guaging interest in an auto shifter
2/11/07, 01:04 AM
#721
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Get in trouble? Nah. I see why I didn't see it, they don't list it in their "GT" section. But since we have the manufacturer right here telling us it's not ready yet. RPM doesn't have it. And that price they list is completely bogus. Chris has already told us that this will be in the $300ish range.
RPM is someone to be VERY wary of! They have SOME good reviews from customers.... BUT tons of bad ones, and they do have a habit of listing stuff on their website they don't actually have in stock. I've seen a bunch of people get the shaft from them that way.
RPM is someone to be VERY wary of! They have SOME good reviews from customers.... BUT tons of bad ones, and they do have a habit of listing stuff on their website they don't actually have in stock. I've seen a bunch of people get the shaft from them that way.
I bought a set of Eibach Sportlines from someone and they told me they purchased them from RPM, so I was just browsing their site and stumbled on the shifter. I have not kept up with this thread for a few months and was excited to see that it was on the market. I am glad I came here and checked on things because I was thinking that the price was bogus since Chris had said something closer to $369 last time I looked.
2/12/07, 01:58 PM
#722
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Random thoughts in no particular order, (the numbered parts mainly directed towards subzero).
1. When your shifter hits the market, bare in mind that it will be the ONLY automatic shifter on the market for our cars. You've by default got a monopoly on the market. Every time someone asks "where's the AT upgrades" we'll be pointing to your product, and your product only. If you're coworkers/superiors get on your case about the feasibility of selling this, describe that scenario to them...
2. We don't REALLY care what it looks like. To have the functionality is key. The S197 Mustang is a perfect platform for a manutronic system, but Ford failed us on that. Anything that gives that kind of pleasure is worth it's weight in crude-oil... You can always focus on aesthetics later. Don't let the mindless blabber of a few un-pleaseable people get you down. I'm sure this won't be the last edition of the Mustang 05-07 Quicksilver Shifter! We all know sales will be, at least, decent, and who's to say that won't open an opportunity to develop some new faceplates and features down the road?? Relax, this is good stuff.
3. Logo: If people want a logo, they can have the shift **** with the logo. That aside, if you made it an option, that would be cool. Just two different face-plates. Although I wouldn't want it, I would however be glad to acknowledge ownership by a badge!
I'm too young to have known the prestige of B&M personally, but from what I've heard and seen, you all deserve it. You deserve to have your logo on the shifter. However, I just don't think it fits with today's 'Stang, and today's owners. I will say though that if you had gone the other route, and made them WITH the logo, it wouldn't have stopped me from buying. Like I've said above, it's functionality and quality that's important, not aesthetics. Aesthetics can be changed.
4. Once you finish building and deploying the new shifter, you should get your team working on just a plain replacement handle for the stock AT shifter (no ratchet box). I know some people are probably just looking for a more aesthetically pleasing, more comfortable alternative, and would be willing to buy just a handle and **** at a lower cost. I'm too shy to take apart my shifter to see what all that plastic is wrapped around, but I'm guessing it's just a metal extrusion that an extension could be bolted to, or threaded to.
5. Engineering: Engineers have the same job as design artists, even though what they play with is often different. They have to do things that, no matter how computerized, take a lot of time and effort, and they have to do it in an environment where the reqs change frequently. The problem is, unlike artists, engineers are black-n-white people who don't like changes and don't like being fluid. You might want to back off a little from time to time to give them a chance to chill out, but sometimes a good smackin' works just as well. Doughnuts are the key. I haven't met an engineering team yet who won't double for munchies!
6. Even if this thing isn't on the shelf yet, can you shoot us some operation/install docos? That would wet our whistles, so to speak, and more importantly, it would prep us all so that when we get this, we can be up and running FAST and get those glowing reviews to you sooner! See if those legal goons will let you do that, while you're waiting for them to let your company stop ticking off its buyers!
7. For your next project, I want you to work on a retractable howitzer....
As a last thought, having read the thread and some of the comments about the stock shifter, I have to admit that for a factory "stock" shifter, under the kind of pressure and deadlines that were present, it wasn't all that bad. AT shifters are rarely well made or decent looking, and they usually don't have to meet any expectations. Somewhere, out there, the poor Ford engineer who designed the AT shifter, on orders to make it look like the retro, who was all happy, is sticking a gun in his mouth... I don't think anyone really understands the effort that engineers and designers put into things, until they've had to do it themselves. I'm sure subzero is well aware of that, and a few others. All in all, our stock shifters could have been a hell of a lot worse. They could also have kept the same design from the last models, which sucked. The fact that we didn't get a manutronic from Ford aside, both the stock shifter dudes, and the B&M dudes, deserve recognition, IMHO. Take that as you will.
I hope I can get B&M's shifter into my car before winter clears, so it'll be ready for tearing up the roads this spring.....cause if it doesn't show up soon, I'm gonna eat my freaking steering wheel!!!
1. When your shifter hits the market, bare in mind that it will be the ONLY automatic shifter on the market for our cars. You've by default got a monopoly on the market. Every time someone asks "where's the AT upgrades" we'll be pointing to your product, and your product only. If you're coworkers/superiors get on your case about the feasibility of selling this, describe that scenario to them...
2. We don't REALLY care what it looks like. To have the functionality is key. The S197 Mustang is a perfect platform for a manutronic system, but Ford failed us on that. Anything that gives that kind of pleasure is worth it's weight in crude-oil... You can always focus on aesthetics later. Don't let the mindless blabber of a few un-pleaseable people get you down. I'm sure this won't be the last edition of the Mustang 05-07 Quicksilver Shifter! We all know sales will be, at least, decent, and who's to say that won't open an opportunity to develop some new faceplates and features down the road?? Relax, this is good stuff.
