I have a 2006 MGM with just under 26K miles on it.

When I get stuck on the expressway (otherwise known as a parking lot) or when I''m at a long light, I have a habit of shifting in to neutral so I don''t have to hold the brake so hard. When I shift back into drive, it seems to clunk pretty good no matter how slowly move the shifting lever.

I also have a 98 MGM with 150K on it. I drove it similarly for 4 years (now my wifes car), but it always shifted from neutral to drive very softly.

I believe the 06 has an entirely different trans than the 98, which may just be how it is.

If so, does anyone think or know if shifting into neutral and back into drive frequently will cause any long term problems?

Thank you for your time.

repeat shifting is ok to get the fluid hot to read the dipstick only. Doing it excesively will heat up the fluid quicker and cause it to be changed in up to half of its life cyle. You might need to change all the fluid in it becasue you heated it up way to many times

Also this build up unnessary pressure and back pressure. this is why you get the loud clank noise when it is shifted back in drive after it is hot and there is pressure in it. I doubt that you have bad u joints in the drive shaft because of the milage and the year of the car. sometime this will also make the hard shift if it is bad

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