What fits and what doesn't? I'd like shorter throws, but not by much ... maybe just a tiny bit.

Also, my shifter has a little side to side slop. What needs to be replaced? The rubber selector cup and what else; and more importantly if I go with a shorter shifter from some other model, do I also need the cup etc from that model or is all that same?

Thanks and sorry for a new thread; I've searched and read but I can't really find too much in one spot and it's frustrating hunting around.

I remember reading about people using Z3 and M3 shifers etc, but recently I think I saw someone mention a x3 3.0 shifter (unless I was hallucinating) ... so talk to me. :)

I think damn near anything will fit, the z and m cars' shifters are the upgrades IIRC.

IN one of the swap threads there is a link to a discussion of shifters, where someone (xmon?) posted a picture of the various shifters side by side with the ratios listed.
z3 1.9 is the most common, and z8 is slightly longer throw.

I am running the the Z3 shifter in my touring, and it has a slightly higher effort to the throw than my Miata, which I consider a benchmark for shifters, but really at the end of the day the wife loves driving it. Can you ask for anything more?