Car dilemma. AKA, cheap body work doesn't pay

Well, specifically cheap body work from 10 years ago.

My Sentra needs to be replaced, but unfortunately I'm attached to that ugly piece of steel, rubber and glass. When I bought the car in 2006 it had been rear ended and to fix it, the body man "clipped" the car, which basically means they cut it in half and attached a new, non wrecked ass onto it.

Now, I had not much tied up in the car, and it's served me well. Driven it for years, been extremely reliable, fun to drive, sounds great, and I've put well over 100k miles on it myself. I've gotten my money's worth.

Now, where the car was welded together in the floorpan, it's rusting pretty bad. All the way across, and I'm worried it'll break in half. A few months ago I bought a wrecked car for parts, but it has a clear title, and I can use my DD to repair the front. This car is just like mine, only automatic. With some rust on the strut tower.

I'm torn between fixing the car I drive, repairing the parts car, or selling everything and buying something new.

I'm frustrated, but not to the point of going off the deep end and buying a brand new car.

What car thread may be forth coming.

Get rid of both of them...treat yourself to a long weekend somewhere Sentras don't rust with the proceeds, drive your dream Sentra home?

The great thing about being into Sentras is that you can find the exact one you want, anywhere, anytime.

I'd love to have a nice B13 SE-R, or a sleeper fixed up with all the later updates from south of the border.

I think sinking further money into a 200k rusty welded together wreck is throwing good money after bad.strut tower rust will get worse and failure is inevitable. I agree with above. Go find the nicest version of the car you want, take any good, use able parts off your two old ones. Sell off the remaining debris.

Your own safety, as well as anyone you've been driving around with is worth spending the extra money to have a car that is structurally the way it was intended from the factory. It's time you part ways with your old ride.