This is a question I ask myself about twice a year, especially as I get older and getting under the car is less fun, and I know winter is coming which means repairs in the cold. But I'm grateful to be young enough (51) to do them and plan on keeping mine for as long as I can. I'm taking the bumpers and trim off and fixing the rust spots and getting a cheap Maaco paint job this month. As a second car, it's irreplaceable, still useful for long runs - my drive to work is 70 miles. This car still does the job with an occasional breakdown every now and then. The car was hit by an SUV and survived it. I drilled into the block, perforated it, and taht was 3,000 miles ago. My daughter is learning to drive in it and is going to inherit it. I've learned to live with the constant problems and stay just ahead of what absolutely needs to be done. Look at it this way: Our fathers, or at least my dad, he didn't repair his car by replacing parts. He rebuilt the parts, fixed them up, and put them back in his car. I believe doing this kind of work makes a man strong inside. I want that feeling to last the rest of my life. I would keep the car and wrestle with the shocks and don't let the coil springs take your head off. Good luck.
Cuddy