Fred,
Finally I did something before you. The last car payments I ever made were on a 1965 Galaxie 500XL that I bought new. I got it on a 3 year plan and paid it off in 1 year. Back then you got a bunch back if you paid a car off early. My next car was the 69 Cobra and I paid cash for that and all since then. I had enough saving bonds to pay for the house. But the two days that I spend signing them was a pain. And some of them were so old that I got more than double face value for them. The Govt. had some money back then. Now if I want something, I just look at the price and put back as much as I can until I can pay for it.
Ron