So, after 160K+ miles, one rebuilt 3.5, various and sundry other stuff you guys (and gals) are all too familiar with, last week, all of a sudden, my tranny started slipping --- badly. I barely made it home and ended up needing to have it towed to my local guy in Allendale, NJ. Long story short, I need a new / rebuilt transmission. Now for the real fun. It appears the going price starts at $2,500 and goes up precipitously from there. There is a trans specialist in Wykoff, NJ with a decent reputation. His cost is $3,600. Cha ching! Were this any other vehicle, I mean ANY other vehicle I would sell it SO FAST it would make your head spin. But my little boy has loved our VX since I first brought it home when he was just 18 months old. He even christened it "Monsty". So how can I sell something we've gone fishing in, chasing lizards in, etc. etc. etc. Some of his happiest childhood memories are tied up in this lumbering Isuzu. And mine too. So....

Here it sits. Waiting for the latest infusion of $$$$$. Now that I've told my sob story, I suppose you realize I'm hoping for a 'better option'. Make that an option that will fix my transmission but not cost me a lung and two kidneys in the process. Any realistic options here in the general NYC / NJ area would be most sincerely appreciated. And by the way, here's Monsty in better days: