You could get a portable MD instead of a deck. Portability is a plus. Digital has more convenient playback. MD's last longer and are reusable. the audio in your car or headphones will suck anyway. BUY VINYL!
MD vs. tape
Realizing that neither of these formats are considered audiophile quality, I'm still interested in a comparison between using a minidisk recorder vs. a cassette tape deck for basic recording purposes. My use would be primarily in the car or for taping FM broadcasts, with an occasional home playback of recorded, borrowed CDs/vinyl. I have no substantial investment in either format, but would be interested in a comparison of buying an MD deck vs. a (probably used) tape deck for these purposes. I assume that both formats will become obsolete within a matter of, say, 5 years. So my expectations are only for a temporary system.