Bike dilemma

I dropped off my Panasonic tourist bicycle at the shop yesterday. I am having second thoughts.......the bike guy pretty much thought I was crazy to even bother putting money into it, and said it wouldn't make that much of a difference. basically, he's going to give it a tune up, put on a new back rim and gear hub so the brakes will work better and the gears will shift better. but it's all going to be about $150. Now I feel weird about it, and if I change my mind I could probably call and stop 'em before they do it. But I can't decide. I don't know if I could get a better bike for $150, and I like this crappy old bicycle. I mean, it's a Panasonic Tourist, how cool is that? and I just want the brakes to work so I can ride to work without crashing. Is that too much to ask? but I'm replacing it's original steel rims, (because brakes don't work on them) and I feel like I'm butchering it or something. Not that its worth anything, even "all original" but i'm some sort of sick purist.
This is the bike I would buy if I had a lot of money: The Bianchi Bergamo. and I would buy a Burley Cub bike trailer to tow with my Bianchi Bergamo. and then I would put Rosie in my trailer and ride across the US on the Transamerica Trail!