In 2009 I bought an old 1960s muscle car. The interior and underbody were all nice but the paint was really needing an update (scratched, chipped, etc).

Fast forward a few years, extensive bodywork, and a whole lot of cash and the car had show car quality paint.

But there were certainly days that I missed driving around my old, beaten up paint job car. I would leave my coffee mug on the roof as I got in, would park wherever I wanted, and I generally didn’t worry about the car much. Now I fret over parking it and have to walk from the back of any lot.

I’m not complaining… I certainly love driving around shiny car. But it’s an interesting observation that the cheap/beaten up version had virtues that I miss - to the article’s point.