Is it time to sell my bug & get a new car?

[LadyBlink]

Hi guys,
I've literally been car-less for about 2 months now.
My car originally went into the shop due to a front seal transmission leak. (repaired for about 460USD)
Now its plagued with the Check Engine light coming on.
My mechanic (who has previous experience working at VW dealership) is going bonkers because the Check Engine light just keeps coming on.
DISCLAIMER: I don't know fancy car talk, but I can tell you this mechanic knows my car inside and out. He welded the panzer plate onto the underbody and has performed all my maintenance in the past 5 years or so.
Anyway he seems to be narrowing it down to little sensors that are messing up: one was a transmission sensor, now its a shifting sensor.

I've been told I have a "unicorn beetle" by the guys @ TDIClub because the tranny has about 200k miles on it without being fully replaced.

I'm just wondering what the general opinion is as far as whether I should keep her or sell her. (I WANT to keep her) I just don't know how much $$$$ I'm going to have to sink into her every 3-6 months. She's a 2k model GLS TDI Turbo Diesel.
Bought her new, this is her 12th year on the road.

How am I supposed to know when its time to throw in the towel vs keep it and continue modifying it? Really, I think it comes down to the maintenance cost vs my income (which sucks atm)

Everyone tells me diesels will run a lonnnng time, and its not the engine that's giving me problems really, its all the other bits and bobs and as said above, now the transmission.

Any thoughts?
Thanks so much

[LadyBlink]

btw, its an automatic transmission.

[Smileybug]

What is the actual code for the CEL? If the problem doesn't get fixed, then the light will keep coming on.

[IndyTom]

WOW, your O1M 4 speed Suckomatic lasted over 200K Miles That is amazing! But rather than have someone replace a useless seal for almost 500 bucks I would have replaced the transmission for about 2000 Dollars:
VW 1.8T Automatic Transmission - PartsPlaceInc.com

Sure it would be more expensive at first but in the long run you would save money. First the seal, then the sensors, then the valve body, then the transmission. All that stuff separately will add up fast and will be more than just getting a new tranny in the first place. Sure a Diesel engine will outlast a regular engine. The only thing you need to worry about is the timing belt/water pump maintenance and the injectorpump going bad on the engine. The transmission is the weak link in all early model beetle's. You must have driving it with care and had at least the fluid changed at the regular basis. If you swap out the transmission you can probably get another 100k miles out of it. You will still have to worry about the timing belt service every 75k miles and brakes etc. But that is normal maintenance and can be expected of most other cars as well.
Good Luck and I hope those mechanics are not ripping you off.
Hope you get it back on the road soon!

[D2Beetle]

Keep it; why risk having someone else's head aches if you buy another used car or if you buy a "new" car, compare what you have spent in maintenance on your current NB add compare it to those new car monthly payments.