Should I try to resurrect the 1997 saturn stwgn whose engine died?

Dave, who runs his nearby car repair show in Skokie, Il. said I should give the 1997 saturn stnwgn to the junk man for #250 since the engine is now oozing oil because it blew a rod or some other catastrophic event last night and it would cost too much without any promise of ending its problems. Should I do as he suggests and if so, what used car should I get that will be safe for my 19 year old college freshman son who drives to his job 2 miles away at Circuit City and to his school, about 5 miles away without inflating his ego?