Yup, get your hands on solid made, basic, good reliable model, older cars now. They can have issues but if you avoid bad designs (known as bad overall, bad engines, bad transmissions, rusting issues, or bad electrical issues), you may fare better.
So much of new cars, under the hood, is plastic now. That stuff doesn’t do well over time, and components that used to be metal are plastic, and not lasting as long. Sometimes they break trying to get around them or removing them to fix another area/part.
Still drive my 93 Yukon that I bought new, 200K miles and everything still works and runs like new still. I have never had a single light burn out in this SUV, they are all original, but my 2500HD Silverado work trucks, which I have 3 still, and my Chevy Colorado go thru headlight bulbs annually
I am keeping the 2011 Chevy HHR until it falls apart. It has 70k miles and only item replaced so far are the tires. Even the original battery is still operating which scary. And original brake pads still working. Never was in shop for any repairs. All I have done is oil changes and 1 cabin filter change.
Our newest car is a 2012 Toyota product. It may have a few bells and whistles, and the dreaded tire pressure sensors. Fortunately they are not an inspection item. All In all, the 2.4 l engine/ automatic transmission combo is peppy. I’ll run it till it breaks in half!