Like everyone else has already said in one form or another, it comes down to how much you want to tinker with or how much you want to pay someone to tinker with. Given your mileage situation, relying on a 22 year old car isn't unreasonable especially since you do have a back-up vehicle if the need arises.

At 37 I have similar thoughts. I'm planning on selling my '00 Wrangler (which I'm making payments on) and replacing it with preferably a pre-emissions vehicle of unkown make or fuel-type, whatever strikes my fancy, that I will pay for in full. While I'd rather not make payments on any vehicle, I'm just more comfortable keeping my wife and kids in a newer, safety-featured vehicle that she won't have to think twice about driving so we've gone from newer minivan to newer minivan that we've financed and probably will continue to do so.

I have a hard time justifying (to myself) making payments on my TJ with 4 kids, but I may very well replace it with a CJ or CJ-7 that I'll pay cash for. The decrease in property taxes will be a pleasant side effect.

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

on this thread while doing a search for low battery info on my diesel.

(6) years later! - the *advise (some from time honored members here), still rings true as ever, IMHO......