the years don't pass in vain, and when you have a 12 year old car, if you don't keep up with preventive maintenance, it starts to take its toll

It really does! It really bloody does! Especially if you drive it daily! People don't think about that at all! Imagine keeping a pair of shoes for twelve years and then using that pair everyday to go to work and back! Then when it's 12 years down the line you expect them to look and perform as well as it did way back?

That is why I take extra care of my car, no exceptions! Mine is 10 years old now, oh wait 11!