gleinz

I posted this before, but didn't get many responses...hopefully this time will be better.

Anyways, when I first start my car, I have to push the clutch in all the way to be able to shift into gear. Even then, it takes some effort (which it shouldn't) to put it into first. When I let the clutch out, it comes out a tiny bit before the clutch engages. However, after I drive for awhile, it seems to return to normal (i.e. the clutch engages about halfway out and I can shift gears easily). Does this problem require me to replace the clutch? Or is there something simple that can be easily fixed? The car has 71k miles on it. I'm planning on taking it to a mechanic, and I'd rather go in with some info without assuming whatever he says I need, since I've had bad experiences before. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks.