People often complain that modern consumer goods don't last as long as they used to but that's certainly not true for cars. Modern cars last dramatically longer than cars from the 20th century. It's kind of amazing.
That's the point I'm trying to make: new cars are lasting longer because they were designed with a more definite lifespan (and all the "improvements" can be seen as a way to make that lifespan more definite.) Parts being made to tighter tolerances means far less margin and variation. The "bathtub curve" is being made sharper at both ends.