My "modern" car is a 2006 Toyota Corolla. It is quite simple to do the basic servicing like oil and filter changes, spark plugs, brake pads, air filter (don't even need any tools for that one).. It only needs oil changes every 10k miles (but as a result of my sympathy for engines it gets done about every 6 or 7k). Brake pads last so long that they are almost fit and forget (about 30k miles the front pads lasted IIRC). It has now done 104k miles and just keeps going. Not a spot of rust to be seen either.
I seem to remember our family car in the late 60's being a Hillman Minx which needed a full service every 4k miles. As well as oil and filter it needed points adjusting, tappets adjusting, new brake pads/shoes, greasing of all sorts of different bearings and shafts, transmission oil, tracking and wheel alignment adjusting, brakes bled, coolant changed, etc. etc.. Even after all that it would regularly refuse to start. It could only dream of reaching 100k miles without major surgery.
Progress? Oh yes!