Doesn't This Always Happen?

Doesn't This Always Happen?As soon as you make the last car payment, something goes wrong with the car that makes you fear it's going to cost tons of $$$? Has that happened to anyone else here?Now, my 2017 Encore (bought in January, 2020) has given us fits the last 2 years or so. I've had new battery, water pump, timing belt, oil pan, valve covers, O2 sensor, another oil part that cost $1,400 to replace. That not counting general maintenance like tires and brakes. We made last payment couple weeks ago.Right now, I'm in a shop where I feared something happened to my catalytic converter or muffler. Muffler is fine, it's a pipe between converter and a resonator that's gone bad. $172, could have been worse. I started hearing a louder noise last week, but works schedules prevented getting it in somewhere. My Encore just turned 122k. My wife's 2013 Malibu has 142k, and we haven't had any issues with it like the Encore. She wants me to dump the Encore. But I know getting a "newer" used car is not as affordable as it used to be, especially since COVID. But, maybe not.