re: When a vehicle is finally ready to be retired, it's usually not because of the drivetrain?

First car was a 72 buick skylark, all gold color,ran radials, radio shack tape player held up with a 7up can. 250k when I took the keys, sold to college roomate for 75 bucks. Drove the wheels off that car.

God I miss that car:

No air
No heat, scraping the inside of windshield in winter
Headliner falling
Radiator replaced twice
Brake lines 3 times
Ran rear winter tires year round (college car, not replacing all 4)
Steel wheel you could not touch after sitting in the sun all day.
Cut the emergency cable, frozen, nursed home twice (without brakes)

Best part:

First 2 BJ'S in that car
Beat: the shwinn varsity 10 speed (still have)
Motor: never stopped

Now:
Audi, S4 cab V8, still think about old car. So no, not poor but enjoyed the ride.

ETA: roommate ran it in a telephone pole a week later