Replacing Color Wheel in Samsung DLP? Help/Suggestions Please :)

[Higgs1]

Anyone have any thoughts on replacing color wheels in Samsung DLPs?

I bought my 61" DLP (Model HLS6187WX/XAA) in Feb of 2007 and it is now giving me a whining noise which I have narrowed it down to be the color wheel. Currently that is the only symptom I have found, the TV funcitons 100% otherwise and I had a few questions.

I got a quote from a TV Repair place and they said it would be $400 including parts/labor/taxes. Now the part I found online to be about $80 shipped. Does anyone have any experience changing a color wheel & should I give it a go myself?

What if I decide to not change it now, will it cause any damage to my television to leave the current one in until I actually notice a picture issue? I'm fine with watching it as it is now, the noise is drowned out with my Surround sound anyways. I'm just worried about buying the part for $80, trying the fix and damaging my tv and not being able to put it back together or have something go wrong, now i'd be out a whole tv instead of just a tv that whines a little lol.

I dont' feel like dropping $400 on a repair, when I can easily buy a newer DLP, larger, for around $1000, and get a warranty with it.....


Thoughts? Comments? I know people here are usually very helpful & I'm looking for that help again!

Thanks



PS: I'd personally like this tv to last me a while longer so I have some time to save up for a nice LED, however I'd like it to be at least the same size as I have now and I've only seen a few in that range, and they're all like 2.5k+ lol so i'd rather wait for them to drop before investing in LED