325i Help!!

Hi, I have an '89 325i that the transmission is screwed up in. About a year ago my cousin (who's a dumbass) was driving it and knocked it into neutral. Since then it has had problems shifting. It's mainly in the morning, or after it's been sitting for awhile. It's been in the shop 7 times for this same problem. It still is not fixed. My RPM's will go up to as high as 5 to shift out of first gear. I can't keep driving it like this before my transmission goes completely, and it tearing up my engine as well. If anyone has had a similar problem, please help me, I love my car to death, but I'm about to breakdown, as is it.
Thanks,
Katie

You'll probably need a transmission rebuild. Thats about $1200. Its an automatic, correct?

Correct, it is an automatic, the shop I took it too they charged $1500, for everything that they did to it, (including a new pump) with a 1 year warrenty, so do you think I should get that money back and just take it to a oversea's shop and get the whole damn transmission rebuilt? I really need to know, because there's a lot wrong with it, but this is my first priority because driving it like this is really hurting the engine. Ahhhh, I'm so angry.