LOL! This post about comparing new appliances vs old appliances is so true. This is why I never want to replace my old furnace or my old washing machine. They just don’t make them like they used to. Thanks capitalism:
New Appliances vs Old Appliances
I think in this particular instance, it’s the latter.
The other reason is survivorship bias. There are plenty of cars from ‘back in the day’ that were crap and didn’t last. But the ones that did are mostly great. Appliances that don’t last get forgotten about and replaced with ones which (hopefully) last longer.