Cost of comfort/safety/change for one year?
 

I'm in Japan, and finding cheap cars that are easy to fix (find info on in English) of any kind is difficult. I found these two Saturns on the same lot, and wanted some opinions.

1. White 99
The body looks great. The interior is different. It had sat for about 9 months. the headliner had water stains along the front around the sunroof. The driver?s side front map light was missing it?s button. the map light assembly was hanging down about a cm on the left side. the overhead light was missing, and the screw cover on the back passenger?s door was missing. The car needs a new battery, but ran fine after being started, with a little surging for the 3 minutes it ran. The radio didn?t work, but it doesn?t bother me because I have another to install. Beige leather was a little worn on the driver?s seat. DR window jumped off the track when I rolled it down. Car has 44K KM.
cost $2600. All of the problems will be rectified, and the headliner will be cleaned. The window problem is kinda understandable with the 9 month layoff.

2. Green 01
Exterior has a nice sideswipe mark about 5 inches tall down most of the PR door, and back to the ? panel.
Interior is great. keyless and cruise control already in it. Cd player works, but again, doesn?t really matter, I will probably take it out. Fixing the body is about $6-700. Car has 62K KMs.
cost $2700, $33-3400 with body fixed

I was considering the 99 because I could install keyless, and remote start without having to worry about the BCM, as well as cruise. It?s a project I would like to take on to challenge myself. I will probably only have either car for a year, then i will move back to the states.

So, I can choose one of these, wait for something else, or stick with the little beater that I have.

3. It's a kei-car, 660cc engine with a 3 speed tranny. No problems with it, I just want something else. Its gutless, with 48 hp. almost to the point of dangerous with any more than 1 person in the car. I think it should hold up another year, without too much of a problem

Gas will be marginally worse, but I get leather, airbags, a real car (read safe), a fourth gear(highway), and a different car. the kei is a motorcycle with a cage (think Mercedes Smart with less integrity). Anything over 40 mph is not pretty. i tore the front suspension out of a keicar last year when it hit my previous Mazda 626 looking car at 35 mph. If I got this car, it would also serve as the traveling car to keep the kms off my GF?s almost new car. The Km?s would be much less detrimental on the used Saturn than her car. the better cd player, and cruise control would also be better for both of us.