"That's a weak and irrelevant argument that can be said of any car, no matter the price point. It's also just cost of ownership, which most people who have a car accept for the convenience of having their own transport."
No it's not. I buy cars new and run then for around 12-16 years, I know full well what expenses they have. In the first (usually) 3 years nothing other than consumables - with a gentle right foot I might still be on the original tyres and brake blocks, nothing other than servicing costs. But as the car gets older, it will have to have new tyres, after perhaps five years there's new brake blocks, air con may well need attention, at six years it's wise to replace a battery (not cheap with coded AGM batteries) to avoid being left in the lurch, after seven years perhaps onto new brake disks, at about eight years I find a preponderance of "erratics" such as fuel pumps, brake calipers*, perhaps a radiator, track rod ends, at nine to eleven years new tyres again and there's a possibility of the bearings going, the odd drive shaft boot or clutch and brake cables, injectors start to play up. At any time after seven years you're at the mercy of one offs like the ventilator blower, or the heater matrix leaking (especially on French cars), failed window winders, central locking faults, etc
Basically, every part of a car has a finite life, even if a few will usually outlast the economic life of the car. Buy a new one and your repair and infrequent consumable costs are nil or pretty low, buy a nearly new one and they should be low-ish. Buy an older car and there's a very good chance that twice a year there's something needing a costly repair or replacement. My 2016 car's just had a new battery £160, it's had new rear brake pads £100, coming up for four new tyres £400+.
* And if they seize on it'll be one new caliper, but two new disks and pads, as I know to my cost. If they seize off, then you're at risk of altogether more serious consequences.