Someone nearby is looking to sell an '03 Acura EL (TL in USA I believe). So it's a civic.

The seller claims he has tranny noise and that's why he wants to sell it. Price is right ($1300 CAD). However I have mild concern the issue isn't what I think it is. I thought it would be either throw bearing or input bearing, which look easy enough to do on youtube.

However this is how he describes the noise: "There’s no noise in neutral or when the clutch is in. It’s most often to be heard if I down shift into second or first without rev matching"

Could either bearing still cause this or is there a bigger issue? 190,000kms which is around 120,000miles.

 

It would be a Civic here in the US, not a TL. I would look at worst case and assume you need a used transmission... and knowing this, if after making that purchase and the cost of the car, you still feel it is a good deal... then do it.