To people with the manual es300...if you hade a loose/sloppy shifter how did you go about fixing it? did you buy new bushings?

 

dude i have same, and i think it will just replace the cables and bushings since that's the main thing

 

I didn't know it uses cables..always thought it uses rods. I think the plastic bushings at the shift lever are worn out or cracked. I replaced these bushings on my 1986 corolla and the ****er is tight again..feels much better

 

AHH I see all your confusion. yes this car is not set up like that. my mazda 626 v6/5spd was. there was a couple of bushings that would rot away and you replace and you have no more problem.
this car is unfortunately not that way. it has cable linkage, not solid. sorry to inform you. but i believe any slop is from the cable wearing out and perhaps the little bit of a bushing where the cable ends. I do not know if that is all that needs to be replaced, but that is what i plan on doing, when the slop becomes bad. right now it's not a big deal.

 

Welcome to CL!
BTW, Awesome sn,
I'm surprised no one took that one yet.

 

Replace your bushings. Mine is really sloppy as well, and my parts guy at the dealership told me there are 11 of them total. 4 of them hold the base of the shifter, another 5 within the base of the shifter and 2 under the hood connected to the linkages (pictured below). I imagine changing the linkages might help too, but you should notice a big improvement with just the bushings. You can find OEM replacements through the dealer, or there are aluminum ones available on ebay for much cheaper.

 

thanks. This is a great site.

The white plastic thing that the shifter sits in might be worn out on mine. I will have to get ahold of the part number or name. It has four slits on it and i dont know if its craked or came that way