Longer ago than allowed in the OP, 2000 Heritage, I had stroked the motor from an 88 to 124, it was a beast, however it loved to center punch out the charging system rotor, I was doing a loop in the country, taking it easy and it just dies, off to the side of the road as a friend went for the trailer I bought.

It should have been make by Sikorsky, since you rode it once and then worked on it for a week...

But it was damn fast...

Fuel pump died in the middle of nowhere on the way back from Florida with the family about 2003. 3 hours from home. A cold flatbed ride to a dealer. Rent a car to get home then drive back 4 days later to pick it up.

Modern vehicles are amazingly reliable......until they are not.

I got a car and started driving at 15, I didn't get a new car until I was 21.
During those years I averaged at least one break down every three months. This was in the 80's before cell phones. Several times I had to walk miles to find a phone.
Good times, good times.

In early 90s I had a 71 VW bug. the throttle cable went from the gas pedal down the center of the car to the engine and kept coming out of the carb. All of a sudden no throttle. Coast to the shoulder and try to fix. Smoked an engine in a late 60s wildcat also in the 90s. Lastly I had 72 blazer and broke a connector rod on the freeway. This was around 2004ish. Had to buy a new block and get it rebuilt. They salvaged the heads and top end of the old engine. Sold it a few weeks later after repairing

All old cars with carbureted engines. Haven’t had a break down in any car made this century as an owner or passenger.

In the last 10 years:

4 outright tire failures, all tires new with less than 2,000 miles
3 flat tires
1 DEF pump at 50,000 miles - truck limited itself to 50mph.
1 blown hot side charge pipe at 123,000 miles - truck couldn’t go over 55mph and shut itself down after an hour.

The four outright tire failures were China bombs on our travel trailer, 5th wheel, and boat trailer. The 5th wheel and boat trailer tires were released with USA made Goodyears that have gone 15,000 and 10,000 miles without issue. The travel trailer tires were replaced with Carlisle made somewhere other than the USA and went 3,500 miles before we traded it for the 5th wheel.

The last time I broke down on the side of the road was when a fuel pump went out in my 2000 Z71. That was 2 vehicles ago and probably somewhere around 2012.

About 2 months ago, the alternator went out on my 2007 Tacoma that is pushing 210,000 miles.

I was stranded in the company vehicle just a few weeks ago. Lost a relay powering the fuel pump, but was lucky enough to switch some relays around and get going again...without A/C!

About eight weeks ago. My battery prematurely took a dump in the parking lot of Sam's Club. I came out after shopping and it was a "no-go." Called my wife to come & pick up the fridgeables & went inside to arrange a no-cost warranty replacement. This was about as painless as one could expect on the hassle-meter.

I voted never but recalled a couple that could be maybes.

1982 Mercedes 240D - Reverse stopped working, car was still operable, just had to try not to park anywhere that required pushing that tank backwards.
Also had an upper tie rod break, not sure how I made it home with the front wheel not locating properly

Briefly had a square brown on brown Buick Century, had the axle pop out on the trans side. Only time I've had to push a car on the road & get a lift.

Reverse failure on a 1996 Infiniti J30, same story as the above Mercedes

Otherwise, nothing else but a few flat tires, luckily.

I voted “I don’t recall,” but actually I do remember, it was just a long time ago. The ignition switch on my ‘67 Camaro shorted out, burned up…something like that, miles up a logging road outside of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Pretty good story, hitch hiking back up to the car after getting a new ignition switch in town.

I had 3 or 4 flat tires since then, but I don’t count that as breaking down.”

Reminds me. I’ll bet a lot of you share the same memory. When I was young and two guys met that hadn’t seen each other for awhile, the first thing said was, “How’s your car (truck) runnin’?”

Other than a deer totaling a pickup, never in a personal vehicle. Three tows and a few blown out tires in a 25 year trucking job. Mostly able to nurse stuff home.

Pre trip inspections, and preventative maintenance. I include idler pulleys, tensioner pulleys (1 semi tow ) in PM as well as water pumps. Family members who do nothing just shake their head at replacing parts that haven’t left them stranded, yet. Also can’t believe how lucky we are to have stuff that lasts 225,000 miles routinely.

Blew a tire in my '68 Mercury Cougar driving over an abandoned wheel rim lying in the road back in '89-ish.

Had the engine fan cowling snap off and grind the fan to a stop on my '81 Datsun Pickup around '91.

A screw fell out and my entire brake pedal lever fell onto the floor on my '82 Toyota Supra around '98. A little bit later the same car developed a brake fluid leak which caused me to drive through a red light. Luckily it was in the dead of night.

My 2003 Acura RSX bought new—no problems yet in 18+ years.

2007 Suburban 5.3L broke down on I-295 north about two years ago. Drive-by-wire throttle assembly ceased to work at 70 mph.

No exact date. Mid 1990s probably. S-10 pickup. Shut off without warning at 65 MPH on an interstate. No one could diagnose the problem, which happened more than once. Truly a POS.

Probably 25 years ago. Fuel pump. 30 years ago, drove from Cincinnati to Indy often.
Would see at least 15 cars on the side of the interstate, Today maybe one or two.
Cars are much more reliable these days.

Voted don't recall, but I think it was on side of interstate in Chattanooga circa 1987 with dead fuel pump in new Maxima, about 500 miles.

I've been incredibly lucky and limped a car home with slave cylinder so jacked up it was squealing and barely stayed in gear, again with same car and happened to check water for some reason and it was chocolate milk shake. Had a leak in pump that was thankfully bleeding oil into water but not the other way!

Thinking of that, realize other times I've been blessed to see nails in tires, had a belt break, etc. all in the garage. Technically broken down I guess but way easier to deal with there!

Does running out of gas count? If so, then often. I delay stopping for fuel because 'I don't have time right now...'

Other than a flat tire or a dead battery , I don't remember my last break down .

Not counting the odd flat (never while driving) I can recall three that happened while away from home. Two were a VERY long time ago:

1. 1966 Rustang. 6 banger, 3 speed. Totally clapped out POS, shouldn't have been on the road at all. Rear seat passengers could put their feet firmly on the ground...

Headed out through the boonies to deer camp, fan belt let go. Girl friend was with me, donated a pair of pantyhose to the cause, got us to and back from camp.

2. Prior to that, 1969 Nova SS. Driving it like I stole it, TH350 transmission gave up about 10 feet into a HARD launch. Never did get that fixed, got married (different girl...), sold the car.

More recently (maybe 10 years ago) rode my motorcycle to the bank, came out to go home, front tire was flat. B-i-L came and got me, went home, got the truck and trailer and retrieved it. Real glad it didn't happen while I was riding.