How things have changed, I own a BMW now and when I go to the service dept. they plug in my ignition key into their computer and it tells them everything! Mileage, what parts are due to be changed and probably what I had for lunch.
My first motoring love was an Alfa Romeo 33 1.5ti with twin Webber carbs. It was soooo fast for it's day and the sound was fantastic. The downside was reliability and I remember cleaning everything from the spark plugs to the fuse box just about every weekend to minimize any faults. Still I loved it, the car had a sole and felt alive, twas a sad day when we parted, ho hum.
I wouldn't dream of tinkering with a modern car - I suppose I could always plug my laptop in and hit Ctrl, Alt, Delete!