They don't have to be unreliable. Don't forget that everything on them is getting old so a 16 year old water pump isn't going to last much longer is it?

Preventative maintenance is the key. Trucks have 6 weekly inspections and defects rectified. My own car used to get an inspection every couple of months and any developing defects noted and rectified within a few weeks. At the time I was doing 30k a year and my car was an 18 year old Ford Orion 1.6i Ghia. It only ever broke down once in 7 years of owning it and I scrapped it when it was 21.

You can't keep driving the cars and just change the oil and filters and think you have done an service on the car. An oil change is a lube service only. A full service involves an inspection of all aspects of the vehicle. SO next time you're thinking of doing a "service" on you car on the driveway, just remember that the rest of the car need attention too.