Dear Tom and Ray:

I have an '84 Cadillac. It has never been a really good-running car, but it's the best I have. I'm always telling my husband to drive it as if it were an old lady, not a young chick. His contention is that if it's running, it's running. He says it doesn't matter if you push it to 75 mph, that it's not hurting the car at all. I say "not so." I'm nearly 60 years old and I'm still running, but I sure can't be pushed like I'm 30. I might be able to do it for a while, but it sure wouldn't last. What's your opinion? -- Kathleen

Tom: We're with you, Kathleen. The kinder and gentler you are to your car, the longer it'll last.

Ray: And, in fact, we have a theory that if you don't drive it at all, it'll last forever. My brother's trying that with his Fiat (not by choice, it just hasn't started since 1981).

Tom: The worst thing for an old car is hard acceleration. But driving at 75 can be hard on a car, too, particularly if you drive it that fast over a long period of time. The wind resistance is tremendous at that speed, and you're really making the engine and transmission work hard and run hot.

Ray: So keep your husband away from your car, Kathleen, and make this deal with him: As soon as he buys you a brand-new Cadillac, he can drive it 75 mph as often as he wants.

To buy or not to buy -- options, that is. Are options worth what you pay for them, or are you better off just going with the basics? Order Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Should I Buy, Lease, or Steal My Next Car?" to find out. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1999 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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