Help My Wife

Repair or Replace our 2005 Chrysler 300. While driving to my second of two part time jobs, the main bearing in the engine gave out. I have been told by several sources, these newer engines cannot be repaired, they must be completely replaced. After looking around, the average cost is approximately $4500 for just the engine, this doesn't include the cost with removing the old one and putting in a new one. What makes this a problem, we still owe $12000 on the car, which has 105000 miles on it. I did take really good care of this car, changed oil when required and anything else that it needed.

Before anyone wants to comment about getting a second job is this. I am active military and I work two additional part time jobs to pay bills. We also rent out two rooms to relatives, so we get a little extra cash. My wife also works, so us working is not the issue. I have been heavy in debt for years, I have been paying child support for over 18 years at $1200 a month on a military salary, which has taken its toll on me but I have always dealt with it. But recently I have been tasked to deploy to the middle east for six months, which means I cannot work a second or third job as I currently do. This also means my wife, a military spouse, must deal with all household issues while I am gone, which now includes our broke down Chrysler. This is a continuing issue because we rely on both of our vehicles to get us to work. I drive one to the base and my part time jobs everyday of the week and she uses her vehicle, the Chrysler, to drive to the hospital to where she works. Although she has one good vehicle, our very dependable Dodge Dakota, if something happens to that while I am gone, she will not have a way to get to work and I will not be in the United States to help her. Furthermore, when I return from my deployment, we will again require two vehicles to get to and from work.