I'm in the complete wrong part of the country to be of any realistic help, but I'm sending good car thoughts your way. I blew a rod in my station wagon years ago, and it was not a happy experience.

While I don't have one now, my family has a long history of station wagons, and they truly are really useful cars - they can haul people, stuff, and even both at once! Whenever anyone was moving in college, I was quite popular, thanks to the wagon. :-)

Best wishes for finding a good car for a good price, quickly.