[drivebycomment]

Any statistics to back this up? It would be incredibly difficult to in aggregate increase the average lifespan of cars dramatically and consistently while reducing the long tail of the lifetime. So this claim smells like a negativity bias / rosy retrospection.

[thunderbird120]

Improvements in corrosion management, better machining, better materials, and competition from automakers providing longer and longer warranties has driven up the number of miles you can expect a new car to drive before encountering major problems. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/automobiles/as-cars-are-k...

[userbinator]

...but when you do encounter major problems, they are definitely major.

That's the point I'm trying to make: new cars are lasting longer because they were designed with a more definite lifespan (and all the "improvements" can be seen as a way to make that lifespan more definite.) Parts being made to tighter tolerances means far less margin and variation. The "bathtub curve" is being made sharper at both ends.