Okay, I have never tried to hold it into gear, but to describe the problem...
First, realize I am a loose-hand-shifter. I really never "grab" the ****. Three fingers is all I gernally ever have in contact with the **** (reverse aside). And, I do release it completely, just about every time. I tend to keep a very light touch on all driving controls (which the xfire responds to very well with the tight steering and short clutch)
When the gear pops out, the whole car shudders (accompanied by a loud metallic clang of the saft snapping loose echoing through the bulkhead behind you). With my light grip, most of the time the concussion (and my own shock, no matter how many times it happened) causes my hand to completely come off the shifter, if I did have it on the **** inbetween.
The couple times I conscously kept my hand in place (again, really not putting any resistance to the ****) I felt it pop loose, like the mechinism that holds it forward into first just lets go. And, its in neutral, with the weight of my hand pushing it to the left. I don't feel the pop there, in fact (thinking back) I don't even think the sudder that runs through the whole car is felt there (always felt smooth, like it the mechinism just let go of the ****), but that may not be true.
As for the first part, when it happens: it seems to happen most on inclines and/or left turns, where you are reving just a bit higher. However I have had it happen on every condition (up/down/straight/fast/slow/good clutching/poor clutching). From just after letting completely off the clucth, to halfway down my 300' driveway. But, always after it is moving (i.e. it does not happen inplace of it stalling out from an inept heal-toe) and the vast majority of times, around two to three car-lengths from the starting point (just getting past the first lane of traffic at an intersection), when you are approaching second (2.5 - 3K rpm).
Hope that helps describe it.
Sorry I can't shed light on forcing it to stay in gear. I don't hope to have the chance again, and it is so counter to my driving style, tring to drive that way may be as dangerous as it popping into neutral. :wink: