The "marketing or abuse" thing is so real, I've had three F2s come through my hands that died way before 100k and two of them were clearly rode hard by a press guy. My own clean body is at about 60k and still sounds fine, so I'm betting the 1972 number was for ideal conditions, not whatever we do to them now.

Wait, $18 a roll? That is wild. I mean I knew labs charged a lot but that still caught me off guard. 40 rolls a year at that price is basically paying for a whole new camera, no way.

Heat is brutal on slide film in a way that color negative kinda hides. Ektachrome is basically three layers of dye that all fade at different speeds, so when it gets hot the magentas stick around longer than the cyans and yellows, which is why you end up with that pink cast instead of just a faded look. Eight months next to a water heater would do it, no question, but even a few weeks in a hot car can start shifting things. The cooler with ice packs is smart, just watch for condensation when you pull the film out, since moisture can cause its own problems like mold or sticking. Some folks toss in a silica packet to soak that up.