Yesterday afternoon, after the car was finally clean and dry underneath I did the last major job outstanding, and I really, really should have done it as soon as I bought the car.
I bled the clutch.
With an assistant it’s only a fifteen minute job, and most of those were in safely jacking up the car.
What came out was almost pitch black, clearly never done in the nine years of the car’s life despite a couple of brake fluid changes mentioned in its history.
Clutch now works as expected, no longer an occasional unexpected crunch in any gear.
However, I needed some new unopened brake/clutch fluid, and I only got around to picking up some along with more screen wash on Monday. (I don’t go shopping much!)