From time to time I've found first gear difficult to engage in my 520D MT. I spoke to a service agent and he advised this is usually because the floor mats creep up under the clutch pedal preventing full engagement. I never really bought this but the issue wasn't sufficiently annoying to push it. During a recent particularly cold snap the problem has recurred. I've removed the mat altogether but there is no improvement. I found it easier to to to first via second rather than for the lever from neutral to first, if that makes sense.

My trips are generally very short <5 miles so could this stickyness be due the transmission oil not getting sufficiently warm? Or could it be a sign of something more ominous?

 

This has been discussed here before and it's the same with my 530d. Occurs especially on colder days, but I don't think it would be a sign of anything bad.
I use to put the first in via the second gear too. Works well .

 

When it's cold, the fluid in the transmission is thicker. Also, 1st gear is not a synchronized gear like the other gears.The synchronizers help make the engagement smoother and easier. It is normal to have to put it into 2nd gear and then engage 1st especially when it is cold.

 

In winter, I shift into 2 then 1 before I let out the clutch. Transmission is just too cold. After some driving, the manual transmission is easier to shift.

 

Have the same issue on my 520, I noticed it started a couple of weeks before Christmas which ties up with the weather being very cold.
Ive started going through second and then into first.

 

Research CDV (Clutch Delay Valve)

If you really wanna resolve this issue, you'll find the right answers with the info I just gave you

 

Normal vehicle operation. Every single manual transmission I've ever driven acts this way, from a lowly Nissan Sentra to various MB models to all types of BMW transmissions. If it goes in after either a 2nd pump of the clutch, after going into 2nd, or after releasing the parking brake and letting it roll a half a foot, it's normal. Getting worse when it's cold is also normal. I don't think you'll find much difference with a CDV swap, that only affects the engagement action of the clutch. If you have to take truly heroic measures to get it into gear, something is obviously wrong, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're experiencing.

Good luck!

 

I haven't driven a manual in a while, but in the old days, I would have suggested that you may have a bad 1st gear synchro. At least this is what was wrong with my '86 911, but manual transmissions have changed since that car and I am out of the loop. G/L

 

My first gear has done that a couple of times...just go back to neutral and then into first and
it usually goes in....


Don't know if it's related...but my second gear is crunchy sometimes when shifting in a turn... and on rarer occasions when going straight..

 

It's not the cdv!!CDV modulates clutch release...it has nothing to do with gear selection.

It's the synchros which sounds like it's normal from what you are describing.

Will