Some people will replace their cars when they become cosmetically unsatisfactory - and, if they care about this that strongly, they will take better care, which

Some people will replace their cars when they become cosmetically unsatisfactory - and, if they care about this that strongly, they will take better care, which will improve this issue considerably. In the end, its a combination of how good the materials and construction were originally, plus the owners care. No impact from the drivetrain here. Then there are the little things breaking everywhere. A light here (leds improve that), windshield wipers, maybe a broken cupholder. These are also not impacted by the drivetrain. In general though, a car breaking down frequently, or one that constantly gives the owner trouble when they are trying to go somewhere (failing to start properly, etc) is much more problematic. They will end up in the dump. This is where I was aiming my comment at.