I'll take a good-running rusty car.

I like driving old cars. Especially if they are good runners. Doesn’t bother me if the body is rusting. I can live with that. As long as the vehicle gets me to where I'm going. Round-trip Minnesota-Chicago jaunts. Did it twice this past month. In my 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Thought about driving my 1991 Mercury Cougar. But the air-conditioning isn’t working. My friends tell me they wouldn’t be caught dead driving such old cars. They want to ride in glamor. And with peace of mind. Knowing that the newer cars are less likely to break down. Mechanic tells me my cars have reliable, well-maintained engines. Take either car to Chicago, or even across country, he says. Furthermore, I have undying faith in my cars. Several of 'em have exceeded 250,000 miles. If not for the rust, they might still be alive and running. Come to think of it. Maybe that’s the secret of living forever. A rust-free body and well-tuned engine. –Jim Broede