That's the best way of looking at it.

Gerry, obviously you passed the point where your 6.3 cost you too much time and money.

Maybe because I have a 4.5 and can pick up stuff a HELL of a lot cheaper, I haven't been turned off as easily. My 4.5 needed cams, and I picked up 2 sets for under $120 total (that averages $30 a cam, NOT including towers, both sets came with all 10!). My 4.5 has been in my life since I was 6, so I suppose that has something to do with it as well. I grew up being chauferred around in this car, and now I get to call it my own and take care of it, so it means a lot to me - even if she needs a paint job and rust repair, as well as engine mounts and other odds and ends, it's still a car I can call my own and it's relaxing to work on.

I have a spare PS pump, alternator, idle air control, and cams sitting in my garage. I have a spare set of heads, cleaned, 1 with new valve stem seals (and completely assembled) under my bed (the other needs stem seals so I can reassemble it). I'm probably not even going to use them, since I'm looking for higher compression ones, so they'll go on eBay sooner or later, along with the originals that come off my car.

If someone had that kind of stuff sitting around for a 6.3, they'd be rich from the way you make it sound. I'm hardly rich! I work on my 4.5 on my spare time - nobody other than myself has done SQUAT to the car in the last 6 or so years, except the tire guys, and the garage that did my inspection. You make it sound like this kind of stuff isn't possible to keep a 6.3 running properly.

I have fun. I'd hardly say I get sexually aroused though My car provides me joy, and it's very relaxing to work on and drive. That's all there is to it. Fast, reliable, smooth, sleek... it's what I want in a car. Until the day comes where my 4.5 costs too much to upkeep, I will hold on to it. Hell, I'm even thinking of blowing $350-450 or so on a 4-speed auto from a 3.5 to pop into it for better performance!