[Excaliber]

Virtually ALL standard transmission cars will grind in reverse if you shift there without hesitating after you put the clutch in. I shift into 4th first, THEN into reverse, it never grinds that way. Of course the reason is, reverse doesn't utilize synchro's like the forward gears do.

Old VW, Austin Healeys, MG's and many many other cars grind in first (and reverse) for the same reason, no synchro's on that gear. You have to put the clutch in and WAIT for the trans gears to stop spinning if you don't want the grind.