'05 Mini hard to shift

I have an '05 Mini Cooper that’s really hard to shift. I’ve been told it’s most likely an issue with the linkages. I was wondering if anybody might know where I could take it to be fixed? Preferably near Grapevine. Also, any idea what kind of price range I’m looking at? I’m new to Texas.

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Hard to shift specifically how? It could also be a leaking hydraulic clutch or failing clutch cylinder.

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Would you posting the last 7 of the VIN?
It will be T_ _ _ _ _ _
Mileage would help
Sounds like a cable end is worn out.
There is a guy near Lewisville that may be able to help you.

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Between 1st & 2nd it’s sort of ok, between 3rd & 4th it’s sort of ok, & between 5th & reverse it’s sort of ok. The issue is the horizontal & it won’t float back to center … i have to push or pull it across to get it to a different vertical & i’m usually guessing at the center spot.

VIN: TK61989
Mileage: 127,927 (I filled up tonight)

If there’s anything else that would help you to help me, let me know.

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Before I did anything else I would pull up the shift boot and put a little light oil on the ball on the bottom of the shift lever. It looks like all the “Horizontal” rotation action is in the shifter box, not in the cables.

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A drop of oil or lube is a great non invasive first step…but the cable ends (which are not serviceable) have cups / bushings in the end links. When these wear out it causes play/slop in the side to side / fore and aft movement of the cable or cables to the shift tower mounted on the transmission. This slop is usually the cause for the problem you’ve described. There are end links on the transmission that could / should be checked as well.

It is wiser to replace both cable at once due to the amount of time / labor involved to drop the exhaust to gain access to the shift box inside the car.

Attached is a great well written tech article on the the shift cables :
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/29-TRANS-Shift_Cable_Replacement/29-TRANS-Shift_Cable_Replacement.htm

P.S. Pelican Parts has some of the industries’ best written very detailed tech articles on many European automobiles

P.S.S. if I were you, I’d tackle it at the Makerspace on the above ground lift. That way you learn a little more about the car you drive and you know that the work gets done correctly and without spending a fortune at a service garage.

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