They (manufacturers) are telling us what we want. What we want are auto's, according to them. 98 Intrepid, just turned 200k on Friday. Original engine (2.7 sludge monster, very clean on the inside) and trans. I have fixed a couple engine problems, the worst of which was due to my own idiocy (not checking the oil, right about the time it was due to be changed, knowing it will go through about a quart over about 3000 miles, and I change it around 5000 with synthetic.) This is not the norm for these cars, but I can't complain about the reliability! It only left my stranded twice in over 9 years of driving it nearly everyday, first was a bad radiator, the second a split plastic fuel line, that I could have walked across the street and picked up about $5 in parts to fix, if I would have had the tools on me.