Hard to believe

I started this not believing that the GE series didn't continue on the American continents, or Africa for that matter.
Considering that, I still think it was a major mistake on their part, but you can't change history.

The A and S motors have stood the test of time, there are way worse motors to work on.
Recently I changed waterpumps on my girlfriends 4A-FE and it turned out harder to do than the S-FE motors (I left the pulley till last and had to take it all off again to get the pulley on). Most FWD motors are a PITA to work on in the car, even horizontal motors like the Subaru and Alfasud are an absolute headache to change head gaskets or clutches.

Personally the waterpump and oilpump driving off the cambelt scares me (most cars drive the oilpump from the crank and the waterpump from the alternator belt - far safer and reliable)
Our cars (RHD) have the Brake master and Clutch master behind the head as well as the P/Steering pump, so I think you LHD guys actually got it easy...