Yep. I use to think electric cars were our future but unless they figure out a way to have a lot more electricity available at a low cost without putting a $25k set of solar panels with battery bank and switchgear in every home; it isn’t feasible.
On average the best two brands are Honda and Toyota. Heck; the old 6 cyl 3.4L 4Runners, Tacoma’s, and I think they might have put them in Camry’s; are getting 400,000 miles with the correct maintenance. A few American cars and trucks are doing well too. Ford’s 4.6L and 5.4L V8’s are doing well as are the 4.0L V6 engines in Ranger’s. Chevy’s 350 is a proven engine too. Then there are the durable long-lasting diesels in pickup trucks.
If someone asked me what I would recommend for someone who wants to own their car for a long time with the least amount of money spent on maintenance; it would be a Toyota 4Runner. Even the little Toyota pickups with the little 2.4L 22re 4 cyl engine are going strong from the 80’s and 90’s and they can be replaced for under $2k. I’ve had two Honda’s and they are great cars too.
I agree with you, my wife and I have been running Toyotas for 20 years. You can bet we haven’t put $19,000 in maintenance cost for all 4 of them combined, not even close. For years on end, it’s just change the oil and a little bit of other routine maintenance. Change the battery at 6-7 years, new water pump at over 100,000 miles, a few little things like that.
19 grand in maintenance and there’s probably a bunch of things they’re not telling us that they did? They’re crazy.