It's all part of the fun, surely?
I've replaced the dv, pcv, cam follower, cam belt & water pump, it's going in for a new clutch and flywheel in a week or so, and I haven't even had the car a year!
I try to keep my cars as long-term projects, so 5 years at the very least. For me, all these jobs are just part of the bigger picture in eventually getting to the point where it looks good, handles like it's on rails, goes like a stabbed rat, stops well, and of course is clean, tidy and reliable.
It'd be great if the whole of my budget went on upgrades and shiny bits, but that's just not the way it is unfortunately.
If I wanted a car I could just get in, drive, and not worry about maintenance, I'd have bought a brand new far eastern sh*tebox with a 9000 year warranty.
That just doesn't appeal to me though.