I've been in some that aren't as tight as mine, so I guess it's how it's looked after. Mine is still very crisp and solid, and you do have to want to get reverse to get it - others I've been in offer little to no resistence when you go to pass the pressure gate to select reverse.

On the mention of reverse - it beeps to tell you you're in reverse. Not once, but constantly; beep, beep, beep, beep, like a lorry reversing But inside the car, not outside. And no, you can't disable it! It appears to be built into the dash clocks! Most think they have reverse sensors, but they don't, and those that do have reverse sensors, can't hear them cos the Lexus beep masks their beep Apparently, Americans wouldn't know they are in reverse unless they either have a display on the dash (autos) or a beep (for manual), so we have to put up with it. Annoying at first, but you get used to it