Broken lock latch

hello there. i have a broken latch mechanism. the top hooks work fine, however the bottom part of the latch mechanism is not working. looking down at the 2 slots everything seems to be fine. im not sure if it is magnet or not. i was told that i need a whole new bottom case?? which is gonna run me $200 or so. will this do the trick?
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Apple-Macbook-Pro-A1260-2-4Ghz-Bottom-cases-Lock-latchW0QQitemZ260338597876QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

Since yesterday, I did a little more investigating, and found a link that could shed some light on this issue, as several people posted what sounded like some good suggestions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suAPc7jp1I8
After carefully looking at my own latch, I think I may see what the problem could be, and you might be able to fix it yourself.
There are two tiny hooks on the display part of the latch, held in place by tiny springs. There are two cavities on the bottom part of the latch that have a magnet on the bottom and two silver latches which you can see through the slots. The silver catches are to the inside of the slots, and you can just see about 3/32" of them. There is a bevel to the outside, and if you push in the button, you can see these latches move back.
When you close the lid, the magnet at the bottom of the bottom latch pulls the hooks from the display part of the latch down. The hooks slide over the bevel in the bottom latch and catch.
You should be able to see the silver latches all the way across the slot. If you just see part of them, then the thin hooks may not be able to engage them properly.
There are a couple of possibilities, both addressed in the comments on the U-Tube video. One is that the mechanism has gotten gummed up and the lower latches aren't moving freely and returning to where they need to be. The other is that the latch assembly has gotten pushed in and is caught on the sheet metal, so that the latches do not fully fill the slots. The suggestion is that you might be able to make a tool from a paperclip and reach through the slots to maneuver the assembly back into position. A dental tool might also work.
I've never been inside one of these latches, but just looking at it from the outside, this is how I think it works and maybe could be fixed.
If you don't see the silver latches at all or the magnet is missing, then the latch is likely broken and would need to be replaced. I would think the one you linked would work (the cable is for the sleep light).
Good luck!

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