No, clutch!!! Don't leave me!!!
 

So I'm sitting at a red light waiting to turn. The light turns and I can't get my car into 1st. I finally get it after three throws but it goes in, but really soft. All the other gears seem fine but it's doesn't slot in when it throw it into first. It doesn' grind or make any odd noise, it's just really soft is the best I can describe it. I take it my clutch is going bad? I got it out of the shop a couple of weeks ago after having them just look it over, new brakes and an oil change. The guy told me that I'd be looking at a new clutch in the next year and that I'd probably have to replace the flywheel. The quote I got today for the repairs came to $2393. Does that sound reasonable to you guys?

It doesn't sound like a clutch disk, pressure plate or flywheel problem. Make sure your shift cables are in adjustment, if they are then it's more likely a shift fork, dog gear or syncro, transmission parts which are considerably more expensive than a clutch replacement.

It could also be low clutch fluid or a problem with the master or slave cylinder, which are cheap. But if all the gears but 1st are working, it's not likely.

$2400 is ridiculously expensive for a clutch replacement.

Or you could just start off in 2nd gear from now on.

I agree with the previous post. None of these symptoms sound like a bad clutch.

Yeah, after I posted I got back in the car and couldn't shift into third at all. I could squish it into 1st and then basically drive with the 2nd and 4th gear down to the shop

That sounds alot like a simple adjustment of the shifter cable, at least I hope so for you.

Check the shift cables at both ends... at the shifter and at the transmission.

I discovered that the bits at the end of my shifter cables where they connect to the transmission had fallen apart... cheap plastic snaps. Some zip ties there put me back on the road without a problem.

I do hope it's not your transmission. I replaced that as well and it was $2200 installed for a used tranny (not new or rebuilt) at that.

Whew! That was it. Just the shifter cables coming loose. Thanks guys!

Did they replace any parts or just readjust the cables? The plastic ball joints that hold the cable at the shifter end are not especially strong. If it's pulled out of the cable once, it's been weakened and it'll do it again. You should either get a new ball joint or get a stronger version, like the one schnell sells.

Which end? The part near the shifter or the bit at the tranny?