It's not a foregone conclsuion; new cars are more defect than old ones. They make them that way on purpose.
Yes, OH, YES, Oh, paranoid one!
Our nine year old Buick has been well maintained since we got it (a decent "last year's model" at the time) in '02. I would not hesitate to drive to California and back tonight, if the need came up. I would change the oil along the way, but I am not at all worried about the dependability of the car.