HiNeon, Sorry to hear about your appendix, glad to know you've fully recovered.

My last DOT physical to restore my CDL license cost me only $50, half the price of wheel allignment. And then last Winter 16 stitches in my arm to heal a knife wound when i got stabbed cost me about half as much as replacing a clutch.

But doctors i go to (maybe once in blue moon if at all) do NOT participate in the insurance kick-back scam, so they charge basic flat rates and i get better treatment too.

I always feel badly for people entirely dependent on doctors, same as people relying exclusively on professional mechanics. Folks who never see doctors and shun the rip-off insurance scam are generally the healthiest. And cars that are regularly maintained by their owners often last the longest, easily the most economical with fewer problems being "discovered" by creative mechanics.

Katja, they aint makin anymore 240D's!! Arguably these 4-spd sedans will never be bettered or improved upon. Bringin one up to snuff aint like throwing money away. And all the bushing work you've done will last a lifetime. Much better to throw a couple thousand into one-time repairs on the 240D then drive around in a modern 'cell phone' looking car or some kinda SUV/POS.

Meanwhile tranny in and out oughta be 4 hours billable labor + whatever a decent used tranny costs. Could do the whole thing for less than $1000 if you scrounge around.