Tired of having to replace crappy spectrum equipment several times a year. I want to purchase my own, need advice on good equipment under 200.00.

If you're having to replace it, meaning it stops working entirely, then there are other issues. They shouldn't just break - even the cruddy stuff that the cable companies provide. Running your network stuff on at least a surge protector (mine are on battery UPS) is a must.

That said, the box that the cable company gives your usually does several things in one box. First, it turns the fat black round cable in to an RJ-45 cable (that's the one that looks like a large telephone cable). That's the "modem" part.
Second, it does Network Address Translation. You're probably going to have more than one device (computers, doorbells, smart TV's, cell phones, etc) connected to your home network. Essentially, the cable company assigns you a single network address - meaning only one thing can talk on the network. The box takes that one address, says "I'll speak for everyone", then gives out a bunch of addresses to your devices behind it. Think of your dad standing at the front door of your house talking to a neighbor. The neighbor keeps asking questions. Your dad shouts back into the house, someone answers him, and he relays the answer to the neighbor. The conversation flows through one person, but everyone can talk. That's the "router" (more or less) portion of the box.
Finally, it usually (but not always) functions as a WiFi unit. As long as it's going to talk to everyone anyway, it may as well provide a wireless signal so that all the wireless devices in your house can connect to it.

I mention all of this because, if you're going to buy your own gear, you need to know what each piece does. You need to know how complex (or non-complex) you're going to get.

The most common way to replace the cable company's stuff would look like this: (1) You replace the "modem" part (the thing that turns the cable company thick black cable into the RJ-45 Ethernet cable) with your own cable modem. Now, compatibility between modems and cable companies vary, but a brand called "Arris" makes very standard, reliable modems. I'd look on the cable company's website (it may be tough to find), or call their tech support, and ask what model of Arris modem is compatible with their network.
That's the piece that you'll screw the black wire in to. It'll have a place to plug in the RJ-45 cable as well. At this point, we've turned the cable signal into the Ethernet telephone looking thing. We need the "router" and "wireless" piece more than likely.
Fortunately, "wireless routers", a box that does both jobs, are everywhere. There's a million of them. Linksys, netgear, TP-Link all make respectable gear. You'll plug the RJ-45 cable from the back of the Arris modem into the wireless router (it'll likely have a port marked WAN or something).

Certainly the wireless router will need some configuring. It isn't deep voodoo, but either you or a good friend (who's either willing to teach you or be available for questions later) will need to have a passing knowledge of networking. It's really beyond the ability of this forum to explore all the possible setup scenarios.

It's hard to recommend a turn-key solution that's under $200. Stick to recognized brands. Your network gear will need firmware and hardware updates, since patching the bugs and flaws is necessary to keep it secure. A lot of off-brand gear either doesn't have them or is deliberately insecure.

Many modems absolutely give out over time, or have very high failure rates.

At current there are no reliable high speed cable modems. I'd just plan on having to play the return game with one until you get a good one.

Routers can be different these days. Many are rock solid, running for years. I'd look into a mesh system. Can't get all that for under 200 though.

https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/theres-actually-a-better-place-to-put-your-router-to-improve-home-wi-fi-speeds/

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There's Actually a Better Place to Put Your Router to Improve Home Wi-Fi Speeds
Want better Wi-Fi? Follow these five tips for finding the best location for your router.
Ry Crist Taylor Martin

Sept. 16, 2022 1:00 p.m. PT

Whether you're working from a home everyday, creating a network of smart home gadgets or just trying to unwind with some Netflix at the end of a long day, a reliable internet connection at home is pivotal -- but Wi-Fi can be frustratingly finicky. Despite paying monthly fees to an internet service provider and even if you've had a router professionally installed, you may still find yourself spending too much time watching your phone, laptop or streaming device grind away as it tries to stay connected.

The good news is there's an easy way to optimize your Wi-Fi network and address these issues, and it'll only take you just a few minutes.

There are a lot of factors that determine internet speeds and while there are a few tricks or guidelines you can follow to improve the overall wireless speeds and coverage in your home, one of the most crucial factors is the location of your router. And ............

Mine is a 300 baud modem. Its worked great for years.

get a mesh system like nest mesh/google mesh or something like eero