Matt-
I have exactly the same problem (see postings under "SVT Tranny Situation" for all the details).
There's another 99 SVT owner here in Ottawa with exactly the same problem. We go to the same dealer. That dealer is about to replace our transmissions...for the third time!!! Supposedly the latest revision to the MTX-75 is designed to address this exact problem. We shall see.
Fow what it's worth, our problem with being locked out of first and/or reverse occurs at any time, whether the car's warm or cold, and only from a stop, after sitting in neutral, at a traffic light, for instance. If I'm downshifting from second to first, it never fails to "snick" in smoothly.
