Your list describes my life with a ‘93 Altima that I purchased new 123,000 miles ago. I had a $2500 repair after driving from WA to FL and back. Other than that, just maintenance. I’ve been fortunate to find good service guys who don’t take advantage of my total ignorance of things mechanical.
I actually like this car, I talk to her, I occasionally give her dashboard a little pat and say thanks.
Crazy? Not. Many years ago, I had a really old clunker that I drove to work over a mountain pass day after day. Named her Zoe. “Come on, Zoe, you can do it,” I’d say aloud.
Then one evening I took a very neurotic relative out for dinner. She flipped out in the passenger seat, screamed at me for having such a terrible, dangerous car. Made quite a scene. The very next day, Zoe blew her engine on the pass. My friend, a physicist at Hughes Research, agreed that the bad vibes created by the crazy lady probably caused Zoe to die.
Wellll ... the odometer stopped at 239 and I have no idea how long it had driven with 239 and I've got about another thou on it.
Smooth as silk engine but I have no idea if it's original or not.
When I had the inspection the guy said the exhausr was original .. and it was solid and tight.
Gas tank leaks at the seam in two places so I can't fill it to take a mileage reading ... but it rides SO nice.
Paid 500 for it and I've got about 4 in tires, fuel pressure guage, oil change and filters, and some other things I can't remember right now.
My OTHER miracle is a 93 Nissan pick-up .. in the shop now having (pretty much a new) frame welded/patched.
Paid a thou for it three years ago
Might be her last year ... not much parent metal left ... my man is welding on the the patches we did LAST year.
24MPG, 4WD hi & lo and has hauled more firewood than I can guesstimate ... at LEAST 30 or so cords of wood over the last 3 years.
I'll MISS that truck when the frame just splits and drops.