I really don't want a new car payment but the blue book value on the car is only about $2,000 and the cost of a refurb transmission (if needed) will go about $2,500-$3,000. The car has 168,000 miles which isn't too bad but it's also been leaking oil for the past 3+ years and in the past 6 months, my gas mileage per tank has dropped and I now don't even get 300 miles out of a full 20 gallon tank. I'll hold out hope for a cheaper fix but when I left it at my garage tonight, I turned the engine over to see if it was still toast and the engine now revs very rough, tachs just above stalling at idle, and makes a shuddering vibration.

I tried that new car smell scent once Jerry and it didn't smell anywhere close to resembling new car. It was some perfumey crapola. Blech!!!