98 VW Cabrio- bucks like a horse can

[DIYVWlover]

I have a VW cabrio automatic that began about a year or two to literally feel like it was bucking you when putting it in drive- not all the time (used to think when it was cold- but it is over 100s and still doing it) just about 50% of the time at the beginning of a the trip it is on. It goes like this- the car is turned on, backing out goes fine, put it into drive, foot on gas, a momentary pause and then this jump, “buck”, whatever until it lurches forward. Can happen at a stop sign too, the same way- put gas on and lurches forward after a pause. Usually after the first or second time in a trip- no more problems. Does anyone have any idea?