So What's up with our 4X4?

We own a 1993, 4X4, automatic, Mitsubishi Pajero (also known as a Montero in the US). I was graduating from high school the year this car was made... So that was 21 years ago. Wow. Needless to say, it is pretty old for car years.

We bought this car a year ago because it fit within our budget. Cars go for around $30-50,000 USD here. They are just plain expensive. We bought the Pajero for around $8,500. It suits our family in size and in its off-road abilities.

Sadly, nothing lasts forever. Our Pajero is in need of a new 'gear box' (transmission). It has been slowly going out, and now it won't shift above 3rd gear.

Andrew has taken the whole thing apart and added clean oil, cleaned it out, etc... but it still has issues and is not drivable on the hwy.

We priced USED automatic gear boxes for around $5,110 (USD) and that did not include installation.

Andrew's mechanic shop buddies suggest we get a used MANUAL transmission and modify the car. They found a Pajero gear box and the total costs would come to about $2,500 USD including clutch and istallation.

Obviously, we cannot afford a new transmission nor a new car. It is quite difficult to be car-less at the moment since

• We have 4 children going to High School, then 5 children going to Primary school, and one child going to Mechanic school...
• We are building on The Shire and need to be able to get there to oversee the construction.
• We need to be able to buy and carry groceries!
• We need to take our visitors (my dad is coming March 5th) to various places.
• And we also need to carry supplies to our construction site.

Personally, I love cycling and walking, but it is so time consuming. I find I am not able to do the home schooling I need to do because I spend HOURS each day walking to and from home to town...

 

We have a Nissa Van, (it is not a 4X4) but it is being used by our Boys' home and the nursery school so it is not available to us nor useful for going to The Shire.

 

So here we are at a cross roads trying to decide what to do. Do we try to sell the Pajero for a very low price and get an even older car? Or do we try to solicit money from you guys to help us buy a used transmission and have it turned into a manual car?

 

Thoughts are appreciated.