sl 5 speed manual xmission

I drive a 2000 SL 5 speed manual.

I recently test drove a 2002 SL 5 speed manual 1.9L sohc as a possible replacement for my 2000.

My 2000 shifts easily and smoothly. However, the 2002 felt totally different. Shifting from 1st to 2nd was ok as was 3rd to 4th. But, the horizontal movement of the gearshift (either right or left) was stiff and hard.

For example, shifting from 2nd to 3rd requires coming back to the neutral position and moving the gear shift to the right before shifting up to 3rd.

The xmission did not grind, and once I moved it enough horizontally, it easily shifted into the up or down gear (including 5th and reverse).

After the test drive, I checked the xmission fluid and it was ok.

Any suggestions as to what might cause this?

Ive noticed the shifting of each saturn differs a little. My '02 is smooth compared to my '95. Ive found though that a Mobil 1 ATF in the tranny smooths things out. Im not to sure the '02 your looking at has a problem, just different characteristics.

Thanks for the info. I haven't driven enough manual xmission vehicles to get a feeling for their individual differences.

Its odd bc the s-series all use the same parts. But the clutch on each self adjusts to different points. So all 3 cars of mine have differences in the clutch feel.

Hope you get another saturn!

I made more inquiries about the difficult horizontal movement. One idea was that there are 2 xmission cables- one for horizontal and one for vertical movement. Perhaps the horizontal cable is pinched, frayed, or out of adjustment.

Does this idea have any merit?

The car has about 37k miles but appears to have been driven hard.

Randy

Its possible that it is coming off the tranny or the locks where it holds the outside of the cable to the tranny have come loose. The other thing to check are the bushings where the cable attaches to the shifter.

Its possible that it is coming off the tranny or the locks where it holds the outside of the cable to the tranny have come loose. The other thing to check are the bushings where the cable attaches to the shifter.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Randy