Anthony Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 It seems the rotary dial is supplanting the shifter as we knew it in many newer vehicles. Do you think other manufacturers will jump on board and make this the new normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'll sit this debate out. I don't have a non-crotchety opinion on this one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'll sit this debate out. I don't have a non-crotchety opinion on this one. Than you most likely share my opinion. I'd rather have a nice shifter to rest my palm on. If my car is suddenly rolling backwards because I forgot to put it in park, you damn well know I'm not going to be fiddling with a dial. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Than you most likely share my opinion. I'd rather have a nice shifter to rest my palm on. If my car is suddenly rolling backwards because I forgot to put it in park, you damn well know I'm not going to be fiddling with a dial. Automatics roll backwards in neutral? Keeping that in mind...I know my car tells me if I'm not in park when I shut it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I noticed that too. And I really dont see the dial taking any less room either than a short shifter, but at least it's visible unlike BMW which has a stubby little thumb like lever behind a steering wheel. I love how my hand falls perfectly on the shiftgate on my LS. On the MKX I end up holding my phone instead, or grabbing my crotch... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 Automatics roll backwards in neutral? Keeping that in mind...I know my car tells me if I'm not in park when I shut it off. You haven't seen my driveway. Funny thing happened to me at work the other day. I pull up to the office and pull into a spot. I reach forward to grab my iPhone off the mount on my windshield and suddenly I get jerked forward against the steering wheel. I had forgotten to take the car out of Drive and put it in Park. When I reached forward to grab my phone, I lifted my foot off the brake and the car rolled forward and the tires bumped the concrete parking barrier. Lesson learned: don't drive before coffee. Well, it wasn't that funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Absolutely this trend will continue for many main stream brands and models. Price is a premium for space in the center console much like an end cap in retail continues to be. When I was 12 years old I came across a bunch of junk cars and one of them was a Chrysler Imperial (?) From the early 60's that had the auto transmission buttons on the left side and I have often wondered why this did not continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 When I was 12 years old I came across a bunch of junk cars and one of them was a Chrysler Imperial (?) From the early 60's that had the auto transmission buttons on the left side and I have often wondered why this did not continue. My old man told me the buttons used to stick in them...they didn't have the manufacturing tolerances or electronics of today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Dials might be cheaper to manufacture.too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'll sit this debate out. I don't have a non-crotchety opinion on this one. You probably share my opinion and i know I'm younger than you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerdude20 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'm ok with the dial in an automatic but they don't seem to save any space. Maybe if they put them where they put the start buttons it would work. Then you could move the start button to the steering column where the the key used to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I noticed that too. And I really dont see the dial taking any less room either than a short shifter, but at least it's visible unlike BMW which has a stubby little thumb like lever behind a steering wheel. I love how my hand falls perfectly on the shiftgate on my LS. On the MKX I end up holding my phone instead, or grabbing my crotch... Mercedes is the one with the stubby stalk. BMW has an electronic shifter on the console: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Jaguar uses a dial as well. I must say that I find the lack of an upright shifter a bit strange but I feel an electronic e-brake is strange too. OTOH, electronic shifters, brakes and other technologies are coming along. I just chalk it up to progress right or wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'd rather have a third pedal than a dial. But that's just me. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stentgraft95 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 My 13 MKZ has the push button shifters and I acclimated to them pretty quickly except for one time. A girl was backing out of a parking place at a CVS as I was approaching and as I stopped she kept backing up, instinctively I reached for the console shifter and in a split second remembered the buttons. That split second cost me a front fascia hit by a 20 year old girl in a ragged old Jeep Wrangler with no insurance. I still love the push buttons but I still reach for that shifter from time to time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) It's probably cheaper and more durable. But I also rest my hand on the shifter most of the time. Edited January 12, 2016 by akirby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'd rather have a third pedal than a dial. But that's just me. I agree but the automotive market place has more or less passed us by 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdegrand Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 My 13 MKZ has the push button shifters and I acclimated to them pretty quickly except for one time. A girl was backing out of a parking place at a CVS as I was approaching and as I stopped she kept backing up, instinctively I reached for the console shifter and in a split second remembered the buttons. That split second cost me a front fascia hit by a 20 year old girl in a ragged old Jeep Wrangler with no insurance. I still love the push buttons but I still reach for that shifter from time to time. I agree. My MKZ push button shifter is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 My 13 MKZ has the push button shifters and I acclimated to them pretty quickly except for one time. A girl was backing out of a parking place at a CVS as I was approaching and as I stopped she kept backing up, instinctively I reached for the console shifter and in a split second remembered the buttons. That split second cost me a front fascia hit by a 20 year old girl in a ragged old Jeep Wrangler with no insurance. I still love the push buttons but I still reach for that shifter from time to time. Instances like that are when I would truly miss an actual shifter. It's so quick and easy and you don't even have to look. Whether I'm in my truck with the column shifter or the Flex with the console shifter, it's easy to tell what gear it's in just by feel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Reynolds Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 So long as the rotary is mechanically operated and not electronic. Mercedes is the one with the stubby stalk. BMW has an electronic shifter on the console: E65 7 Series have those silly stalks. Everything else has the "joystick" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 E65 7 Series have those silly stalks. Everything else has the "joystick" That was 2 generations ago now. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Don't worry pretty soon we won't be driving these cars anyway. Can you say autonomous driving. That's where we are headed folks. Just wonder what the insurance companies are going to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30 OTT 6 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'd rather have a third pedal than a dial. But that's just me. Winner, winner... chicken dinner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
630land Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) Well, in 1965, right after Chrysler had push buttons, the PRNDL1L2 lever positions were standardized. Will NHTSA do same for dials? Also, I remember being a porter at small rental car place, and this older lady refused to drive with a floor mounted AUTOMATIC trans. She swore up and down that "it was a standard trans and too hard to learn" and didn't rent the car. It had to have a column shifter or else. This was a Chevette, we were out of Novas, and she also refused to pay more for a Malibu with column, she came in for the 'cheapest car'. So, point is, to others complaining about these dials, don't be like this lady. i.e. "I dont want to learn nothing new" [it was 1978, and lady was maybe 65 ish, same age as Boomers today] Edited January 12, 2016 by 630land 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Well, in 1965, right after Chrysler had push buttons, the PRNDL1L2 lever positions were standardized. Will NHTSA do same for dials? I don't understand your comment here. All the dials use the PRNDL setup. The ones that differ are the electronic "stick" shifters that have park buttons and holding buttons and pulling it to engage gears. (See BMW's gear selector) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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