Bree Needs Your Help: Car Troubles

Hi, my name is Bree and I’m a divorced mom of 3, with my youngest being 4 years old. Earlier this year I was involved in an auto accident and the vehicle I was buying was totaled by an uninsured/ unlicensed person. I needed medical attention including physical therapy due to the accident and was forced to rent a vehicle at my expense. I eventually put a down payment on a used car about a month later. But was involuntarily placed on an unpaid medical leave from my job. About 2.5 months later I was released to go back to work and about 2 months later the used car started having mechanical issues that were too pricey so I ended up back in a rental for a few months, again at my expense. I do not make a lot of money and my weekly paycheck covered the cost of the rental and not much more. On October 2nd I received a payout from the accident earlier this year, in which I took 95% of the check and purchased another used cash car from a local dealership. On October 9th I needed to take the vehicle (Ford Explorer) to have diagnostic tests because it started showing signs of mechanical issues. Nothing major was found. On October 18th I was stranded when the vehicle wouldn’t go into drive or reverse. A mechanic friend met me on location and got the vehicle back to his shop and said it sounded like the transmission. I called the dealership I purchased the vehicle from and they were extremely rude and unapologetic but referred me to a personal mechanic they knew. That mechanic asked me why I went to that dealership to get a vehicle because they knowingly sold bad cars. Over the course of 1 week the vehicle was in the shop 3 times, being minorly repaired once for a couple hundred dollars. The main issue still couldn’t be found because each time it went into the shop it was something similar but different. It wouldn’t crank another time and I was told to buy a battery for a couple more hundred dollars, and I did. But then there was another problem. Finally a different friend who was exhausted for me having to keep sending the vehicle to the same shop with no success, sent me to his friend who was a mechanic. That mechanic changed filters, fluids etc for another amount exceeding $500. After which, he discovered that the transmission was bad. That repair will cost me $2500-$3500 depending on the shop I choose. I was hoping to not have a car note but that’s not the case, however the minimum down payment I would need exceeds $3000. I’ve been without transportation for 2 months now, paying rental fees on a daily basis. Anything you can give will be used only for the purposes of permanent transportation and is greatly appreciated. I know it’s Christmas and many don’t have much of anything to give, so sharing is also welcomed and appreciated. I am at the mercy of kind hearts at this point. Thank you in advance. I’ve uploaded the vehicle I purchased which includes the name of the dealership in hopes that people think twice before purchasing from them.