How successful are Descartes arguments for the real distinction between mind and body? Upon which would you place most weight?

Let me begin by explaining the theory of the real distinction of mind from body.
Rene Descartes was a dualist, he believed that the mind is an immaterial thing and is distinct from the body. He believed that the mind is not the body, is not dependant upon the body and so can exist without the body. It is however my opinion that Descartes is not saying 'when the body dies the mind will endure and exist separately' (it might very well have those connotations) but I feel he is saying that if the body had never existed in the first place there could still exist the mind.
In order to form a ba…