I found a copy of the service manual somewhere and downloaded it.

It's like 2,300 pages !

But it's very good and full of info w/good diagrams and exploded views.

There is a isolation link on the shift rod that causes the springy/spongy feeling. It this could be made of a maybe urethane or even replaced altogether the shift fell would improve greatly.

If anybody concocts a shifter upgrade I'd buy one in an instant !

Me and about 20,000 other Crossfire manual transmission drivers...

I bet there's a few M-B SLK owners who would like a better shifter to !

Slim