They required a lot more maintenance than just points and greasing. They needed plugs, caps, rotors, points, carburetor maintenance, more frequent flushings of all sorts of fluids. The bodies and frames rusted sooner. They were a lot heavier, so brakes did not last as long. My 2000 ford F-250 went 100,000 miles with no needed tune up, i.e. plugs. New cars use computer control to alter the fuel air mixture, so they run better under different conditions, (winter chill, summer heat, high altitude). They get better gas mileage as well. For the most part, cars last longer today, with less maintenance. Not saying there is anything wrong with older vehicles, just that the modern vehicle, as a general rule, is more dependable.
WB
WB