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Re: <M3> miss-shift experiment!

  I agree with most of what Brenton has to say. Not to seem pompous, but I am
fortunate enough to own both a Ferrari ('85 308 GTB, the cheape!) and a new
328iS. I shift the 328 with an open hand, using basiclly my finger tips. In the
328 all I have to do is flick the shifter. From 1st to 2nd, just staright back, 2nd to third, sort of palm on top, gental nudge foward and out, 3rd to 4th, and... another flick straight back. $th to 5th, palm on back of shift knob, foward
and away. Haven't missed an up shift yet. :) Down shigting, 5th to 4th, flick 
back with finger tips, the trans KNOWS where 4th is! 4th to 3rd, like a 2nd to 
third up shift. Finally, 3rd to 2nd, well, what does it matter, its a simple 
flick and back. 
  Now the Ferrari, gated shifter and all, is not a smooth shifter, like the BMW.
But, if you drive one a lot, the gate become invisable. The point is here is
that in the Ferrari you can't treat the shifter like an egg. More like a rock!
If you want to shift fast you have to hammer it! And it will take it! But this still doesn't mean that you grab the shifter like a bear mug. I still use the
same hand position, just with some effort applied. 

   The "egg" approach would seem to me to be the road racers technique where
smoothness in driving is going to count more than a millisecond saved on a shift where as the "bear mug" grip seems to be the drag racers technique, where everymillisecond counts!

  Now, I still don't know why there are no blown 328's reported, but perhaps
all the ex-drager racers go to the M3. This is not ment to be a shot at drag
racers, I've done it, I engoy if. I am just wondering about this driving style
thing. 

  Can we get a threat started on driving technique and comparison, and see if 
there are any common habits that lead to broken M3s?

  john k...  willing to listen, ...able to learn!