It really depends on where you live. There are some parts of the world where environmental factors like ocean humidity or winter road salting will cause a car’s frame to rust through in a few years if you’re not careful. Look up the Rust Belt for an example.
On the other hand, if you live somewhere warm and dry, your car’s frame and body will outlast its original mechanical components.
I’ve always had a hard time using a controller with the tank controls, but I love the keyboard controls (I may be in the minority here). Worth trying if you’re playing on PC.