Hey guys,

Really quite a strange question, and it comes from a strange place because of some circumstances I currently am in.

Some of you guys may have seen what happened to my E30 on a wet, overcast and slippy afternoon.

Due to this I have picked up a 1996 Liberty sedan that while sedate and comfortable has done 317,xxx kays and is beginning to drink fuel and rattles / squeaks from the suspension and shocks. I picked the car up months ago for $1500 and is still cheap to insure and run but is hardly an enjoyable drive.

I'll admit I got very nervous when anything surprised me from the left hand of a car while driving. This is a reaction from the accident and I got quite spooked at intersections and blind corners for a number of months.

Only recently I realised I felt comfortable again.

So in so many words I'm looking at getting "back in the saddle"' so to speak.

Unfortunately my insurance company didn't come to the party and the accident was deemed my fault. I have a $9,500 debt currently and am paying it off at $325 per week. Thankfully I have recently signed on in the company as a full time employee (rather than full time contractor) and have gained a pay rise as a result.

The debt company is offering for me to pay $6000 of my debt in a lump sum, and if I do this they will wipe the remaining $3500+ off the debt. So in short almost 40% off the total debt.

With this in mind I may get a loan to cover this and save myself money in the long run. Now here is where it gets tricky.

I'm itching to get into another import (Silvia or Skyline) and I realised if I'm getting a loan why not just borrow an extra ~$7000 and have an enjoyable car again seeing as I'm already going to be borrowing money?

I'll make it clear I DESPISE loans but with my new job and that debt effectively cut in thirds I'll be able to afford the lesser repayments far easier than currently keeping just over half my pay per month on my current repayment scheme.

So in short - Should I get a slightly larger loan and get the car I've always wanted, Or should I just get a loan to cover the insurance debt (saving ~$3500 money) and save up for the car/trip to the US in 2012? potentially delaying the car for 3 years?

Keeping in mind Its not a large loan, totaling perhaps $13,000 Give or take depending on the car.

What would YOU do to get back into a car and way of life that you love?