No "experienced" by any stretch, but, when I shot league in Forks 25yrs ago, I shot the course w/IC for most and pulled the choke completely and shot bare threads for those fuggin' rabbits.
We have 5-stand in Fargo and I shoot that w/Skt choke.
I've got a pair of pushers on a 4-core w/reserve and 160 degree thermostat. 400 small-block = HEATER!
Those electric pushers coming on have freaked out a few folks if they didn't see them before the car starts.
Right there with you. '11 Ford w/230K +. Once and a while I have to spend a few bucks on it for this or that, but, I pulls my boat and is still quite capable of comfortable road trips @ interstate speeds. I wish it had a bigger fuel tank, everything else pretty well suits my needs.
$18-$20 sounds like a lot when you started your 1st job under $5/hr. But you need some context. What can that really buy?
For comparison, my 1st full year of employment during high-school circa 1992, I made about $9500 working part time, ~20hrs/wk. that was just a little more than my dad...