replacement gearstick

[jazz625]

Hi.

I'm looking at replacement gear sticks for my bay. I'm hoping for an improved action, not so much for me, but for my wife!!
(sometimes, I do like to have a few beers :roll: )

So far, I have seen the following options

Vintage Speed classic quick shift - £192 - These seem to get mixed reviews, and tend to come apart!
EMPI Hurst trigger - £70.50 - Seems very cheap
CSP now available for bus - £209 - most expensive, but does look rock solid!
SCAT drag fast - £119 - Seems to be the middle of the road

So, which is the easiest to fit, and which one works!!

 

[StuF]

Gene berg locking shifter is the best but also most expensive!

It's what I will be fitting

 

[terrier man]

They all work!
I would of recommended the V.S until they changed the design to a bolt on shaft.
I know plenty of folk who are more than happy with the Hurst style (Empi) stick.
If it was me buying again I would go for the Berg with a knob rather than a T-bar,
the CSP seems a good-un but I'm not keen on the leather bag at the bottom.

 

[john the horse]

Hi.

I'm hoping for an improved action, not so much for me, but for my wife!!
(sometimes, I do like to have a few beers :roll: )

We all need to improve our action after a few beers :shock:

i can deffo vouch for that and also i can vouch for the Berg, the daddy of shifter if a bit on the pricey side.
Had awfaul change before now slick and also makes ya feel you on the strip at the lights with a tee bar esp with a rev limit light. oh carried away again

jth

 

[Lordain Volley]

Hi,
I had a Vintage speed, which are very good - I have never heard of them "coming apart " as you say. If you buy one directly from Tiwan it will cost you £180 inclusive of P & P. Whether you pay duty or not is frankly hit or miss.

I am not so familiar with the others but they are all very good, so people say.

If you want one of the best if not the best then Gene Berg is the way forward. It has been the industry standard for 20 years or more. These are a high ticket item, and are only manufactured periodically. They started a production run this june, I'm not sure when they will be doing another, the locking shifters are very well made, but will cost you the best part of £500 after you have paid importation duty.

If your on a budget - the VS ones look cracking and are a good price. I am awaiting delivery of my Berg locking shifter, placed order two months ago :shock:

LV

 

[the_troupster]

Berg non-locking for me. No complaints! 8)

Jim

 

[55ovalcharlie]

Berg non-locking for me. No complaints! 8)

Jim

Same here. Bought mine off Berg direct over email. Top quality!

 

[jazz625]

Thanks people.
No mention of the SCAT. Seems in the middle in terms of cost and quality.
Anyone seen one of these in action?

Also, could not find Berg for a van anywhere? Do you have a link?

Ta.

 

[Lordain Volley]

Thanks people.
No mention of the SCAT. Seems in the middle in terms of cost and quality.
Anyone seen one of these in action?

Also, could not find Berg for a van anywhere? Do you have a link?

Ta.

Type in "Berg shifter for VW bus " or Locking shifter for bus" in to google images. there is a thread on this site - last year there was a group buy.

This is the non locking:

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=27725" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LV

 

[Foz]

Recently got a VS, a buggar to fit, and tho a slight improvement, not worth the £205 i paid for it in my opinion! The coming apart you so rightly refer to is where the gear stick screws onto the base shifter! Its a very poor design, and i had to use a thread locking paste to stop it from coming loose every time i moved to select 3rd or 4th! Thats not to say that over time it will work loose again, but so far so good.

I never did get the reverse lift and shift mechanism to work properly, so I can select reverse just by simply moving the stick into reverse, but to be honest, that suits me anyway.
As stated, not worth the money paid, but the only budget choice in my opinion.


--------------------------------
Own a Bay?......Feel the love!

 

[Araon]

Stock with all the ancilliaries sorted........

 

[alex4057]

Empi's come apart at the base and need bolting togther where the rivets are 5 out of 10

Scat shorter clears the handbrake has a plastic ball at the bottom again 5 out of 10

Vintage Speed looks a class bit of kit but like above unsure about their recent mods 7/10

CSP German engineering but agree the boot looks naff 8/10

Gene Berg is THE DADDY 10 out of 10

out of the above the vintage speed and CSP are the only ones i haven't owned.

I would seriously recomend buying a BERG.

 

[55ovalcharlie]

Thanks people.
No mention of the SCAT. Seems in the middle in terms of cost and quality.
Anyone seen one of these in action?

Also, could not find Berg for a van anywhere? Do you have a link?

Ta.

here are the Berg shifters

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=144934" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[jazz625]

Thanks for you help everyone.

Looks like Berg is the only way to go! Although the CSP still looks good to me.

 

[Gert Big T]

I went CSP, great smooth gear change, quality bit of engineering and quite honestly, I try not to look at the base of the gear shifter when I'm driving so don't take much notice of the leather boot :?:

 

[5erge]

I had a Berg locker which was seriously smooth but I sold it recently and opted for a polished bug-tech shifter with an 8 ball. The gears are now super close even in comparrison to the Berg, so takes a bit of getting used to.

Des

 

[Marriedblonde]

I have the vintage speed one, you need to make sure you tighten it up B'stard tight. Mines been fitted and I have had no problems with it coming apart (after tightening up tight!!!!)

Lovely bit of kit, well made and nice and smooth.

J.

 

[Bryan67]

Berg is best but I don`t think that company is long for this world. Bugpack has a really nice USA made shifter also. In fact, I understand berg and Bugpacks have similar roots.

 

[Bundy]

I've got a Bug-Tech too....mega short throw as Des said...takes some getting used to.
Only downside is shite can get through the base into the ball + socket joint, so I fitted a small piece of rubber mat round the bottom of the gearstick to stop some of it.
Worth it as it does look the dogs!
Will hopefully be better when my gearbox gets a refurb!

Cheers
Al

 

[5erge]

I've got a Bug-Tech too....mega short throw as Des said...takes some getting used to.
Only downside is shite can get through the base into the ball + socket joint, so I fitted a small piece of rubber mat round the bottom of the gearstick to stop some of it.
Worth it as it does look the dogs!
Will hopefully be better when my gearbox gets a refurb!

Cheers
Al

Also the Bug-Tech is the easiest to fit, you just bolt it down, so no fannying round with shift plates, always a bonus :mrgreen: Plus there is no doubt it looks the best shifter around and you can have any number of colour combinations you want. Plus Markus who runs Bug-Tech is a top guy, very friendly, excellent service and if you want something they don't provide he'll try his best to cater for your individual requirement.

I'll drop a picture on here later so everyone can drool. 8)

Des