Update: I took it in this morning, and it didn't take them long at all to call and tell me that the master cylinder was bad. They're overnighting a new one, and I should have it back tomorrow. And since it's still under warranty, it won't cost me anything.

As for the dirty clutch fluid, he said that is to be expected after 30k miles of use.

I'll post another update if they find any additional problems.

 

Since the master cylinder is being replaced they'll have to bleed the system anyway. As long as they bleed the system until they get clear fluid (no bubbles) you should be fine. Let us know how it turns out.

 

How much would a master cylinder run if there was no warranty?

 

He said it would normally go for around $360. I'm assuming that is just for the parts, but I didn't ask any additional pricing questions once he said it wouldn't cost me anything. I will try to double check on that when I go to pick it up.

 

Has break fluid changed color recently or something? Chalky Gray doesn't sound right at all. Cola Brown or Clear is what I remember. Maybe this is part of the reason the master cylinder is bad.

 

$360? That's a bit pricey. I found a site that sells it for about 75 bucks.

 

The $360 was probably including labor then. I actually forgot to ask that when I picked it up. If it's possible to buy the master cylinder for $75 though, I can't imagine the dealership charging $360.

In any case, that was the only problem, and it's working great now. The clutch pedal is a lot more firm than it used to be. I don't know if mine had slowly gotten worse and I just didn't notice the pedal getting lighter or if it had always been that way. It definitely feels a lot different to me, and I'm having to get used to the new feel. It feels good though. I have no complaints.

Thanks for everyone's input on this thread. It was very helpful.

 

how come was it covered by the warranty?How old is your car,i see 2000 model,that makes it 7 years...

 

It was completely covered by the warranty, so I didn't have to pay anything. It's actually an 03, not an 00. I'm not even sure what the warranty is exactly, but I'd guess it's 5 years, which means it'll be up at the end of this year.