Thank you for seeing the spirit in which I was posting, Florida, even if we don't agree.
I would, from a mathamatical standpoint, pay the loan off, with every spare penny you have, and start saving for a down payment once the loan is gone.
This isn't a criticism of anyone here, but I've never understood the fear of mechanical things, like cars. My Dad is a mechanic, and I grew up knowing that's whatever got taken apart, could always be put back together, (sometimes with a little swearing for good measure). I don't change my own oil (my Dad likes to do that, it helps him feel like he is still needed in our lives), but I know the schedule at which my vehicles need things like oil changes, and I have all the tires mounted on rims, so I can change them over in the driveway if needed. I know what sorts of sounds might indicate a problem that needs further investigation. Overall, despite my glaring lack of knowledge in automotive repair, I just don't have a sense of fear about it.
I have a family member that sticks their head in the sand about anything car-related, and will just wait to do oil changes until someone else takes and does it for her. And I have friends that pay someone to switch their snow and summer tires, despite the tired being mounted on rims.
I find that the fear of the unknown, particularly with vehicles, is one of the main reasons people spend before they need to. With everything that is available by googling, I just wish that people took a little more time to research and investigate things themselves.