Toyota Repair: 89 camry transmission(?), buying cars, professional technicians

Question
thanks in advance for a wealth of useful information!  I'm driving a 1989 Camry with 340k.  Started a couple days ago - an unusual rattle in front.  Sounded more like exhaust against body, rather than anything internal.   Pulling out of a parking lot tonight i heard what sounded like a power steering squeal, except that it only sounded when i was depressing the clutch. continuing on the highway, i thought i felt a kind of "stutter" beneath me, most noticeable when accelerating, pretty absent when coasting. Pulling away from a full stop, the car hiccups as if i didn't know how to drive a standard trans.  I babied it home til morning. is this as bad as it feels?  i won't tackle it on my own, but how can i speak to a mechanic about this without sounding like an idiot?   Oh, and p.s., thanks for helping me through the failing brakelight situation. I just gotta stop buying cars older than i am (but i do love this camry).

Answer
The rattle noise in the front may be due to a worn timing belt or water pump, noises are very hard to diagnose like this because of obvious reasons, I have to go by what I'm told and take my best guess.
Professional technicians won't think you're an idiot, they just need as much information as you can provide and then duplicate the problem so that it can be diagnosed.