So I have been having some clutch (I think) issues.

SOMETIMES, when starting from a stop, the car shakes and jerks as if you are letting out the clutch without giving it enough gas. Seems to happen mostly on hot days, less in the cold. I will have a day where it acts up like crazy, then a week + where no problems at all.

Shifting from first to second and so on is perfect every time. Problem only present when pulling away from a stop.

ON rare occasions (happened 3 or 4 times total) when driving I get the smell of burning clutch (sulfur type smell) It lasts only a few seconds, and is very rare, but does happen sometimes.

Any ideas what this could be? Is it simply time for a new clutch? Could it be something completely different?

Car has 133,000 KM's on it. Problem started appearing about 5-8000 km's ago. Never an issue before that.

Also, I know how to drive stick, only ever owned standard transmissions and have never had clutch trouble before ever on any vehicle.

 

Is there a dust cover that you can pull, and inspect the disk? If you get alot of dust it might be time, or if you can see the disk worn past where it is metal, that would be time for one. I assume this is a hydraulic clutch? It might need fluid, and or bled.

 

On a quiet flat road slowly let the clutch pedal out without applying any gas, the torque on these cars should allow it to run without jerking. The at low speed put her into 5th and hit the gas - if the revs shoot up but you dont move much then your clutch is likely on the way out.
I
assume your not getting a tracking control light on the dash when pulling away and jerking as its soo easy to wheelspin these babies especially as tyres get worn

 

Tires are pretty new, so loads of tread. Letting the clutch out slowly without gas will cause the car to move (have done this to inch forward in the carport on occasion).

Have not tried hitting gas at low speed in a high gear yet though.

It is really weird, as the problem is so intermittent. If it was consistent and all the time it would make sense. Makes me lean towards needing a bleed in the lines or something else weird. Maybe a pedal adjustment or something.

When I get the rare smell when traveling at consistent high speeds, it makes me think the clutch is slipping a bit, but I don't notice it in any other way - just the smell.

The clutch pedal feels normal, but I have been driving my Father-in-Laws BMW a bit lately, and when I go from the BMW Clutch to ours, ours feels kind of wrong and makes me wonder if it has always been that way - but can't really compare to a BMW - Apples to Oranges... BMW clutch pedal has far more resistance - more effort required to push down, and more force from the pedal to release.

 

My guess is that there is moisture or smidgen of oil on the clutch plate/flywheel and/ or the throw out bearing is kaput.
You could try to let the clutch slip on purpose for a second or two. That would cause some heat and thus evaporate the moisture. After that it should work normally. Of course that won't fix the problem but you would know that the clutch is moisture sensitive.

The real fix is a new clutch and resurfacing the flywheel.
Meanwhile you could flush the hydraulic system just to eliminate that potential cause.