91 MR2 manual transmission worries!!!

Hello I'm Brentonio69,
I have a 91 MR2 with roughly 200,000 miles on it. I only drive it about 3,000 miles a year. Over the last 1 1/2 yrs. It's has had a strange noise while moving and transmission is engaged. I assumed the half shafts were probably shot, but given to the small amount of time I drive it, I kept putting it off. Well needless to say I drove it about 50 miles yesterday to my girlfiends and when I was about 2 miles away I shifted and it barely went into gear. The noise went from mildly concerning to really bad. I drove it to work in the morning with minimal acceleration to keep the noise down and at steady speeds under no acceleration it runs fine. I have had this car for 4 yrs. and I just can't believe that the transmission could be shot. I obviously know I need to change the halfshafts that I neglected. However, I wonder if just changing the transmission fluid will be enough to fix it. The car will still shift into every gear. Guess I'm just trying to find the cheapest solution without a tranny shop ripping me off!!! The car still runs absolutely phenominally and I hate to call it quits on it if I can fix it for relatively cheap!!! Hope someone out there can possibly give me some insite. I appreciate any and all comments. Thanks Everyone!!!

Why do you think the half-shafts are bad?

Have you checked the fluid level?

I would start by changing your tranyn fluid and see what happens from there.

clutch is going out...don't force it or you will break shift forks(expensive)...clutch kit runs around $200...i have a rebuilt tranny if you need it $500...clutch kit + tranny + labor $$=$700+ labor $$?... if you're in fl i can do the work for you