POLL: Pretty vs Functional

The first car I bought myself was a mistake - it looked good, but it was in terrible shape in reality, but I learned a lot from the experience. The prior owner did things like put on aluminum rims and new wheels, but they didn't fit properly and ended up causing warped brake drums (which ruined both the brakes and the new rims). He painted the car and tinted the windows and put in a new carpet and headliner, but he didn't fix the rust that ruined the floorboards and frame. He upgraded to a modern alternator and electric choke carb but left disconnected and ungrounded wires hanging around the engine bay, and he installed new gauges in the dash but didn't bother using solder or connectors, so the car constantly had electrical problems. He got a fuel cell from a friend who raced and put it in the trunk, but didn't bother strapping it down (I did). All in all, that mess taught me that mechanical issues and rust issues are far more important than appearances, unless you're just building an automotive sculpture instead of a car you intend to drive.