What these guys say is true, unless you get really really lucky you do end up spending a lot of money on them. I've been very lucky with mine, the main thing that was worn on it was suspension and of course that isn't cheap to fix.
Anything else I've spent isn't really a consideration. My wear and tear is due to some pretty extensive modifications. And there were no issues with the engine when I rebuilt it, I was just preparing for more power.