I'd just like to ramble for a few minutes. I hope this might help change some perspectives...
One thing I've noticed, and not just here, is that quite a number of people expect a lot from a car. Twenty years ago cars rarely hit 80,000 miles without major engine work. Most were scrapped by 100,000. For those that did pass the century mark it was time to celebrate, similar to a mortgage burning (when was the last time anyone heard of one of those?
) Also consider that back then most people actually maintained their cars from time-to-time, more than just an annual trip to McLOF's (lof=lube, oil, filter.)
At 60,000 a lot of cars were on their second timing chain, third water pump and rapidly approaching their first valve job. Most already had three tune-ups, a carburetor rebuild, two starters and at least one alternator. The radiator had been rodded once (try to have that done on a car now) and at 100,000 you knew that a new one was in your immediate future. You had already replaced the lower ball joints and idler arm, and someone just told you it was time for your third set of shocks. The knobs on your window cranks had long disappeared and it was time for another trip to Midas. Did you hear the u-joint squeaking when you pulled away from that last stop sign?
These days I rarely work on a car with less than 130,000 miles. Most will see over 200,000 with a little care. You don't have it as bad as you thought...
Beav
By the way, back then automatic transmissions probably averaged 70-80,000 miles, at the high end.