I sort of in your boat, firefly. I've got an '02 Corolla that has been giving me steady problems since I bought it a few years ago. Currently it burns oil like you wouldn't believe, and a whole plethora of other minor issues that are adding up to be a huge issue. So much for Corolla's being reliable. Luckily, I've got a great, honest mechanic who charges me the bare minimum. I'm currently looking at getting a new vehicle, but the process is somewhat overwhelming.
yeah, neither did mine. it's just something you learn by driving cars, and getting them repaired when they break, and talking to friends about what you were charged, and getting them repaired elsewhere when they break again, and saying "fuck it" and doing it yourself next time they break, and saying "not worth it" and taking it back to another shop the time after that, and so on.
Not to mention the fact that any car can be made to run indefinitely for millions of miles, if you keep getting it fixed. It's like the old saw, "I still have my grandfather's hatchet. I only replaced the handle twice and the head once."