Gearbox wont select 1st!

[GolfGL]

I bought mine with the issue also and it was very confusing at first where i spent 3 attempts on it. Although it was a good bargaining point .

Id try a repair kit which is 25 quid.

or start by checking rods with a ball joining end and ensure the clips are all tight that lock them on the balls
second thing is at the very back of the engine is a shaft with a round ball attached. this has two top hats either end, ensure these are on the outside of the bracket are as they can be fitted wrong.
Third slacked the clamp on the shaft that goes to the gear lever. the shaft can be moved back and forward and side to side. its real trial and.error but see if you can then get first. But make sure its not 3rd trying to trick you by starting up and pulling away. once you have a rough feel for them all finely tune it with the adjuster on the lever
Adam


 

[AlexBabes]

You are more north north london then I'm in Barnet area so not that far away really and I see two Anni's around my area, both say hi so was wondering if one was you!

If you say reverse, 1st and 3rd are not quite right then I'd definitely work on the linkage/alignment issue first.
Does it jerk a bit when reversing? How is the clutch? Cable look far adjusted?
A worn/wearing clutch may give you similar symptoms as well, 1st is normally hard to select. Best test for that is to have the engine not running and see if you can select all the gears, if you can and then can't select them with the engine running you've ruled out the linkages and the box and clutch can be removed to inspect.

If 2nd and 4th are ok then this points towards eliminating the linkage issue first.
Gearbox rebuild isn't cheap and a recon one is very expensive too 

I flashed my lights at another Anni in the Barnet area last Friday... if you saw me, you would have seen me cursing and looking angry after having to take a long detour off the M25 after refusing to drive on the in slow mo traffic without first gear, hated it!

[AlexBabes]

I bought mine with the issue also and it was very confusing at first where i spent 3 attempts on it. Although it was a good bargaining point .

Id try a repair kit which is 25 quid.

or start by checking rods with a ball joining end and ensure the clips are all tight that lock them on the balls
second thing is at the very back of the engine is a shaft with a round ball attached. this has two top hats either end, ensure these are on the outside of the bracket are as they can be fitted wrong.
Third slacked the clamp on the shaft that goes to the gear lever. the shaft can be moved back and forward and side to side. its real trial and.error but see if you can then get first. But make sure its not 3rd trying to trick you by starting up and pulling away. once you have a rough feel for them all finely tune it with the adjuster on the lever
Adam

Cheers Adam, the way I feel about the car after the first couple of weeks of owning it, is that I might just sell it and cut my losses..  did a long trip in it last week and this issue has just been eating away at me.  It needs service as well, I think the cam belt hasnt been done yet either, worried!

[sharki786]

if i was you id give that gear selector alignment tool a go before you stress yourself out. As i had simular problem and it was the gears that wernt lined up. Its less then a fiver so giv that a shot!

[Gti_Jamo]

Was the round bush that the relay shaft goes through under the gearstick been changed when the bushes were done as sometimes this can be missed and give you a host of shifter problems.

[AlexBabes]

if i was you id give that gear selector alignment tool a go before you stress yourself out. As i had simular problem and it was the gears that wernt lined up. Its less then a fiver so giv that a shot!

I think that's a good idea, I am literally USELESS mechanically though...  and I need to use the car daily so don't want to f..k it up.