Hi,
I have a few Minolta AF lenses from the mid eighties, they have neven been to service, except one of them having a loose tripod mount repaired, so I may not share your views.
I also bought six Hasselblad V-lenses of similar age. They work just fine.
I had a single camera failing on me in 40 years of use. That was a Minolta XD-7. Had around 20 cameras all except the XD-7 are still working, as far as I know.
Best regards
Erik
I have a feeling that when aiming for the best possible optical and mechanical quality autofocus is out of question. Decent autofocus needs light and nimble construction to work fast, which means severe design restrictions and prevents using heavy but precise brass parts. Inbuilt electronics also will not last as long as a simple mechanical only lens. There are thousands of working lenses over 100 years old, just needing occasional re-greasing. Average life expectancy of modern lenses is only 10 years or so, due to electrical failures. If I pay something like $4000 for a normal prime lens, I expect it to last longer than me. I have binoculars (4 lenses total) with 30 year warranty (Zeiss), they still work fine after 28 years, they cost $750 back then, about $1600 in today's dollars. Best lenses should be the same.