[Amarsir]

I should start by confessing I love my SVX, but I'm a bad owner. I take regular care, but nothing special. I forget these SVX sites exist until something goes wrong. Just last week I was considering a needed paint job and shrugged it off, and apparently that was too much insult, because today I learned that what I thought sounded and felt like a sticking brake was actually a self-destructing rear differential.

Now I know that could be worse, but I'm wondering if it actually might be worse? Any chance that a bad differential messed up anything else along the transmission? And how bad is it to find parts these days? (I haven't had to think about finding anything in like 6 years.)

It's a 96 LSi with about 165k and before I ask the mechanic to call around junkyards looking for the part, I wanted to get any relevant information from experts here so my head is on straight. Much appreciated.