Would this bother you???

[mazda3zoom]

Ok so back when TWM first came out with the SS for our cars i got one. I installed it and noticed it sitting a little to far to the right. I didnt think anything of it because i called them and they said thats just how they are. Then a couple months down the road they come out with a version with a bend to the left in it. I called up brian (i think thats his name, they guy that posts on here) and he said that they wont take the old one and exchange it for a new version. every time i go into 5th or reverse it hits the plastic of the center console. AND THEN while on the phone with they guy from TWM i mentioned that the buttons for my NAVI system are right there and asked if that would cut down on the room i have to shift to the far right and he didnt even know thats where thebuttons where at. Then he recomends a few ways to ghetto rig it so that it wont hit the cneter console. Dont get me wrong i love that shifter and the workmanship is great, but it seems to me that if they had a design flaw they would try to make it right. Just like when mazda finally realizes they have a design flaw in a car they issue a recall and fix it for free.
Guys lemme know if im being unreasonable or not. I tried calling, and told him i would pay the shipping and stuff, so its not like this is the first TWM will know about the issue.

 

[mobomelter]

as much as the problem sucks i kinda have to side with twm. basically you bought a product and it was replaced with something better. thats alot of money down the drain as twm can't resell your old shifter without making himself look bad. i hate to say that but i understand why twm wouldn't offer to replace it.

 

[briand805]

wtf is a center council
Jesus ******* Christ, learn English please.

And no, they're in no way obligated to give you a free replacement.

This is a fairly cheap part coming from a small company. You knew this when you bought it and assumed all risk of the part not fitting properly. Why should they put themselves out of business for you?

The proper analogy would be... Mazda comes out with the 2007 model Mazda3 and all the 2005 owners now demand that Mazda replace their cars with the better model... just ain't gonna happen.

If you buy a product in its initial stages of development, you are assuming the posibility of design flaws and accepting the fact that further down the line those will be worked out. No product is perfect on the first try. This is why most intelligent sysadmins wait about a year before deploying a new Microsoft product...

(lurk)
You don't have any idea what you are talking about. Your analogies are sophomoric at best. Although not surprising this post falls right in line with most of everything else you post, negative and lacking of value. How about you surprise everyone and make a positive contribution.
---------------------------------------------------------------------


As for the original poster, I have one of the first TWM SS units for the 3 in my car.
The shifter came close but never hit in 5th unlike several others I have read about. This leads me to believe some of the shifters were not manufactured with a high tolerance for fitment.

An example of this can be seen in my shifter. After removing the shift boot for replacement I noticed that the top anchor point for the shift cable made contact with the plastic surround in 1st, 3rd, and 5th.
I contacted TWM who upon hearing what model I had knew exactly what the problem was.
Apparently the aluminum bushing they sent with several of the first units are the wrong size. They shipped me a set of new bushing which have lowered the whole shift unit down about a quarter inch. These thinner busing have fixed the problem.

In my opinion the shifter should fit correctly and operate properly without error. The simple fact that some of the shifters make contact and some do not shows a manufacturing problem or quality control issue. Products need to be test fitted and have bugs worked out by the manufacturer prior to release. Releasing a product without proper testing is negligent and shows contempt for the consumer.

I hate to say it but make sure you have installed the unit correctly. It is not beyond the real of possibility that user error is the problem. There are a couple factors that could easily cause the shifter to not align properly.

http://www.twmperformance.com/manuals/Mazda 3 Manual.pdf

I would check to make sure that you reinstalled the spring assembly properly.
Make sure you have the large spring hooked into the notch on the underside of the plastic assembly. This will apply the proper tension to align the shifter.

I would also contact twm again and ask for the thinner bushings.

Good luck

 

[mazda3zoom]

wtf is a center council
Jesus ******* Christ, learn English please.

And no, they're in no way obligated to give you a free replacement.

This is a fairly cheap part coming from a small company. You knew this when you bought it and assumed all risk of the part not fitting properly. Why should they put themselves out of business for you?

The proper analogy would be... Mazda comes out with the 2007 model Mazda3 and all the 2005 owners now demand that Mazda replace their cars with the better model... just ain't gonna happen.

If you buy a product in its initial stages of development, you are assuming the posibility of design flaws and accepting the fact that further down the line those will be worked out. No product is perfect on the first try. This is why most intelligent sysadmins wait about a year before deploying a new Microsoft product...

Dude lighten up. You act like im taking a direct shot at you, its a simple question i put out there. Sorry about the spelling error, i fixed it for you.

And your completely wrong about me buying a product in its early stages of devolepment or whatever BS you said. I bought the shifter after it was realesed to the public, i didnt drive out there and talk them into giving me a prototype or anything. You would assume that once it was officially for sale then it wouldnt be in devolepment anymore...right?

