Rex's Mom wrote:

Is it even worth investigating a fix or should I just buy a
new one?

It is worth repairing your VCR only if it has sentimental value. A
machine that old has exceded its design life and is likely to give you
more trouble in the future - don't expect video cassets to be popular
for much longer.

Consider, getting a newer one or buying some new technology like
recordable dvd or a hard drive recorder.