Wife's car, great little thing and love the challenge of hitting 60 mpg every time we use it.

 

One niggle it has had from new, when you change gear there is a rattle as the pedal is raised, every time unless you 'feed' the clutch is oh so carefully.

This happens whatever rpm you are running, hot or cold car.

 

Standing still, engine running the rattle is there, press the clutch in and it dissapears, so:

 

Clutch release bearing? 

Input shaft in the box moving?

Clutch itself?

Or, 'they all do that Sir'

 

Clutch action is smoooooth, gear shift a super light action in all gears, up and down the box.

 

Are they indeed all like this?

Both of mine were "clanky" from new and both ran into six figure miles as driving school cars.

Thanks for your reply.

It does seem to be a common issue due to a simple clutch and engine vibrations, but suspect more to do with the release bearing.

 

Just irritating!

Definitely sounds like clutch release bearing and they have that clanky almost agricultural sounding gearchange.

Pre-facelift models were fitted with a different gearbox revision in which the input shaft rattles when not under load. There is no issue about longevity, AFAIK. Some early models were fitted with smaller clutches, slightly more prone to failure, possibly changed to larger Polo clutches, IIRC.
You'd need to record the sound for anyone to identify what is a clutch problem and what is a gearbox noise.

 

FWIW, I have a 2019 MPI and the clutch and gearbox are very good - no rattles at idle, very slick and positive gear-change, but you can provoke a short and slight 'clack' on low-gear/low-speed changes, depending on your footwork timing, and it's not a fault, just a budget car!

Yes, a Budget Car' and a fair comment.

Time to turn the radio on which is very rare in our cars.

 

As a '66' year car it is pre-face lift I think.

Only bothers me, not the wife!