When he got the call about the car needing new wipers blades, he asked how much.

Not just one guy, staff is about 15, pre-soakers, interior guys, wipers, cashier, mechanic, manager.

And I get to have a car that I don't have to worry about doing any maintenance except tires if needed and windshield  wipers. 

I buy wipers & spark plugs & brakes online & any other part I can & use local mechanics who work from their homes or an occasional shop for oil change, etc.

And the way they build them these days, a 5 year old car, even some Detroit Iron, is going to be practically as good as new.It'll be more than $5000, maybe 2 or 3 times that, but you'll have many years of doing nothing to it but change the oil and wiper blades.

If there is no lath-n-plaster wind screen in the wall cavities, the cheapest way to insulate would be to blow in packed cellulose or (a little more expensive) closed cell foam.  

When they left after the viewing, I found a note under my windshield wiper from one of my neighbors that said, "don't you ever learn?"

Platinum-grade batteries with a three-year warranty, brake pads guaranteed for life, windshield wipers changed every year, Michelin tires changed every 2 years, oil changed every 5000 miles.