i reckon you'd need at least 5k for a tidy saff, in either 2wd or 4x4.

having owned a 4wd and driven my mates 2wd i'll give you my opinion.

4wd. feels more modern with the newer black dash (92 facelift). Leather is far more common, and aircon models with all electrics are easier to find. the car drives nicely but the gearbox can be a pain, dont go above 350-360bhp unless you have mega money to buy a new box if you drive it hard. the drive itself inspires more confidence as it has loads of grip, but can feel a little odd if you are used to RWD. greentop engines with the level8 ecu are closed loop, have more options for tuning (anti-lag, launch etc) and as standard (not that there are many left) offer better fuel economy.

2wd. They drive a little nicer, you can drive them like a hooligan and its great fun, they also feel faster (and are) than an equivalent power 4wd. they are dangerous in the wet. the inside feels a little more dated with the older dash and there is no air-con option, though leather is quite common where people have swapped it in. the engine in the earlier model requires a few mods to make similar to the 4wd for econmony purposes, but fundamantally is the same. the box in the 2wd (t5) is more bullet broof (450+bhp) and the gear change is far superior, but drive it like a hooligan, and you'll be buying a new rear diff every week.

hope this helps you make up your mind, i could talk about this for hours, but only so much time at work to type on here