3. Logo: If people want a logo, they can have the shift **** with the logo. That aside, if you made it an option, that would be cool. Just two different face-plates. Although I wouldn't want it, I would however be glad to acknowledge ownership by a badge!
I'm too young to have known the prestige of B&M personally, but from what I've heard and seen, you all deserve it. You deserve to have your logo on the shifter. However, I just don't think it fits with today's 'Stang, and today's owners. I will say though that if you had gone the other route, and made them WITH the logo, it wouldn't have stopped me from buying. Like I've said above, it's functionality and quality that's important, not aesthetics. Aesthetics can be changed.4. Once you finish building and deploying the new shifter, you should get your team working on just a plain replacement handle for the stock AT shifter (no ratchet box). I know some people are probably just looking for a more aesthetically pleasing, more comfortable alternative, and would be willing to buy just a handle and **** at a lower cost. I'm too shy to take apart my shifter to see what all that plastic is wrapped around, but I'm guessing it's just a metal extrusion that an extension could be bolted to, or threaded to.
5. Engineering: Engineers have the same job as design artists, even though what they play with is often different. They have to do things that, no matter how computerized, take a lot of time and effort, and they have to do it in an environment where the reqs change frequently. The problem is, unlike artists, engineers are black-n-white people who don't like changes and don't like being fluid. You might want to back off a little from time to time to give them a chance to chill out, but sometimes a good smackin' works just as well. Doughnuts are the key. I haven't met an engineering team yet who won't double for munchies!
6. Even if this thing isn't on the shelf yet, can you shoot us some operation/install docos? That would wet our whistles, so to speak, and more importantly, it would prep us all so that when we get this, we can be up and running FAST and get those glowing reviews to you sooner! See if those legal goons will let you do that, while you're waiting for them to let your company stop ticking off its buyers!
7. For your next project, I want you to work on a retractable howitzer....
As a last thought, having read the thread and some of the comments about the stock shifter, I have to admit that for a factory "stock" shifter, under the kind of pressure and deadlines that were present, it wasn't all that bad. AT shifters are rarely well made or decent looking, and they usually don't have to meet any expectations. Somewhere, out there, the poor Ford engineer who designed the AT shifter, on orders to make it look like the retro, who was all happy, is sticking a gun in his mouth... I don't think anyone really understands the effort that engineers and designers put into things, until they've had to do it themselves. I'm sure subzero is well aware of that, and a few others. All in all, our stock shifters could have been a hell of a lot worse. They could also have kept the same design from the last models, which sucked. The fact that we didn't get a manutronic from Ford aside, both the stock shifter dudes, and the B&M dudes, deserve recognition, IMHO. Take that as you will.
I hope I can get B&M's shifter into my car before winter clears, so it'll be ready for tearing up the roads this spring.....cause if it doesn't show up soon, I'm gonna eat my freaking steering wheel!!!
2/12/07, 04:42 PM
#723
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Phew ! Way too many words to read which say pretty much nothing.
2/12/07, 08:25 PM
#724
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I want this auto shifter but there are a few problems I'm having.
1) we have only seen one photo, and it was not in the car
2) we dont have an actual estimated time of release
3) the shifter stick/rod isn't very appeasing
Just my opinion....but I still I am probably going to buy one anyway.
1) we have only seen one photo, and it was not in the car
2) we dont have an actual estimated time of release
3) the shifter stick/rod isn't very appeasing
Just my opinion....but I still I am probably going to buy one anyway.
2/13/07, 08:59 AM
#726
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Consider this thread the closest thing to a manual....until the product hits the shelf. Read it, and all will be made clear.
Goes faster than you think. A lot of it is people bickering about ***** and switches.
I guess I'll be nice this once and quote, yes, but you'll need a friend and a lift.
Goes faster than you think. A lot of it is people bickering about ***** and switches.
I guess I'll be nice this once and quote, yes, but you'll need a friend and a lift.
3/27/07, 11:30 PM
#729
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I hope so! I'm still eager to purchase one! Will there still be some sort of price deal (or at least a pre-order?) for those of us who have been waiting for one here on TMSF since it was first announced?
4/2/07, 02:56 PM
#732
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And we do care what the shifter looks like btw. If it looks like a*s then why not leave the stock a*s looking one in??! And the design of the stock one could have been made better. I have nothing against plastic...hell Im in that business... it just doesnt need to look like it should say "FISHER PRICE" on the side of it. Now that the acquisition is done and you guys have a monopoly on this thing do us proud and make this thing look and function right Chris. You are close, now hit a home run
4/3/07, 07:42 AM
#734
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Besides, for a first model that was designed and built in a very short time, it's not so bad. I see a lot of potential with it, and personally I'm actually happy it's got a plain plate on it because that leaves it open for me to fiddle with it's design aesthetics. B&M is in the business of making quality performance components, and that's what this is.
4/5/07, 11:00 AM
#736
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I think it was mentioned that the aesthetics were kept down to keep the cost down. That's cool. My money is more easily pulled towards functionality and assured design, anyway.
4/6/07, 09:38 AM
#738
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Dont forget about me Chris! I'm signed up as a dealer, or should be, and I'm ready to sell these to the TMS members for the discounted rate, heck I may even include a tune with every purchase At least for n/a guys...
At least for n/a guys...
