It depends on the quality, to some extent. I bought the best black tape I could find, and I think it paid off. I had a couple spots where it was sticky after a day or so, but a quick rub with my thumb and it was gone. A couple places have also frayed--a thread or two, but those went with an X-acto knife, and have been fine since. The only other spot was inside, where the occasional card would stick, but that went away, as the stickiness wore off. :-) Actually, that is one area I would change things. I folded it on a seam, the last time. Next time, I would fold the pocket in the middle, to avoid that. It would be thicker at first, as the fold wouldn't crease so easily, but I discovered that it will eventually flatten out, after a couple days or so.

Now, the instructions.... hm. I'll have to look! Maybe a Google search for "making a ductster wallet" will show it. Mine were on the internet. I modified the instructions to make mine smaller, more like the original post on this site, but I made mine a bit bigger than the original poster, so mine's in-between the original post here, and the instructions we used.

Ah. Found the instructions--It's on the original picture page. Here's the LINK

-Jon

You know, typically, the cheapest car is the one you already own. :-)

My old Lumina APV is 17 years old, and still running like a top. Some things, due to the fact that it's an American car in Poland, I can't really fix, due to the lack of parts, and cost of shipping from the US (mostly silly things like interior parts), but the important things--engine, drive train, suspension, body, etc. are in excellent condition. But let's consider. Let's say I need to repair the car two or three times a year, at a cost of $500 each time. (maybe more, but even then...) That is a fraction of what I would be putting into car payments! Plus, since i already own it, and am familiar with it, it's still better than a cheap, older, used car. So, financially, I'm way ahead of the game. If it weren't for the super-weak dollar, I could still be putting away for a new car in a few more years, and pay cash for that, and stay ahead of the game.

Of course, there are a couple caveats to this. 1. It is possible that the costs of repair become prohibitive--say, $3000 for an engine replacement--but i don't see that happening with this car, but even still, $3000 per year for many, smaller repairs becomes untenable--but this hasn't happened yet. ;-) and 2. Reliability. If a car is breaking down regularly, and worse, causing tows, then you would need to reconsider. I've had to tow my car twice in the 8 years I've owned it. Once the transmission died, and the other, the computer bonked. The computer was a minor issue, but the trany was "fun."

However, I've discovered that regular maintenance goes a long way in keeping a car going nearly forever. I've broken one "rule of thumb" for the car. I change oil twice a year--before summer, and before winter, to get the right weight in the block. When it's in the shop for this, I have everything checked--hoses, brakes, cables, spark plugs, etc. Anything getting close to wearing out gets replaced. BTW, this philosophy has kept me going since my first car--with one stupid exception, when I bought a new car--big mistake--, but I truly learned my lesson then! ;-)

(BTW, the Lumina APV is about the _ugliest_ car I've ever seen! I have hated them from the very beginning, and vowed I'd never own one! But I'm now so glad I bought it. BTW, it has a plastic body--no rust there! And it's so practical I can't believe it!) ;-)

-Jon