Aren't the worst problems with an overheated GPU or something like that?

It's kind of ridiculous to compare failure rates between the Wii and 360. If Microsoft had simply chose to repackage a slightly more powerful Xbox with a new controller it likely wouldn't be having these issues either. It is fair to compare the PS3 to the 360 though and in that case even I'll admit that Sony did an amazing job with build quality (from the lack of complaints of faulty hardware from PS3 owners).

ive had mine December 26 and no problems since althought 1 i woke up and tried putting a SD card into the wii but missed the SD slot and stuck it into the CD slot

I think it's perfectly fair. There are several benefits to making a less powerful, cutting edge system: price is one, ease of design for developers is another, and reliability for end users is yet another. You can't claim that the Wii's graphical weakness matters and simultaneously claim that its reliability does not matter (or that it "doesn't count"). You can't have it both ways. Both are consequences of the Wii's design philosophy. 

I personally think the Wii's graphical weakness does matter -- and that it's a downside to the system -- and thus believe that its reliability matters, also -- that's an upside.

I disagree.

The failure rate of a device has plenty to do with how well it is made. I have no bias in this issue. Nintendo has a good history of making well built products. It is simple as that. Using the tired argument of it being little more then a souped up Gamecube does not have anything to do with this. The old low tech systems in the fast failed too! It happens. The question is, have your Wiis failed?

Based on that information alone, you can compare the numbers to the current generation of consoles and see which fails more often. It's not an issue of what system can do what... it's an issue of how well something lasts.

By using your logic, you would need the same guts inside of every electronic device in order to make a fair comparison, and that my friend... is ridiculous.

PS

My 1989 Gameboy and 1990 Gemegear... work great!

My Atari Lynx... not as much.

Got mine in May. No problems at all.

I've had the odd crash (even in Wii Sports), but all 9 Wii's I've bought are still operational (not counting the three I sold on ebay).

One for me, my brother, my parents, my friend from PR, my local friend, my ex-girlfriend, a local restaurant where they use it to attract customers, one for a coworker and one for a friend in California.

All of them are working fine. I seriously have bought 12 Wiis. People found out I was good at getting them and that became my job for a while.

You're right.

All they did was repackage the a slightly more powerful xbox with the same controller.

But seriously, you're implying that the components in the 360 are cutting-edge to the point where they're untested.

They aren't. The PS3 with its crazy cell processor might be a new beast, but the 360 is built from standard components which have been on the market long enough that there's no excuse for them exploding at random like they are now. 

Even granting him his logic -- and I agree with you it's not necessarily a stable base to argue from to begin with -- many (including Legend himself) have chided the Wii for using old technology in the past, citing its graphics.

Now that the old technology may actually be a GOOD thing -- more stable systems -- it's no longer fair to compare the systems, apparently.  

The 360 is a lot more powerful than the Xbox.  Anyways sorry for getting this discussion off topic I was just trying to point out something, I guess we all don't agree with the point I was trying to make.