I drove 2 new Buick Envisions today in a dealer trade. When I first got in, I couldn't figure out where the transmission gear selection device was. Some have a lever in the console, some are dials, and some push buttons.

These had a lever attached to the right side of the steering column that you move to go from park to drive, reverse, etc. You have to move the lever in a couple of directions, but it seems to work.

What a great idea.

Not sure if serious

Every one of my vehicles, except the Mazda 3 which is a stick, has column shift, and they're all over 20 years old. I'm confused.

I'm assuming there's some sarcasm involved.

Many new vehicles still have column shifters.

How old are you?

quote:

These had a lever attached to the right side of the steering column that you move to go from park to drive, reverse, etc. You have to move the lever in a couple of directions, but it seems to work.

What a great idea.

This reads as if you've never seen a column shifter before. I do prefer this placement to the center console or dashboard. The rocker switches that you pull on, found on a number of GM vehicles, are counter-intuitive.

There is a difference between new and old-school column shifters. The former is a switch operating electrical circuits in the transmission, while the latter has a cable connected directly to it. And electrically operated shifting is not new. According to this Wikipedia article, the first one was in 1913. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletouch#Design

I still have the 1985 Monte Carlo SS I purchased as my first new car. While it has a console shifter it actually operates a collar on the steering column that then controls the transmission. As for why the column, it's a carryover from the Models that actually used a column shifter. There are times when I actually miss bench seats and column shifters. Have many fond memories of driving along with my date sitting next to me hip to hip.

3 on the tree baby.

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Originally posted by Scooter123:
Have many fond memories of driving along with my date sitting next to me hip to hip.

You didn’t stop short, did you?

https://youtu.be/IzkEFWrMVys?si=TpGN2L9bezd0wvUF

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Originally posted by 1s1k:
3 on the tree baby.

3 pedals for me.

Mercedes Benz uses a little shifter lever on the steering column. It's works well and makes for a less cluttered center console.

Must be sarcasm. Or, everything old is new again!

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Originally posted by savoy6:
Mercedes Benz uses a little shifter lever on the steering column. It's works well and makes for a less cluttered center console.

My E350 has a shift stalk on the steering column, where most people would expect to find the windshield washer controls.

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Buick Envision

Maybe this is why?

The second-generation Envision, which arrived in 2021, continues to be made in China at one of the plants GM operates in a joint venture with SAIC. The Envision was Buick's second-best-selling model in 2023, with more than 44,000 vehicles sold.

Instead of self driving cars, I think they should develop cars that are driven by thought, like the Mig-31 in FireFox.

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:
I drove 2 new Buick Envisions today in a dealer trade. When I first got in, I couldn't figure out where the transmission gear selection device was. Some have a lever in the console, some are dials, and some push buttons.

These had a lever attached to the right side of the steering column that you move to go from park to drive, reverse, etc. You have to move the lever in a couple of directions, but it seems to work.

What a great idea.

So, it IS your father's Buick.

NO, I was not serious.

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Originally posted by bigguy:
Not sure if serious

Almost 80, about every vehicle I drove up until 20 years ago had the shifter on the column.

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Originally posted by comet24:
How old are you?

Just wait, pretty sure the next thing will be voice activated transmisson. Imagine your wife says hey lets go BACK to the store while you are driving and your car slams into reverse.