So I'm driving along today and the shifter slips out of the gate...
 

[Yes, I did do a search, without any success, my problem seems to be unique]

As the title states, I'm having a minor transmission problem. I was driving today and while I was in 6th cruising along, my hand was on the shifter, my foot was 100% off the clutch, and the shifter shifted out of the gate into neutral (again, without the clutch engaged AT ALL). Puzzled, I went to an empty parking lot and tried doing the same with gears 1-5, all with the same result: the shifter leaving the gate going into neutral without using the clutch whatsoever (I could not shift back into gear without using the clutch, though).

This should be covered under the powertrain warranty, I have an 03 with only 43k miles on it but before I go to the dealer, what could be the source of this issue? What are the chances of getting a new slushbox? Furthermore, will the dealership provide me with a loaner car during repair/replacement?

Before anyone asks, I did not do any tranny mods, no new clutch, flywheel, shift knob, boot, short throw rod, etc.

isnt it supposed to be able to do this?

dude....theres nothing wrong with your car ahHAh just dont try to engage gears without the clutch...

at lower RPMs it should be easy to let it pop out of gear w/o the clutch. Try in higher RPM's while accelerating. It won't happen.

Wait...you shifted it without using the clutch OR it shifted by itself?

If you are in the correct RPM range, you can shift without using the clutch.

If the shifter moved out of the gate by itself, then there's something wrong. If you moved it yourself, then it's fine.

operator error!

My old 318i had shot synchros, I could shift w/o the clutch all day.

something is definitely wrong if it jumps out of gear by itself while engaged.

Sorry, I wasn't clear, the stick did not come out of the gate by itself, my hand was on it and I exerted a little pressure on it towards neutral (again, without using the clutch at all) and it left the gate to go to neutral.

I've driven many other manual trannys (including my last car) and none of them did this. Still, I guess it doesn't hurt to take it to the dealer and have them look at it, all under the powertrain warranty.

+1, it's fine.

when there isn't any load on the trans gears you can shift out of gear without using the clutch.

to engage a gear without using the clutch the engine rpms have to match shaft speed perfectly.