redline TOWED...:(

[redlineRACER]

two days ago my shift knob broke..it was fine to drive and i had an appointment in two more days to get my tires rotated so i thought ill just drive like that until my appointment. didnt work. yesterday i shifted in to reverse to back out and my enitre shift column came off! . surprised the hell out of me. i could not shift into gear at all! i had to call a tow truck and they TOWED my saturn to the dealer..it was so sad to see my baby on that truck. I got it to saturn and i have a rental now...just waiting. i also am getting the cam sensor update (has anyone else gotten the letter for that "recall"). I love my car, but it leads me the question the quality a little bit.

[IERedLine]

Hey,

My shift knob came off a few times, I just slammed it back on and now no more problems. But I am concerned about you saying your shift column falling off. That sucks!!!! And I noticed your in Cerritos California right? I grew up in Buena Park,CA maybe we can meet up one night.. Let me know!! Later


Scott

[Sp00ner]

How hard are you guys shifting??!?!?! There's no way you should be shifting hard enough to pull off a shift knob, even if it's of poor quality build. There sure as hell is NO WAY you should be putting enough force on the shifter assembly to yank it off the floor! I don't want to talk down to anyone, but you should only be shifting it hard enough to get it in gear, even when 'speed shifting', you have to know how far is too far. Don't jam in in gear, even with a high quality shifter, you'll mangle it with constant hard shifting like that. It's not like it's a new part or anything, they've been in the Saabs for years.

[Tom01SC2]

How come you always blame problems on the owner. There could easily be a defected part on this car. That is why we have warranties. Saturns aren't known for their build quality (at least interior wise). Now I doubt this is going to be a major issue, but some will probably experience it.

Tom

[Sp00ner]

Originally Posted by Tom01SC2

How come you always blame problems on the owner. There could easily be a defected part on this car. That is why we have warranties. Saturns aren't known for their build quality (at least interior wise). Now I doubt this is going to be a major issue, but some will probably experience it.

Tom

Have you ever ripped the shifter off the floor? How about a shift knob off a brand new car? You telling me that people aren't shifting these things like body builders? I watch people do it all the time in cars, the only other person that I've seen 'break' their shifter was an old friend of mine, Art, he used to shift so hard that you could feel it next to him.

Second, it's not even a Saturn shifter, it's a Saab, and it's been used to many years. Something tells me that if you're ripping the shifter off the floor of the car, you MIGHT be shifting a little hard.

Why do you believe it's not the owners fault? Do you fix cars for a living? Do you know people that do? What percentage of issues do you think are caused by improper use, or maintenance? I've almost never fixed a car for someone that didn't either break it themselves, or make a small issue much larger due to misuse...

Man, it's not like I'm attacking anyone, I told them that they are obviously shifting too hard. Anyone that has drive a stick for any length of time, knows that you only shift hard enough to get it in gear. You don't just JAM it in gear. I would expect you already know that though. Now how am I blaming them? Because I said they are shifting too hard? They are! Even if it's poor build quality responsible, that's not something that happens in a year. Sorry. The shifter does not RIP OUT OF THE CAR, without something a little harsher than the occasional 'heavy-shift'.

[Tom01SC2]

I work on cars (not as a profession) and granted will tell you that a lot of stuff is caused by user error. However, all I was stating is that there are quality flaws from factory. That is all I am saying. Granted they could be shifting too hard (no one knows but them).

Just like in the Saturn s-series. Do you know that they have a big problem with the factory rotors warping. Now most people would blame it on user error, braking to hard, riding the brakes, etc... But talk to a Saturn tech and they'll tell you how many they have replaced. But Saturn isn't going to jump out and tell you, we have a problem but we aren't going to fix it. Just giving an example, but like I said I doubt most Redline owners are going to experience the shifter problem...

Tom

[Sp00ner]

Originally Posted by Tom01SC2

I work on cars (not as a profession) and granted will tell you that a lot of stuff is caused by user error. However, all I was stating is that there are quality flaws from factory. That is all I am saying. Granted they could be shifting too hard (no one knows but them).

Just like in the Saturn s-series. Do you know that they have a big problem with the factory rotors warping. Now most people would blame it on user error, braking to hard, riding the brakes, etc... But talk to a Saturn tech and they'll tell you how many they have replaced. But Saturn isn't going to jump out and tell you, we have a problem but we aren't going to fix it. Just giving an example, but like I said I doubt most Redline owners are going to experience the shifter problem...

Tom

I owned a Saturn SC2 for the last 4 years. I know very well about the rotors, although I'll also say that the only time I warped them was driving through the mountains, which I had never done in a stick before. They were actually glowing red at one point. Thank god I stopped to check on them before they melted something, or failed alltogether. Not to mention that a quick rotor upgrade fixed all that up permenantly.

Again, I wasn't attacking them! It's VERY hard to convey the difference between suprise, and spite on here, without using 30 different smileys. Asking someone if they're shifting too hard, is taking the first, and easiset solution, which is the correct one a HUGE majority of the time. I want to know if they are shifting hard, or if it literally just fell off. That's it, if they were shifting hard, I know to be mindful of that fact. If they weren't, then I know it's an isolated issue, and that there's nothing I can do to help or hurt it.

[jeepin79]

Originally Posted by Sp00ner

How hard are you guys shifting??!?!?! There's no way you should be shifting hard enough to pull off a shift knob, even if it's of poor quality build. There sure as hell is NO WAY you should be putting enough force on the shifter assembly to yank it off the floor! I don't want to talk down to anyone, but you should only be shifting it hard enough to get it in gear, even when 'speed shifting', you have to know how far is too far. Don't jam in in gear, even with a high quality shifter, you'll mangle it with constant hard shifting like that. It's not like it's a new part or anything, they've been in the Saabs for years.

Mine is at the dealer right now and one of the problems is the shift know falling off. I dont shift hard at all, I was shifting from 3rd to 4th when mine decided to all off. The dealer said he had never seen that before. He could not get the knob back on so they chose to replace the whole shifter. Seems like a big waste for them to do that but what do I know.

[JPK]

I've had the shift knob come off in my hand on the freeway.

It started a couple of days before. I would hear and feel and click in the knob when I shifted. Two days later, it came off in my hand. I just pulled over, put it back on and beat it on there with my hand. No troubles since.

And no Sp00ner, I'm not a hard shifter.

It happens.

[[DeVo]]

hopefully the b&m *drool* won't have that problem!! whenever it comes out that is...