I have a 2015 Mazda 3 with 60,000 miles(I don't drive that much compared to many people) that I bought new and will drive for at least 3 more years. outside of standard oil changes/maintenance i've spent somewhere between $1k-2k on repairs.
All in, including financing, I probably spent $25,000 on this car in the last 8 years and by the time I move on to the next car the 'monthly' cost will be down around $200/month over the lifetime of the car. Even lower if I sell or trade it in at that time. Before the Mazda, I drove a 1998 Ford Escort for about 9 years.
Next car will probably be a bigger car(i'm tall), but I personally hate the idea of spending a larger chunk of my paycheck on cars. I want my car to be comfortable and reliable, but otherwise view it as a tool or a means to an end