I can believe that. Most modern engines tend to last a long time if cared for. However, my point about the import engines is that the better companies have better electronics on all their engines (and cars in general) which adds to reliability. This is why they tend to last longer. Honestly, I dislike Honda engines, but they tend to have better electronics than GM. They also need more maintenance (timing belt, proprietary coolant and sealers), and love to pop head gaskets, which is why I stick to Nissan. GM makes good engines in their mid to upper priced offerings, but they have never cracked the small car equation. Their entry level cars have always been sub par compared to the Japanese. I don't want to sound like I only pick on American cars either, as the Europeans have their fair share of issues as well. Mercedes-Benz has lost most of their luster when it comes to reliability since the 1990's, and Volkswagen cars have become synonymous with stylish unreliability too. Let's not even start with British or French cars! I also have disdain for oddball Japanese brands like Mitsubishi or Isuzu as well. Nissan, Toyota and Honda make great transportation appliances in a way no one else seems to match. They are boring for the most part, but last a very long time.
For anyone who thinks that delivering pizza is not taxing like driving the same miles over a longer period of time, you just have to ride with me sometime. I bounce it off the rev limiter all night long, and corner on the door handles. I also have kept it repaired pretty well, but have also ran it out of coolant several times, did several 15k mile oil changes with the dipstick bone dry, and used to overheat it every day in traffic because of a clogged radiator. It has been pretty well abused. Despite all of this, and the jumping, mudding, drag racing,drifting, towing, etc. it has seen, it still runs like new. That is what impresses me. My 1995 Sentra (AKA the Shitbox) saw similar abuse before it died in a bad car accident that ruined my knee. That one used to get rally car driving practiced in it on dirt roads, and I let everyone who wanted to use it to learn handbrake turns and stunts. It ran so smooth that I used to grind the starter thinking it had stalled at stop lights despite having 143k on it when it was killed.
