...and for those of us stateside, 146,000kms~90,720mi...

and as to wether or not it's "too soon" for a major repair like this, it all depends on the prior owner's up keep of the car.

if it's a cost factor of the repair, do you have a local trade school that has an auto program? most of them are usually on the look out for cars for the students to work on, and usually, (at least the ones around here) there's just the parts cost, no labor charges. might not get done in the timeliest of manners... but you just pay for parts, and help train future grease monkeys...
IT'S FOR THE KIDS!!

 

Call around all the autotech schools, even to the teachers that do the training sometimes they will take it on as a side project for the class.

They have trade schools here that do it all you pay for is the parts, takes a few weeks but when you're on a budget it's a win win on both sides, esp now days kids want to learn 4 bangers.... Unlike in my days when it was big blocks, 850 2x pumpers and 600 lift camshafts crammed into fox body mustangs.... lol

ahh the good ole days