Vehicles all last longer now than ever. Remember the cars from the 70s & 80s with odometers that only had 5 digits? 100,000 miles was zero again. Cars that went 100,000 miles back then were rare. Now folks drive them 200,000 and more.
Although I agree there are many manufacturers that are terrible once they get above 80,000 miles with reliability, there are many others that do it with ease. It's not just electronics.
25 Cars That Can Take You to 300,000 Miles
https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/cars-can-take-300000-miles.html/
How did I miss this thread, or did I???
Vehicles WERE lasting so much longer until recently for many.
Almost every engine out there would go 225-250k with minimal maintenance (even abusive oil change intervals) and never have even a valve cover off.
NOW they are expecting us to accept a $1200-$1800 repair to do phasers/chains/gears/tensioner/guides at often 110-150K .
They had engines figured out around 1992-1996. This is when they started lasting.
Yes, up to the 70s and 80s, by 100K they were ready for the junk yard or new engine IF the body hadn't rusted away to where you could put your fist through the visible holes.
I feel the golden age is over. The engine longevity WITHOUT REPAIRS is going the wrong way and it is almost entirely due to the push for increased MPG. VVT and large amount or infinite is a big part.
Honda has VTEC VVT a long time ago and no reduction of engine or major probs but that was only a 2 position VVT a simply pivoting finger.
The new variable stuff brings complicated parts to fail. Then, IF, internal combustion stays, they will evolve to mostly all being no camshaft direct solenoid actuated valves. This sounds GREAT on paper. A highway cam and a towing cam and a race cam whenever you choose!! You get unlimited cam profiles, variable duration lift and even ramp approach.
But when one sticks or opens at wrong time and bends the valve and you have a dead cyl that head has to come off to fix.....give me my old 2V 5.4 back.
You know they won't make these non interference. The way it almost always works.
To get power and MPG you have to squeeze everything and the valve will surely be interference if piston comes up when full opened.
The govt is mostly at fault for this with mandated MPG. People are fickle and trends come and go.
Remember the first SUVs then the giant ones and Hummers taking hold. You had some against them greatly.
Then gas went up high for a while and the desire lowered.
Gas has leveled out/lowered some for most and people are willing to have a large 6000lb SUV that gets 15-20 on the highway.
I feel we will see the trade off in longevity and increased repairs for the mileage push for a long time until they get the kinks worked out.
We might never get there as I alluded to. Electric and hybrid might get such a high share of market that the need to improve or evolve the ICE is a moot point.
Time will tell, but the a lot of the recent engine SUCK if you keep them a long time. You will not recoup your repair bill in fuel savings and that doesn't even consider aggravation and time being down.