I've owned 4 macs in 7 years and not had one single problem. Apart from my first mac, where i tried to fit a PCI card (delta1010) and ended up ripping the whole graphics card to bits when i got it stuck! Had to shell out £280 for a new graphics card and deal with the patronising salesman in the mac store saying 'It's a simple task.. i don't know how you've done that..'
Sorry to hear about your problems Ed, sounds just like a coincidence as on my side of things i don't know hardly anyone who've had problems with Macs.