It's down to 20-30° where I live, anyone else have a hard time shifting into first when it's freezing out, or is that a problem just I have?

First in particular, or all gears?

Near freezing temps, all cars I have driven are difficult to shift for the first few km of driving. Once the transmission oil heats up, then shifting becomes normal.

I double-clutch all shifts (not just Fieros, but any vehicle) when the gearbox is cold. Shifting is smoother this way.

When the gearbox is warmed up, then I single-clutch the upshifts.

For downshifts, I always double-clutch, even when the gearbox is warmed up.

You need some of this. Drain your old stuff out (on a warm day) and add this. You'll think someone rebuilt your trans. The factory also recommended it as well.
Do a search for more info.


Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

I had an issue before where my cable was freezing. The sealing had seen better days and water got in the cable. I sprayed WD40 down the cable and worked the cable back and forth a bunch. It got me by until I got new cables.

Getrag 5-speeds will have the problem moving over to the 1-2 shift gate in freezing weather when the select cable gets water inside. In the early stages, just letting the engine warm up will allow shifting because the coolant crossover pipe heat will thaw the ice that's formed inside. Later, as the cable begins to fray inside, it becomes more and more difficult until the cable finally locks up.

Yes. Use right oil in the trans = syncho oil shown above.
Many use "gear oil" GL4 or GL5 and will cause problems

Yes water in cables won't help...
Don't use WD40 and other "oil" in car cables.
Oil and whatever add to it to make whatever can ruin many control cables.

Some made "cable lube" but they can cause same problem is some cables w/ oil or strong solvents so what what is made of.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave