Well, in the case of my awful Honda, I also had to spend money on a clutch and other gear. By the time I was done, I put $2,000 into a car that always ran like crap and couldn’t get even $200 for it used.
Depending on the car, engines can run all over the place, but catalytic converters, torsion bars, rear differentials, transmissions, hard to reach water pumps (mid 90s LT1 GM cars), motor mounts, and sometimes unexpectedly hard to find or expensive parts (GM LT1 optical distributor cap), have you putting in more than you expect. Up north, the big limiter is body rot. Now that I am in Phoenix, I do NOT expect that to be an issue.
Wait till the electrical power crisis when government succeeds in putting about 80+ million of these energy sucking electrical appliances on the roads.
2 things will happen, the cost of charging your electrical appliance will sky rocket, and they’ll have to implement wide spread charging/electricity rationing.
Toyota and Chevrolet are our favorite brands for new vehicles.
We purchased a used Honda for my oldest son three years ago. For my middle child, we got a used Nissan Accura. Both were high school graduation gifts, both run well. Was not dropping 25 to 30K on a new car for a first-time driver, so we took the best on the lot that we could afford.
Sorry that your Honda was a money pit.
I think I paid $250 for my first car in NY. Over 30 years later, a used vehicle set us back 8K. Man, times have changed!