Man, you're making this way deeper than it needs to be. 10k miles without a problem is just a normal car doing its job, no need to treat it like a miracle or a disaster. It's just a car, not a whole statement about the future.

My oven runs 25 degrees hot and I didn't figure it out for like a year.

Yeah, three tries seems about right... my record is picking up knitting, buying ALL the supplies, making one wonky scarf, and then the needles end up in the back of the closet for three years. Third time's the charm for quitting, I guess? I started painting once, got through two whole canvases before realizing I'd rather just watch Bob Ross instead of actually trying to paint a happy little tree myself.

Takes a lot of pride to admit you've been doing something wrong for years. Had a mechanic tell me the same thing about over-torquing bolts in my truck and I argued with him for twenty minutes until he showed me the cracked threads. Funny how the folks who have been around the block a few times can spot our mistakes from a mile away even when we cant see them ourselves.

My buddy in construction swears pilot holes are just for drywall or delicate trim, says a sharp enough screw will push its own way through anything else. Is that really true for hardwoods though?