I agree that there are more potential single points of failure in the newer car technology. However, although the older cars had less to break it's been my experience that they broke far more often. Points, plugs, regulators, plug wires, batteries, carburetors, coils all were a PITA over time - especially if you lived in colder climates. I also believe the tolerances under how engines/trannys were built (for common street cars) were much wider than today. I remember the days when we counted how many minors leaks a car had vs. having an expectation that there should be none as we have now. It does suck when something goes wrong and we can't fix it easily becuase the issue sits only where the PCM really knows what';s going on, but IMHO I'd give my 2012 Boss 302 a much better chance 20 years from now than I would have given my 1982 Firebird Trans-Am.
