Okay I've got a 2000 sl2 with manual tranny....wife is leaving work goes thru 1st,into 2nd,shifts to 3rd and stays there,shifter gets a little sloppy, I look around the internet and figure it's the infamous bushing pull the console out the rubber plug is intact and a pain to pull,then figure the clips on the shift cable came loose(another infamous problem)check both cables attached(all 4 clips intact). I can shift the car at the transmission with the cables into 1.2.3.4 but not 5 or r but not at the shifter itself to me this screams shift cable or possible linkage problem. Am I on the right track or any suggestions.

 

Fix it right ............ replace the shifter cables.