#5 is right on. Don't know
#5 is right on. Don't know about the writer part, but most people and especially me, see their car as a transportation appliance, or as you describe it, a shoe. Reliability is my #1 priority and I'm a mechanic who can fix most anything. I buy a car new and keep it for >250K miles and find the cost of ownership is lowest that way. This only works with hi-rel cars like Toyota or Honda. My wife has a Pontiac Vibe which I bought as a cheaper Matrix. So far (135K mi), the only things that have broken/ worn out are GM parts.