Review: TWM Performance Short Shifter/SS Adapter/Leather Boot/Big Type R Shift Knob

[axiom]

Hi TM3!

This is my first post here on the forums so I thought I would share my experience with my first decently priced mod for my 2007 MS3, the TWM Performance short shifter kit.



Pictured above is my current setup which includes:
TWM SS
TWM shifter base bushings
TWM Big Type R Shift Knob in the Satin finish (That's not a scratch in the pic, I think it's a hair or something )
TWM leather shift boot in black with red stitching
TWM SS Adapter w/ adjustable shift weight

I have essentially everything that TWM currently has to offer for the MS3 with the exception of the shifter extender. So let's move on to my impressions



I have been contemplating the TWM SS since I first got my car 2 yrs ago, so when I saw the GB here on M3F I finally decided to jump on board. TWM shipped the SS, bushings, and knob first since the boot was on back order so pictured here is everything installed using the stock boot. You could get away with using the stock boot but as you can tell in this pic and the next, the boot bunches up quite a bit, and you do get a squeaky leather on leather sound when shifting into reverse. The shifter was quickly shipped and i received it before my DDM Tuning HID fogs even tho I had placed the order for the fogs over a week prior to ordering the SS, IIRC it took about 2 weeks to receive it up here in Calgary, Alberta so I was pleasantly surprised to get it so quickly.



Install took a little bit over an hour with the help of a friend going at a leisurely pace and not rushing anything to make sure everything was put in flawlessly. The SS was a beautifully finished in black and fit in perfectly, the install was not very difficult but I can definitely see where it could get frustrating if you didn't have an extra pair of hands to help you out. If you do get the TWM SS, get the tube of lithium grease if you want your setup well lubed.

Comparing the stock MS3 knob vs the TWM Big type R was like night and day, though the stock knob does have a bit of weight to it, it was nothing compared to the 600g mammoth TWM knob. I didn't get a chance to weigh the stock knob but it felt like it was about 1/2 the weight of the big type R. The finish on the TWM knob is a joy to hold as it is smooth to the touch especially at the fingertips. The 6 speed pattern 3 engraving is very precise and could easily be filled in with a paint pen if you want to add some color to your knob. You may have read or heard people say that the Satin finish feels 'slipperly', this is somewhat true on quick hard shifts if you're shifting with your just your palm on the top of the knob, you don't really get this if your holding it on the side. This problem may also be solved if you get it in a different finished like the Stainless or Gun Blue, but I can't be sure as I've never used those ones. Being completely stainless steel, the knob does get quite hot if you're parked out in the sun on a hot day for a while so keep that in mind if you are considering one.



The TWM SS drops the height of the shifter about 1.75", the throws felt a bit shorter compared to stock and was perhaps a tiny bit harder to get into gear but I couldn't really notice. The big difference I found was how 'crisp' the shifts were now, due to the shifter bushings I assume. After taking if for a spin for the first time after the install, like many have said before, it was a blast to shift gears. I found that it took a bit of effort before to downshift into second, with the SS installed downshifting to second was "ain't no thang". The car became awesome to drive again as you quickly forget what your old shifter was even like!
The pic above is the final product with the TWM leather boot installed, the boot is MUCH nicer than the stock setup, the leather is soft, the stitching is better than stock and I find it matches the red stitching on the seats much better than stock as well. I don't have a picture but when I pulled out the stock boot, the leather was creased to hell and some of the stitches were already ripped and coming apart, so this was a big upgrade. The new TWM boot was shorter as well to accommodate the SS so the fitment was perfect.

So after a couple weeks of having the SS, I decided that I would try out the TWM short shifter adapter plate with the adjustable counter weight in addition to the TWM Shortshifter. The general consensus online is that having both is overkill but after checking out some youtube vids I figure I would judge for myself how it was like.
After installing it and doing some dry shifts my first impressions were "Wow!" This was the shift that I had dreamed of, the shifts were short and precise! A push up or down, you felt the resistance, overcome that resistance, and it's in gear. (This was with the STOCK counterweight BTW, not the adjustable yet) The shifts were short but not super short that you don't know if it's in gear or not like an STi, I would say it's similar to the RX8 (Though I've only ever dry shifted the RX8 in the mazda showroom). This was all DRY shifting however, once the car got started and I took it on the road there was quite a bit of difference. Driving around you notice quite a bit of resistance getting into gear, I mean you REALLY notice the resistance, after a while I didn't even think about the awesome short shifts, all I could think about was how tough it was to push it into each gear.

I'm still running the TWM SS adapter plate with my SS but I removed the counter weight so shifting isn't too bad now as it was with the counter weight on (it was the toughest to shift with the stock counterweight, the lighter adjustable one on the lightest setting wasn't too bad but it was easiest with no weight at all). I'm still contemplating if I should removed the SS adapter and go back to the stock counterweight or keep it with no weight. I haven't tried it with just the SS adapter and the stock shifter since it's too much work to put back the stock one but I hear that feels pretty good too.

To summarize and conclude, I would definitely recommend the TWM SS set up with the base bushing to anyone looking to make their shifts feel crisp and precise and to shorten those lengthy throws, if you are gonna get the SS I feel that the boot is a must for those wanting a clean look in their interior. Adding the SS adapter plate to your SS does make your shifts shorter and imo awesome but does add some unwanted resistance to your shifts making you work a bit harder to push it in gear. Removing the counterweight helps but it's still tougher than just the SS.

A final note is that the rim of the TWM boot is held together by glue and TWM supplies you with washers that you can put between your knob and boot, you don't get that wrapped look that you would with the stock knob as you can see in my pics. I personally prefer the look with the washer but it's something to consider when looking into the TWM boot.

Well Thank you for reading my first post and review, lemme know if you have any questions and any comments for feedback you have is appreciated. Now I'm going to live my dream and post in the "Show off your shift knob" thread



Here's the TWM website if you wanna check out what they have to offer:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=177065.0

Cheers!

[optiklenz13]

what a nice write up.. I'll definitely get these after a couple of plans for my car..

Thanks for sharing.