My buddy's rust bucket made me rethink my whole paint plan

Caught up with an old friend from high school last Saturday at his place in Akron. He's been driving this 1987 Civic that's got more bondo than metal on the rear quarter panels. I was about to drop $300 on a fresh spray job for my Fiero project, but he told me to just leave the rust alone and hit it with a wire wheel and some rust converter. His car looks like total crap up close, but from 10 feet away it's got this weird patina thing going that honestly fits the vibe. He's got maybe $20 in the whole finish and it's held up through two Ohio winters without spreading. Made me realize I've been chasing showroom shine on a car worth maybe $800 on a good day. Anyone else skip the paint and just go with a rough but protected finish? How's it holding up after a few seasons?