What next step would you take? Fridge Compressor

[mozar]

I have an issue where my fridge is rattling a lot (several times a day). Bought in 2003, food in fridge is cold, freezer food stays frozen.

Been going on for about 6 months. I think its the compressor. I had the mounting bolts checked and tightened, and vacuumed out the dust. Fridge is level.

Could this be the issue?
"That shaking that you hear when the refrigerator shuts down means that the piston pin inside the compressor has broken. The piston will slam into the side of the compressor (inside the compressor) and causes it to vibrate way too much when the compressor shuts down. This is not a simple repair unfortunately---the entire compressor would need to be ordered and replaced to fix the issue. Now, this issue can go on for years before you get a performance problem. But eventually the piston will get jammed and seize up inside the compressor at some point and the refrigerator will just suddenly stop."
http://www.justanswer.com/appliance/7misz-kenmore-coldspot-fridge-started-shaking-little-noisily.html#re.v/446/

My understanding is that replacing the compressor plus labor would be about $600. I don't like my fridge (it's way too big for my tiny kitchen) but I'm not ready to buy a new one.
What would you do?

[Rural]

If you've investigated all the other options (levelling comes to mind), then I'd say keep using it until it quits working. It's virtually never worthwhile to replace a compressor in an old refrigerator, but if they often run for years with a broken piston pin as your source suggests, then give it the years. You might consider freezing some bottles of water if there's space in the freezer - that would likely buy you time to discover the problem when and if it does actually die without losing the contents of the freezer.

[mozar]

thanks.

[gooki]

Or sell you existing fridge for parts and buy a used one. Difference will probably be $100.