I currently drive a 2008 Subaru Impreza with 100k miles on it. I owe about 8200 left on the loan. I've put about 3k of work into it in the last two years. It currently needs the heat shield to be welded, brakes and rotors to be replaced, timing belt to be replaced and exhaust hanger under engine to be replaced.
Maybe looking to trade up for a newer model Subaru and roll over my loan.
Thoughts?
If your state doesn't require inspections, get under the car and undo the bolts to pull the heat shield off. It is there to keep your car from lighting fires if you park in tall dry grass. If you don't do that and the state doesn't require it, the heat shield is only good for your mechanic when you have to pay to get it fixed.
Brakes and rotors are REALLY easy to do yourself. MMM even has a post about how to do it. It is probably the most done repair on youtube. It will take you 3 hours to do the first one and another 30 minutes for each one after that once you know how to do it. The parts should be less than about $50/rotor (less if you take your old ones to a machine shop to get machined. Are they too thin or wobbly?) and $20-$30 per set of pads.
The timing belt/chain, have someone else do.
The Exhaust Hanger, if its what I think it is, could be replaced with 2 interlocking pipe clamps if you wanted a cheap fix. The part is probably $30