grinding noise

help! new to me, 94 wrangler YJ w/ 84K makes a grinding noise when down-shifting, no matter what speed- transition from 3rd to 2nd grinds. sometimes grinds from 4th to 3rd and during shift into reverse. is this a clutch or a transmission problem?
don't let a mechanic rip me off, how much should i expect to pay to get this fixed?

Does it only grind when downshifting or upshifting as well ? I would check the obvious first. Check the clutch hydraulic master cylinder fluid level, check the gear oil in the transmission, is it at the proper level and clean ? Perhaps it's time for a fluid change. After that I would suspect worn synchros in the transmission or time for a new clutch. Once you know for sure what the problem is, shop around for different estimates from reputable shops. They are supposed to use a flat rate manual which tells how many man hours it should take to do the job. Personally, I would remove my own tranny and bring it to the shop to save labor. Clutches are easy enough to do if you are mechanically inclined. Hope this helps...

thanks, i appreciate the help

Try changing the fluid in the tranny to a synthetic type. There are many out there that help reduce wear on the syncros, and help it shift much better