I don't let it bother me.. we paid $400 for the old girl in Sept. '06, and "major" repairs amount to a partial front-end rebuild (tie rods, drag link, balljoints, wheel bearings) 2 years ago and a head gasket job last March- she always starts, and has never broken down.
Although we did buy it with a "rebuilt" tranny, which has slipped since day one.