My insurance is almost nothing, as is my license and registration.
Parts are cheap relative to new cars, and I can do all the work myself.
It is highly reliable and I wouldn't hesitate to take off for the east coast with it (right now)
I have not had a no start and run situation for years.
I can stand some pretty high gas prices and still come out the end ok.
One of my kids friends had to take thier car in for a scheduled maint timing belt change and all said and done it was $1,200 bucks.
Thats a lot of gas.
