With only two experiences with point ignitions I'm not sure how you can make an accurate comparison. Harder to troubleshoot than what? You hook it up to a diagnostic computer. It checks the timing. It checks the sensors. It checks almost everything. No diagnostic computers for point ignitions. Of course with only 5 or 6 parts, not including spark plug wires and plugs, it doesn't take long to try everything with a point ignition. Harder to replace/repair? I'd rate them dead even on that. More expensive to replace/repair? Yeah, no doubt about that.
And no, electronic ignition systems are not less reliable, and they require much less maintenance. Which is the main reason they are more reliable. Point ignitions have to be adjusted and the points, condensor, rotor, and distributor cap have to be replaced once or twice a year because they wear out. This, along with replacing the spark plugs used to be called a tune up. Not doing regular tune ups on point ignition systems was the main reason they failed. Now days, a tune up is connecting it up to the diagnostic computer and replacing the spark plugs, and maybe the spark plug wires every 50 to 100 thousand miles.
Any system can fail in three years, or less! The more of them there are, the more likely it is to happen.
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