neutral, to 1 is as easy as in summer.

I also go neutral to 4 to neutral to reverse in the morning this time of year to back out of my garage.

Depending on answer to question, cause could range from viscosity issue to a dragging clutch issue toa ,......issue,???. Also, Sunchild, is car 100% totally stopped when you are trying to insert or slightly rolling?

With answers to these questions we can at least rule out some things, if not nail the problem all together. Enough stabbing in the dark boys. Reminds me of the guy who predicts an earthquake every morning when he wakes up, one day there is an earthquake and he brags he predicted it, well I guess he did. :confused:

Mine only does it when the car is cold, as in' 1 bar, the car has been sitting for while... Even parked overnight in the garage, I experience this every AM.

I have had to get my tranny repaired under warranty for the following sympthoms:

*Had difficulty downshifting from 2nd to 1st.

*Had a resistance when backing up(as if the brakes were on).

*Had a "thump" when letting the clutch out in neutral.

The above were consistently reproduciable and the dealer repaired without any hassels(I had had the 1-2 grind repaired previously).

Pierre

Car is stopped, although it does have the same problem when moving slowly. It happens every single time. It is much easier to shift into second (or another higher gear) and then into first.

I am not sure that it is a cold weather problem, since it wasn't that cold in New York when it first started.

What is it?

Try double clutching.

It definitely sounds like the problem is contributed due to the colder temperature.
Mine also seems to do that to a some degree...
Same happened last winter and things started to get smoother when the weather warmed up.
But this is mainly at the warming up stages.
When the car start to run extended time it seems to cure.
But when you are moving regardless cold or hot, you have to blip the throttle to rev-match to down shift easily into the first.