Pre-pay must be regional or something. I don't pre-pay but I'm in Ohio. Consider youself lucky. New Jersey people aren't allowed to pump their gas. I'd NEVER allow someone else to pump my gas.
In regards to the topic, though from the original poster, several have mentioned all the valid points. These are older cars, some have issues, others don't. Just because I have to fix something on an 11 year old car with +120,000 miles on it doesn't mean I think it's crap. Heck, if all new cars were perfect, then there would never be a need for a warranty, so even the new ones aren't without defect.