The stiffness of the corroded/stiff shifter cable can be very
temperature dependent - tends to get stiffer the colder it is.  The
replacement cable has been redesigned so that water doesn't get in and
corrode it.

Honestly I have trouble imagining how the cable could be damaged by the
dealer.  Plus - they do develop this problem - plus - when having the
problem, they are much worse in the cold.  And it did some sitting
during the previous work without being used in your normal routine.

My bet is that when you get it back, you will be amazed at how *FREELY*
the shifter will be to move and will immediately realize that your cable
was somewhat stiff before you took it in the first time (the problem was
already starting).

I have a '98 and a '99 Concorde - had to replace the shifter cable on
both.  When I first replaced the cable on the '99, which had gotten
almost impossible to shift (actually I had been using it in its
moderately stiff condition for so long that the stress on the shifter
caused the shifter pivot pin to break, so I had to replace the shifter
also), I saw how truly freely it operated with a non-corroded cable.  It
was then that I realized that the cable on the '98 was also somewhat
stiff - not binding, but definitely took effort to move even though I
erroneously had considered it to be normal friction.  That's when I
replaced it too.  Big difference.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')