BEFORE YOU RIP THAT CLUTCH OUT:

I noticed my '99 Protege (1.8L FP, manual/ 93,000 km) was getting a bit fussy shifting into 1st or reverse, and takeoff was a bit rough too; I thought maybe it's time for a clutch overhaul.
Just for the hell of it though, I went over the "pedal end" of the system, checked against specs. for pedal height, free travel, and depressed deflection, and found them all OK. I did notice the clutch wheezed and groaned a bit though.
I took a spray can of graphite lube and did the pivot linkages inside the car, then did the same into the corrugated boot on the slave cylinder on the transmission, and went for a drive.
Within 10 minutes it was like driving a different car. The pedal was snappier, the groan/ wheeze had gone, and shifting into 1st or reverse was like putting a hot knife through butter, takeoffs were smooth as silk.
No way do I need to change that clutch.
Chalk up another ZOOM ZOOM.