Why are my gears so stiff?

[TpdNotts]

Firstly, forgive me if I have posted this in the wrong section. Own a Mazda 626 Estate 2.0D and couldnt find the 'all things Mazda' section so I've posted here. Have had abit of difficulty with changing gear for the past year or so but never bad enough to warrant investigation. However over the past couple of months it's got much worse. Trying to get first gear is akin to pushing a lorry uphill with one finger.. Have checked clutch-gear fluid and basically, as I know very little about the workings of cars, just wanted to ask if anyone knows what it MAY be before I take it to the garage and they explain what it is/could be in such technical garb that I've got as much chance of understanding if they told me in Arabic. I know it's impossible to say what it is without looking but some possibilities would be appreciated. Feel a prat going into the garage, as a female, and sounding dim (which I am about cars I fear).

Thanks in anticipation of your helpful replies..

[TpdNotts]

lord summerisle said:

if it is anything like the stiff gearchange in my mazda and saab -

i believe it is the oil in the shifter turret needs changing - done it in the MX5 which solved it, making it much nicer and smoother. not yet done it in the saab.

What would be required to check to see if it is this? Would it be a case of 'we need to strip it down and check' at 3hrs labour? or is it something that would be simpler to check?

[TpdNotts]

Thanks for that. One to rule out..

[TpdNotts]

Thanks for all of the above. At least now I have some idea of what to expect.