Don't wait until your clunker is ready to die before going to buy a car.

It takes 2 months to shop, decide, haggle, and buy a car. If your car is dying, you'll be forced into making hasty decisions and signing deals you should never have signed. Never let a dealer know you are desperate for a car. Don't dump money into fixing up a clunker, take the loss, use the cash towards the new car, and move on with your life. There's nothing I can do for you.