A good estimate of annual upkeep costs other than major repairs like engine or transmission is 5-10% of the car's original MSRP of $50K. That works out to $2.5-5K in your case so the $2K to pass inspection is reasonable, especially for an 8-9 yr old car.
My previous ride was a '92 Camry V6/5spd and in 4yr/120K miles, it only needed CV boots. The repair file on the Bimmer is overflowing two folders but I still wouldn't trade it for the reliability of the Toyota. In the end, if driving enjoyment is more important than maintenance-free, feeling-free, reliability, then that's up to the driver (or left-seat passenger).
Cheers,
David