from post 83:

"I have just bought my second crossfire. I bought my 1st convertible when they 1st came out back in 2004. Anyway I sold it about 5 years later with the idea that I would get another one someday. Well about 4 months ago I bought another one. I am having a ball fixing it up to make like new and as stock as possible. I have never work on cars per say,I am more of a woodworking guy. But this is a lot of fun. This forum is great. I never new there are so many fixes and improvements for this car. Anyway back to the crossfire. Does anybody have the same problem I am having regarding shifting up in the 1st and 2nd gear shifting. It is very sticky hard to downshift to second act. As I remember my first one did the same thing. Is there a fix for this problem. Mike
"


i bought my manual 2005 coupe (some 65,000 miles on it) on this 4th of july and didnt feel comfortable shifting gears. a little bit rough i mean.
i drove manual all my life until 9 years ago, when circumstances made me drive automatics, so i atributed to that my being a little bit out of practice.
then as i went to the woodward madness with my son, he mentioned that could hear a faint nose coming from the rear so i took it to my mechanic, asking him to check transmission and differental.
he learned that the dif oil was black so replaced it.
the moment i began driving it was like being up on a cloud! no more thinking that i was out of touch nothing. smooth as silk. better than new.
so i wonder if could be convenient checking the differential oil?
just an idea...