As long as you are never more than 269 days past due, you won't go into default. But you WILL incur more and more interest.
Theoretically, you can be 269 days lates for the rest of the loan (of course, until you pay it off, of course) and never be in default. But I wouldn't see the point in it.
If you have the $189 pay it NOW and avoid the capitalizing interest. Or better yet, if it's the best you can do right now, pay $250 ... and then pay $250 a month for a few months until you become current.
ANYTHING is better than defaulting or racking up oodles of interest.
