Wow, thanks everyone who replied and gave their thoughts. I'll give a few updates as to how everything is going. I did end up having to replace the clutch, which hurt my wallet but feels so much better to drive now. The slipping clutch was increasingly in evidence so I had to quit denying things :cr...

Hey all, thought I'd introduce myself. I've been driving my parents car to get to work for a while but after it had some minor issues I finally took the plunge an got my own, very first car. 2005 base vibe manual 5-spd, it's all black. I love it.155k km. I want to keep the car going a long time, and...