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Stick shifter question

Hi, I have a quick question- I'm thinking about buying a '91 mazda protege with a 5 speed for a winter car....and, I noticed that when the shifter is in a gear, you can wobble the stick side to side, just like how you can wobble itwhenany 5-speed stickis in neutral. Is this normal for this car, or is something busted? It shifts fine...I know it needs a new clutch, but aside fromthat it shifts great and feels smooth. I had a 5-speed 04 civic and when the car was in a gear, the stick didn't move in any direction (except when shifting out of the gear of course). I'm not that knowledgeable about standard transmissions, and was just curious if this "wobble" from side to side while in gear is normal or not. Thanks!

RE: Stick shifter question

Quote:

ORIGINAL: mb7756

Hi, I have a quick question- I'm thinking about buying a '91 mazda protege with a 5 speed for a winter car....and, I noticed that when the shifter is in a gear, you can wobble the stick side to side, just like how you can wobble it when any 5-speed stick is in neutral. Is this normal for this car, or is something busted? It shifts fine...I know it needs a new clutch, but aside from that it shifts great and feels smooth. I had a 5-speed 04 civic and when the car was in a gear, the stick didn't move in any direction (except when shifting out of the gear of course). I'm not that knowledgeable about standard transmissions, and was just curious if this "wobble" from side to side while in gear is normal or not. Thanks!

I don't think Mazdas should do that, as i've owned three in my life(1989 MX6, 1995 Protege, 1997 627) and none of them had that wobble, but i can't be sure about your model. But i know that in BMW this is normal. I've had two BMWs and both of them had very loose sticks. Also, many of my friens have owned BMWs too, and their cars also had the great stick wobble when in gear, so it wasn't just my cars. I always wondered about the wobble, but since so many cars i tried had that, then i wasn't really worried.

I know it doesn't really answer your question, but i just wanted to share with you that there are models out there where this is normal.

RE: Stick shifter question

i got an 01 dx and my shifter also has a wobble, it has never bothered me and ive never really thought much about it. my car seems to run fine and i like it. i got it about 2 and a half months ago and ive got no probs with it. im not really to keen with the finer details of cars, so if this turns out to be more than just a little nothing, please let me know! but for now i dont think much of it.