1. An old car that doesn't qualify for the $4,500
cash trade-in incentive from the
government because it gets more than 15 mpg.
2. The sudden realization that your old beater vehicle is lost in the twilight zone between "generally worthless" and "totally worthless," forcing you to keep driving it for another year -- at least.
"I just looked up the mileage for my 1996 RAV4. The stupid Junker Flunker gets 16
mpg, which means I won't be getting any of that
government cash after all. Drat!"