Ok.. need some advice... More Info...

[rob.luhrs@sitescape.com (Robert Luhrs)]

I am located in Falls Church VA... I did get a second opinion.. I took 
it to both Pauls auto service (VW only place, great guy there who I 
heartely recommend..) and to VolksWerks.. which also came highly 
recommended by other VW people I know.. In taking apart the 
shifter to see what was needed both said that the shifter "base" was 
basically shot.. that some of the bushings were actually fine, as they 
must have been put in when the short shift kit (prev own) went in.. 
but that some of the connecting links were showing huge amounts 
of play, and that just a bushing kit would have no real effect on it... 
and to replace all the bushings, base, links, everything he is only 
charging me 200.. which really isn't that much... Had I the 
weekends/garage I could do that myself, but that's not really an 
option.  In terms of the tranny.. that's the debatable part.. in some 
ways it may keep on trucking for a while, or I might have to replace it 
on next thursday.. you never know... My one "in the middle" thought 
is to maybe have him drain the whole thing, see if there is anything 
floating around in the fluid to indicate possible failure, and if there 
isn't then wait it out and hope for the best, and if there is, then bite 
the bullet.  In terms of price, he gets his tranny's from someone (I 
can't remember the name) who only does manual tranny water 
cooled tranny rebuilds.. the cost from that guy is $995, and of 
course, by going with that, I save some money in terms of not 
having to replace some of the seals and what not.  On the one hand 
2500 bucks is a huge amount of money when you could never get 
that much back out of it.. but then again.. piece of mind, and a 100% 
working roc are pretty priceless too  :)
I have till tommorow evening to tell him what I want him to do.. any 
other thoughts?  (I am still undecided.. but will make sure to tell you 
all what I end up doing..)
Thanks all..
Rob Luhrs
8816v

p.s. Thanks to everyone who responded about my dad's electrical 
gremlin car (the driving through NJ story.. ) it turned out to be a 
dead alternator.. replaced that.. now it's running perfectly.. I am 
driving back up to MA next week to bring it back to him...