Blown head gasket on near vintage saab 9-5. Fix it or what?

[charlesj]

My automotive misadventures continue. I finally decided to get the Saab fixed even though it isn't/wasn't a wagon. By the time I made up my mind I was at the back of a long line of fixes, meanwhile I was using an ancient Civic that had its fair share of minor glitches but it worked. Eventually the 9-5's head gasket was replaced and valve stuff done. I spent a bunch of money on the car and was hopeful that it was good for a while.

Now the schadenfreude part: within a few miles I noticed the oil pressure light flickering on at idle. Probably a sensor I was told. The day I started off on a 700 mile trip I heard the crank clanking. Fuck. The folly of fixing the vintage Saab was now rather obvious. The shop owner that had been fixing my Saab for 6 years and before that an old Passat offered to swap my now dead Saab for a (soon to be) running Passat wagon. Fine I thought, I like wagons. He just had to fix some stuff. So, I waited and called 1-2 times a week. In the meantime I was back to the Civic that will not die. Eventually I got hold of the shop's loaner for a couple of weeks, a 2006 Volvo V50 wagon, a fine ride. Then I got a call that the Passat wagon required too much toil but there was another Passat, a 4motion *sedan* that was good to go.

So I have refamiliarized myself with the quirks of early zeroes Passats. I like it but It's not a wagon. The need for a wagon or minivan stems from my desire to stretch out and sleep comfortably in the back. I intend to ski a ridiculous amount this season. In order to make it work I need to save money by not pissing it away on lodging. The Saab sedan's rear seats folded down, no such luck with the VW. I'll let you know when I replace the VW with a V70 or Sienna

...or an Odyssey, maybe a Highlander, a euro wagon FWD or AWD. I think a Pilot or 4Runner is overkill and probably guzzles too much, but then again so do Euro wagons and minivans