The dreaded 2005 gearbox issue!

Hi Guys
Looking for a bit of advice as to how best to proceed?
I have a 2005 Jimny which has only done 50,00 miles and hasn't been thrashed.
I've developed a "ticking" in 3rd and 4th gear which after a bit of research I've realised is a recognized fault.
I've taken it to the main dealer and they have offered to fit a new gearbox and change the clutch for the princely sum of £3500 which I would guess is more than the value of the car!
What to do? Having looked on this website I don't have the technical ability to sort this myself!
Keep driving the car and hope for the best?
Look for a reconditioned or second hand box and get my local garage to swop it?
Find a gearbox specialist and see if they can repair the fault?
Spend £3500 and put it down to bad luck? (I've had to spend very little on the car since I bought it in 2010 so I guess I can't complain too much...)
Any thoughts or advice gratefully received!

See if your local garage can remove the gearbox and fit a bearing kit then replace it.

If not, see if there is a specialist who will.

It is a fair amount of work getting the gearbox out, but replacing the bearings is easy, I'd have thought less than £1000 including the parts should do it, but I never pay anyone to do something I can do myself, so I don't have much of a handle on garage prices.

The most economical course of action is definitely to get your box repaired, and sooner rather than later! You run the risk of damaging the box if you continue to use it. Reconditioned boxes are expensive, used boxes are hard to find and potentially have the same problem, and whatever route you go the cost for removal and refitting is unavoidable.
I'd look for a local gearbox specialist and speak to a few local independent mechanics. It's not a big job for people that work on cars and the good independent people normally charge more fairly than the garages full of less experienced 'technicians'.

You could try draining and flushing the g'box and getting fresh oil into it to see if that helps but I think its a matter of time...
I drained mine and refilled it in March, and although I have no noises or problems yet, there was swarfe found on the mag-plug.

If thats the R72 gearbox, only a matter of weeks back I got a hypothetical quote for replacing the box on mine with MR Clutch . The Swindon branch changed my clutch a few weeks back for £250 which I thought wasn't bad as I neither have the time nor the facilities to undertake such a task

Obvioulsy you would probably want to consider doing a clutch cx at the same time while it's all apart

I was lucky enough to get a 2016 gearbox and fitted a new clutch at the same time all came to about £1100

I wouldn't of entertained the dealer not at that price