I am a ‘frugal car snob’. My admiration goes to those who get the maximum number of miles from the least expensive vehicle.

My current car is a 2001 Kia Rio with nearly 300,000 miles on it. My claim to fame is that it’s probably one of only a handful of ’01 Rios still on the road today. While racking up a quarter million miles is common for trucks and other sturdy vehicles, it’s almost unheard of for a first-generation budget Kia. Back in 2001, this was the cheapest new car on the market at just over $10,000.

My wife drove it for the first 12 years, and after that I took it over. Since then, I’ve handled all the major repairs myself – including a cylinder head overhaul, fuel tank replacement, wheel bearing and brake work, a complete A/C rebuild, and more. Mechanically, it runs perfectly. The frame, however, is badly corroded, and the body carries its fair share of dents.