lumpy, No, I agree with you totally here.. the R154 isn't the smoothest box in the world, and short shift, long shift, sequential shift, that aint going to change.. the only way you are going to improve the shift is to rebuild the gearbox carefully .. i've heard of having the gears "knife-edged" but I don't know where I saw that.. Oh, and R154 2nd to 3rd when driving agressively - yes it's the box.