Hi! I have a 2010 GTI, manual transmission, currently 120k miles, owned since new. Recently, when shifting into 2nd or 3rd, I’ve felt a vibration as if the clutch wasn’t quite in all the way. It’s only happened a couple of times over the last month.

Potentially Related Background: In 2017, I turned into a parking lot and couldn’t/didn’t see that there was a major curb separating incoming traffic. After a a horrific crunch (and some dripping evidence a few days later), I took the car in to a local VW tuning shop. They replaced the trans and clutch with used OEM parts, as was required by my insurance. Since then, the clutch has been weird, the gates to 1st and 2nd are really tight in cold weather, and my reverse lights don’t work. (I know the latter isn’t related, but it bugs me.)

My question: I’m barely skating by financially and need this car to last another 5 years. Is there any kind of preventive maintenance or other activity that can prevent what I fear?