It's the Japanese manufacturers fault AKA aside when the Japanese car invasion started back in the late 1960s they forced the American car makers to make better cars that lasted as long as the much cheaper Japanese cars and engines did the Datsuns and Toyota engines and bodies lasted way longer and used a lot less fuel than the Pinto and Vega cars did Of course progress and competion has a lot to do with any industries progress and development Mopar engines and drivetrains lasted a lot longer than the GM and Ford car lines did back then, Mopar started the Five and Fifty warrentee program in either 1963 or 1964, all the other cars had a 12000 mile or one year warrenttee back then, if my memory is correct. All of the other American car makers had to follow suit the next year to keep Mopar from getting all the new car and light truck sales that year
Edited, don't forget that the American car companys had large stakes, partial ownership, in a lot of foriegn car companys over seas, Mopar was in bed with Mitisbushi, Ford had Mazda, GM was in with Isuza in Japan and all of them where making cars and trucks in Europe and other country all over the world