Th beginning of last spring I was right where you are now. I saw a new full suspension at REI and was in love. I was all for dumping my 2003 Giant Warp DS3 I had done some upgrades to in favor of the shiny new bike that cost $1500. After talking it over with my wife, I decided to upgrade or basically rebuild my Giant. So I replaced everything but the Shimano XT groupo I had upgraded a few years earlier. New rear shock (Manitou Revox Pro), crankset, disk wheel set, mechanical disk brakes, Manitou Match comp 130mm front fork, Truvative T20 stem, Azonic Agile riser bars, and WTB grips. I chose everything on the bike and I could not be happier with the final result. It is truly a one of a kind bike and for less than half of what the new bike would have cost. Every time I ride a trail some one asks me about my bike and they are shocked to find out it is 13 years old, well the frame is anyways.