This was a car of such crushing dismalness and feeble construction that it made you want to walk to work, even if your office was 70 miles away.
People can't change where they live. They can't change where they work, and there aren't any clear substitutes to gas. You can't run your car on much else. It's not like switching from oranges to grapefruits.
It's a pity that the people who loved John can't love each other.