Spend the 3k and you'll be spending more. First of all, are you going to be doing most of the work yourself? Think about that one.

Are you willing to put up with the frustration with having to get it all done? Countless trips to the parts counter, returns, exchanges, out of stock parts, special tools, bloody Haynes manual...

After all is said and done, and assuming you got everything on that list fixed, are you confident that nothing else is going to fail? Of course, the car which DOES run properly might decide to fall apart as well.

Take the 3k and lease a KIA. Work 4 hours a week to pay for it.

Kuan