Honda Repair: 1993 Civic LX with 129,000 miles, clutch pedal, nopt

Question
First, I want to thank you for your last timely reponse. I decided not to buy that car, but I am now inches away from buying this one. The only problem I see is that it seems to buck some when engaging the clutch in 1st gear, and less so in 2nd gear. The amount of bucking varys depending on how high the RPMS are, the higher the less bucking, and at times is almost non-existent. Owner says its always been this way and he seems honest, and there has only been two older adult owners. Clutch pedal shows no excessive wear, it certainly is not slipping, nor near the end of its travel. The car has been very well maintained. CarFax shows no accidents. Does this bucking feeling mean major problems down the road?

Answer
I would check for a leaking slave or master cylinder first. If nopt one of those problems, its going to be a clutch issue, like it just dosent want to engage enough due to a weak master or slave. For the master cylinder make sure you check for leaks on the firewall under the hood, and look for wetness under the dash were the pushrod comes through the firewall and attaches to the clutch pedal. For the slave look under the boot for wetness. If you do find one leaking and decide to buy the car, when you change it make sure you change both the master and the slave as when you change one and not the other the old one tends to start leaking. And if neither is leaking, I would imagine a clutch on its way out.   Good luck.