 

[mazda3zoom]

(lurk)
You don't have any idea what you are talking about. Your analogies are sophomoric at best. Although not surprising this post falls right in line with most of everything else you post, negative and lacking of value. How about you surprise everyone and make a positive contribution.
---------------------------------------------------------------------


As for the original poster, I have one of the first TWM SS units for the 3 in my car.
The shifter came close but never hit in 5th unlike several others I have read about. This leads me to believe some of the shifters were not manufactured with a high tolerance for fitment.

An example of this can be seen in my shifter. After removing the shift boot for replacement I noticed that the top anchor point for the shift cable made contact with the plastic surround in 1st, 3rd, and 5th.
I contacted TWM who upon hearing what model I had knew exactly what the problem was.
Apparently the aluminum bushing they sent with several of the first units are the wrong size. They shipped me a set of new bushing which have lowered the whole shift unit down about a quarter inch. These thinner busing have fixed the problem.

In my opinion the shifter should fit correctly and operate properly without error. The simple fact that some of the shifters make contact and some do not shows a manufacturing problem or quality control issue. Products need to be test fitted and have bugs worked out by the manufacturer prior to release. Releasing a product without proper testing is negligent and shows contempt for the consumer.

I hate to say it but make sure you have installed the unit correctly. It is not beyond the real of possibility that user error is the problem. There are a couple factors that could easily cause the shifter to not align properly.

http://www.twmperformance.com/manuals/Mazda 3 Manual.pdf

I would check to make sure that you reinstalled the spring assembly properly.
Make sure you have the large spring hooked into the notch on the underside of the plastic assembly. This will apply the proper tension to align the shifter.

I would also contact twm again and ask for the thinner bushings.

Good luck

Yeah i know what your talkin about with the bushing hitting the front inside of the center CONSOLE. Mine did that too but i took the dremel to it and shaved a little off there. Not a big deal.
After i called TWM i tore my car apart to make sure that the base for the shifter was slid as far to the left as possible and that didnt fix the issue.

 

[goldwing2000]

Let's just nip this in the bud: enough with the personal attacks. Be civil or don't post.

Tony: I would suggest removing the shifter and bending it yourself to get the necessary clearance. If you don't have the means to do that (oxy/acetylene torch), I'd be more than happy to help. It wouldn't take more than 30 minutes or so.

 

[mazda3zoom]

Let's just nip this in the bud: enough with the personal attacks. Be civil or don't post.

Tony: I would suggest removing the shifter and bending it yourself to get the necessary clearance. If you don't have the means to do that (oxy/acetylene torch), I'd be more than happy to help. It wouldn't take more than 30 minutes or so.

I was thinking about that, just heating it up and bending it. I dont think i have a torch so if you have one and would be willing to help i still have the stock shifter so i could swap them over for a few days. Ill check around work and let you know if i find one. (thumb)

 

[goldwing2000]

Yeah, if you swap the shifters, it would be even easier. Just let me know. I'm stripping a truck frame right now, so the torch is going to be out and accessable.

 

[mazda3zoom]

Yeah, if you swap the shifters, it would be even easier. Just let me know. I'm stripping a truck frame right now, so the torch is going to be out and accessable.

does the frame need to be Rhino Lined?????haha

 

[goldwing2000]

does the frame need to be Rhino Lined?????haha

LoL... maybe sometime in the future but I think the Blazer takes priority for now.

PM me and let me know what kind of surface prep has to be done before you can spray in the liner.

 

[Hughes412]

The B&M SS has it's bugs as well. In the summer time the shiter gets stiff as hell when you drive it for a while. I'm thinking the bushings they used get hot and swell up. But they wont do anything about it. But even with that I don't care, The good out ways the bad. But to answer your question, yes it bugs me that there is an issue with it and they will not address it.

 

[Threedog]

I don't see that hepatitis guys original post that you guys are quoting from. Anyway, your an idiot Hep-C. And Mazda3s are fairly new too. So by your logic, if they blow up right when we drive them of the lot we shouldn't get reimbursed? And stop correcting peoples spelling. We're talking about cars not homework, fruit cake.

 

[mazda3zoom]

I don't see that hepatitis guys original post that you guys are quoting from. Anyway, your an idiot Hep-C. And Mazda3s are fairly new too. So by your logic, if they blow up right when we drive them of the lot we shouldn't get reimbursed? And stop correcting peoples spelling. We're talking about cars not homework, fruit cake.

haha, i didnt even notice that it was gone. Thats thanks to the admin who are on top of that kinda s*** around here. (thumb)