Clutch or Synchronizer Issue ?
 

I drive a 2014 Subie BRZ with 68K miles and I feel I may have 2 possible transmission issues, but these are not major issues at all. I can drive my car perfectly fine on a daily bases, these are more so pet peeves. Now this is my first manual car and I'm not sure if this is completely normal but shifting gears isnt all that smooth at times. I dont expect it to be perfect but sometimes going in to low gears like 1, 2 & 3 I get this click that just doesnt feel right and when it happens it requires a little bit more force than a normal smooth shift. And I'm sure that the clutch is engaged completely. I feel this can be an issue because after driving my friends wrx his shifting feels like butter heaven and makes every shift feel so swift. Onto the second pet peeve. Now I'm not sure how the previous owner who put in 66K into her treated the car but someone told me my synchronizer might be messed up. This happens quite rarely but some mornings when I start to drive i have trouble getting into 1st gear. I will attempt to put it in 1st gear and it is completely blocked so what I'll have to do is engage the clutch, attempt to put it in 1st, it wont go in so I let i go back to neutral without disengaging the clutch and attempt again then it goes in smoothly. So it is possible but i just need an extra step or two. NOW weirdly I found a solution to this and that would be turning off my car and starting it again. After that it completely disappears. I come to the forum because I dont really know jack about transmissions so anything will help thank you!

Clutch or Synchronizer Issue ?
 

I drive a 2014 Subie BRZ with 68K miles and I feel I may have 2 possible transmission issues, but these are not major issues at all. I can drive my car perfectly fine on a daily bases, these are more so pet peeves. Now this is my first manual car and I'm not sure if this is completely normal but shifting gears isnt all that smooth at times. I dont expect it to be perfect but sometimes going in to low gears like 1, 2 & 3 I get this click that just doesnt feel right and when it happens it requires a little bit more force than a normal smooth shift. And I'm sure that the clutch is engaged completely. I feel this can be an issue because after driving my friends wrx his shifting feels like butter heaven and makes every shift feel so swift. Onto the second pet peeve. Now I'm not sure how the previous owner who put in 66K into her treated the car but someone told me my synchronizer might be messed up. This happens quite rarely but some mornings when I start to drive i have trouble getting into 1st gear. I will attempt to put it in 1st gear and it is completely blocked so what I'll have to do is engage the clutch, attempt to put it in 1st, it wont go in so I let i go back to neutral without disengaging the clutch and attempt again then it goes in smoothly. So it is possible but i just need an extra step or two. NOW weirdly I found a solution to this and that would be turning off my car and starting it again. After that it completely disappears. I come to the forum because I dont really know jack about transmissions so anything will help thank you!

This is normal with these. They don't like the cold and put up a bit of a fight. When it won't go into first when cold just go from neutral to second and then up to first. It is a totally different tranny from any other Subaru so comparisons are not possible. Some people report improvement with an tray oil change.

I wonder if it's not the case of slight clutch drag. How low is clutch bite point? Do you have some dead pedal travel before it? If you are stationary on flat ground, put in gear, clutch pressed, adding some gas .. car doesn't try to move slightly?
P.S.
instead of restarting engine, you may try while clutch still pressed to first put in 2nd and then in 1st again in one motion, until you feel like it's been normal gear switch in. That won't fix possible issues you may have though.

This is normal with these. They don't like the cold and put up a bit of a fight. When it won't go into first when cold just go from neutral to second and then up to first. It is a totally different tranny from any other Subaru so comparisons are not possible. Some people report improvement with an tranny oil change.

ahh okay that would make sense thank you !

There is piles of info on it here if you dig around a bit. Some think it is the end of the world but most just accept it as the byproduct of a tranny designed with low tolerances.

Welcome to noisy/notchy entry level sports car! They make noises, they have quirks, but the 86 is a damn good car. You'll learn to love it lol. Tcoat is right though.

when i start to get moving with the gear in 1st i definitely have to let the clutch go a lot, i’d say about 40%, so i’m not sure if that is normal but i do feel my clutch could be starting to slowly die on me cause on some cold early mornings my clutch slips after a gear change. i will have my foot completely of the clutch and i get a bit and can hear a throbbing acceleration even though i am keeping my foot on the gas at a set position. and thank you for the advice i’ll take note of that althoughhh i wouldnt that lug the engine?

haha i totally understand i did my research big time before buying my dream first car. i love it the way it is and i dont expect perfection but just want to make sure that it couldnt be anything major

What lugging engine? If you keep clutch pressed, you can switch any gear you want, nothing should spin in gearbox with pressed in/disengaged clutch, no load on engine. But if there is some synchro issue, and "teeths" are not on right position, often, while still stationary, noticed that getting into other gear (2nd just seems fastest/closest/simplest) and then quickly back into 1st, may help with rarely but sometimes hard to get into first. It's not that i suggested start driving in 2nd, just botched put into 1st>quick 2nd>quick 1st, by feel this time ok>only now giving gas & start releasing pedal/engaging clutch & drive off.

you’re right my bad, i didnt read it corrctly and i thought he said start moving with second gear but i understand what he meant now thank you

So when I had my transmission rebuilt with my gear set, they timed the synchros and I never have the problem I used to with stock. So I wonder if someone gets their synchros timed on a stock set if it would remove the problem or not.

A few things....

There is always some risk buying a used car with manual transmission. Unless you know the previous owner really well and their driving habits, there is always a risk.

What oil does it have? When was the last time it was changed?

What speeds are you trying to upshift/downshift at?

You don't need to answer me these questions. Just something to consider for yourself. When it comes to fluids, most of the times, just sticking with the tried-and-testing OEM fluids is the safest way to go.