The steam engine in the photos uses a slide valve. I.e., it slides back and forth over a smooth surface. Normal car valves bang against their valve seats and wear accordingly. Heat A steam engine will almost never operate at temperatures of over 800 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature generated in a gasoline engine will almost never go below 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat is a major wear factor.
Design Steam engineers designed their engines to last. No one has ever accused gasoline engine designers of the same design goal.