2003 ford mustang gt that I just got done doing the original lower control arms and front struts. While I was under there I noticed the engine and trans mounts were definitely end of life. Pinion seal is starting to weep too. Sigh.... yep rubber wears out. If you like older cars and want to keep them it's inevitable.
I guess the trouble an inconvenience would be search and successful discovery of replacement parts.
From what I glean from mechanic attitudes and the occurrence of sell-offs for my used 95 Trooper after the line was discontinued in 2002, a lot of owners were chicken-little about support and parts availability, and mechanics would discourage certain repairs for fear that parts weren't available. But they were available, and continue to be so!
I thought that the online
Isuzu Parts Center had discontinued provision of parts for these old Troopers, when their web-site went down during a period of renegotiating with a new web-page host. Not so! A bumper part I'd searched for over the last five years -- originally costing $135 -- was "no longer available" until I logged onto the new web site, and found it "available" for $87. From "where" you ask? Japan! The up-to-date inventory showed they had 57 of them! Of course, certain exhaust and catalytic-converter OEM parts are now priced at as much as $1,000. But alternatives at RockAuto and Walker are cheap. Go figure!