Toby,
Well if you do buy a new player, which I would certainly do, put the broken
one on eBay with a honest description as to what is wrong. Someone will
probably buy it!
I sold a ARCAM DAB tuner that needed a new tuner head without any trouble at
all.
Frankly unless you are a gold cable listener you are spoilt for choice for
reasonably-priced CD players these days. Marantz/Sony/etc.etc.etc.
Good luck
JB