The part right below the shifter thats covered in leather. Whats that called? Also since the shift gate goes straight down, how do you go into manual mode? Like in Acuras, theres a little space to the left where you put the shifter into to manually change your gears. Lastly, do you guys like the zig zag shift gate of Acuras or straight down like the Infinitis?

 

I don't know, but I certainly prefer the straight line rather than that zigzag. I don't know WTF that's about, but it pissed me off when I drove an auto TL. I guess it was supposed to simulate the feeling of rowing through a shift gate

 

The leather part is the boot.. other then that beats the fuck out of me

 

shifter boot plate

 

Shift boot

 

I don't really care about straight or zig-zag. Really, in the automatics, you're not touching it most of the time, so most of the time I don't notice.

I do like, however, on my 2000 TL, how you have to pull the shifter out to the right and down. I just like that motion, for no good reason.

 

I think the space to go into manual mode is there, you just can't see it because it is covered by the shift boot. you just push to the left and it slides over

 

Isnt it called a ate shifter.

 

I'm guessing that's an Infiniti, so I don't much know, but on all of MB's transmissions, the default D position has a little room to the left & right to shift manually. Once you tip it, it goes into manual mode. To return to full auto, you tell it to upshift beyond its highest gear.