Well, let's talk problems with cars over the years...
The first car I bought new was a 1974 Subaru DL (2 door) that I got while we were in college. 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty. At 12,3xx miles a diode in the alternator died. Nope, it's out of warranty, so I got to pay to have the repairs done. Some reliability engineer at Fuji Heavy Industries knew his job, very well. The next time a diode shorted out in that alternator I replaced it myself. Much cheaper that way. Then, the head gaskets would blow, resulting in a coolant leak, every 50,000 miles. No problem, just pull the heads and replace the gaskets, right? Wrong! Sleeved cylinders with the sleeves sitting on crush washers deep inside the block. Had to replace those crush washers any time the heads came off. Total engine rebuild time! I sold it to a former Subaru mechanic when it was ready for its third rebuild. He should have known better, I didn't feel sorry for him. One the other hand, tune ups and valve adjustments were dirt simple. I could give that car an oil change, tune-up and valve adjustment in about 15 minutes. Good thing, back then it needed it about every 12,000 miles.
Bought a 1981 Buick Skylark (GM X body) new. Kept it for years, but I certainly put some repairs into it. Replaced the starter a couple times. Fortunately, being a transverse mounted 4 cylinder engine the starter was under the engine in the front of the car. Disconnect a few wires, pull a couple bolts and it fell on you. Easy peasy. Then the alternator idiot light came on. Brought it into the Wards automotive shop and they wanted $40 for a rebuilt alternator. "And for another $60 we'll install it for you." For that engine the alternator was in the back, buried under the smog pump. For $60 I wasn't about to touch it. I let them do it. Some years later the idiot light came on again. Knowing what the problem likely was I told our son, who was driving it in high school, to leave it alone until I could get it fixed. He didn't listen to me (big surprise) and drove it to school. Coming back after dark the headlights were getting dim, so he kicked on the high beams. Killed that battery dead. I had to have it towed and replaced the battery, along with the alternator. Then one night he was coming back from work, took a corner a bit fast and slide across the street, hitting the curb with a wheel. That blew a leak in the hydraulics of the power steering. That wasn't cheap to fix, either. Then I wore out the clutch. Mechanic rebuilt it, $600. About 11,000 miles later the throw-out bearing, that wasn't replaced the first time, failed and everything replaced the first time was taken out. $700 to have it fixed again. Ugh!
That 1988 1/2 Ford Escape did have one problem, after the warranty ran out. I had an appointment to have the timing belt replaced. Should have done it a week earlier. It broke in San Francisco the week before it was supposed to be replaced. Thank goodness that engine was designed to survive such a happening. Had it replaced in SF, instead. That taxi ride back to Silicon Valley that night wasn't cheap.
At least my 1999 Jeep Wrangler has a bullet-proof engine. That 4 liter I6 engine has over 190000 miles on it and other than routine maintenance has never been touched.
