Amerikans have been culturally conditioned to see "image" as all important. At the risk of quoting Mick Jagger, I just find that so unsatisfying.
And then there's the comments about the cost of the mods vs. the savings in gas: 1) at 440K, I bet the car has returned a pretty good value already; and 2) who says it's all about short-term savings?
Every time I hear about
another life lost in the oil war, I feel guilty for my contribution by driving at all.