My 2004 Sport (54,000 miles) always juddered really noisily and almost visibly in reverse gear , so badly that it attracted attention when reversing.
I was considering replacing the clutch plate.
However ,I am now occasionally having some difficulty getting the car into reverse gear - can be two or three attempts before it engages - but the judder has gone completely.
Should I be thinking about a new gearbox?
For some reason I find a lot of Mk2 and 2.5s seem to suffer with juddery clutches, especially noticeable when reversing slightly up hill. There was a recognised problem with these cars when new and I understand Mazda UK replaced many clutches if owners complained about them but I dont think it ran to a recall as it would not have been deemed a safety problem. It seemed to stem from an organic compound of clutch the started using in Japan. I also understand many of the replaced clutches started juddering sometimes as soon as 3 weeks after being replaced.
It could be that your clutch operating hydraulic cylinder needs bleeding or replacing, if the clutch is not slipping then it is not worn-out. It is very unlikely you need a new gearbox.
If you are having difficulty engaging gear I would insect the plastic bush at the base of the gear lever, they do wear and break up over time. Much easier, and certainly cheaper than a new gearbox!
Regards Geoff Peace.
For insect, read inspect!
Regards Geoff Peace.