I am a young 78 years old and have owned a 2000 SAAB model 9-3 SE auto 5-door hatchback from new. It has 45k on the clock and is the best car I have ever owned. To me its comfort, reliability, practical design, solid engineering and hatch space for a couple of Labradors far exceeds all other cars I have owned. It's only failing is fuel economy.

We are a one-car family, so I have been considering selling it to purchase a more economical car. However, I am loathe to do this because I like the car so much. Having resorted to my calculator, I have found that it would take over 20 years to recover the cost through economy savings alone if I purchased a comfortable smaller car yet I doubt if I will still be driving in another 10 years.

Our former local SAAB dealer still services SAABs but I do realize its a gamble to rely on this. So, am I being realistic by keeping the SAAB or should I dump it in lieu of a smaller car?