Have you tried different CDs? If you're only testing CD-R's, it is possible you have some really cheap brands like Ridata? I've never run into so many coasters before my Ridata dics, so I'm actually using them as coasters on my computer desk for when I cook some soup in a small pot and don't want to burn a hole in the desk.

Also I've never had an optical drive fail. And I even have an LG Drive that has traveled a lot across gravel roads. I suspect your problems are from CD Media, though you might just have some very bad luck with optical drives...Kind of on the same batting average as Catch has with Seagate hard drives that seem to fail left and right for him...