[RatLabGuy]

If you look under the car, there are 2 long bars that connect the shifter to the transmission. One of these is for the actual shifter, it should be a ble to move etc, and bolts to a rod sticking of the side of the differential.- the other is a stabilizer bar, its job is just to hold the shifter tight and in line w/ the tranny, you'll see it connects to teh side of the housing - should not move.
Sounds to me like something is amiss in the stabilizer, where it connects to the undercarriage up under the shifter. On the 1.9 LX models, there are just a few small bolts holding it up there, maybe on yours those have broken.
Unf yeah, the exhaust is in teh way, you'll have to remove it soe oyu can get under there and see what is broken.