Types of windows: Plastic, wood, or aluminum? Recommendations/experiences?

The fewest windows are replaced because they are defective, but because they are simply no longer state of the art. My parents had plastic windows from the 60s until recently (at least partially). They were not discolored, or that would have only been visible right next to a brand new window. In addition, nothing got stuck, jammed, etc., and they did not deform. Energetically, of course, they were by far no longer state of the art. No one really noticed the replacement because you could not see the age of the windows.

We currently have wooden windows ourselves (30 years old). Yes, they look quite nice and also fit well with our brick facade. Nevertheless, I will no longer have wooden windows in my house. Painting is very annoying and cost me a week last year due to bad weather, which I missed for other things. It is also not everyone’s thing to lean halfway out of the upper floor window to reach all the spots. But the main problem in my opinion is that wooden windows warp much more over the years than plastic windows. Some things can be adjusted, but far from everything. Admittedly, we have relatively large window sashes with 1.3m and more, but it is really annoying how often I have to adjust them and how it changes between summer and winter. I can no longer adjust 2 windows in such a way that they can be opened comfortably. There are only a few millimeters of play in the handle that fit. As soon as I enlarge it, the window is no longer tight. I have never experienced that with high-quality plastic windows. Our wooden windows were not cheap or inferior either. You can now also see obvious signs of aging on the windows on the south side and especially the west side. Theoretically, this could have been due to the care by the previous owners, but I don’t believe that.
Wood/aluminum windows, on the one hand, are significantly more expensive and bring me no advantages over white plastic windows (except for large surfaces). Personally, I do not see why they should last longer. In addition, the composite material wood/metal, especially with aluminum, is really not trivial and, for me, involves a significantly higher potential for conflict than plastic. Moreover, plastic windows do not contain plasticizers and usually no other volatile additives. UV stabilizers are nowadays commonly added as solids or in the form of block copolymers, and color pigments are not volatile. I cannot hear this whole pseudo-plasticizer discussion anymore.
Honestly, I lack experience with foils. I know the industry fairly well and know what is possible, but I do not know the exact materials used. However, if they correspond reasonably well to the state of the art, I have no concerns. With car wraps, this is currently absolutely not an issue and the requirements for the material are much more demanding here. So if plastic windows fade, it is due to inferior materials and not the state of the art.

Nevertheless, much of it is of course a subjective decision and technologically there is initially nothing against any of the materials.

Perhaps it is also worth noting that plastic windows can of course be foiled on the inside as well. We have a slightly tinted "Klassikweiß" with a slight texture on the inside. That is definitely something different compared to plain plastic.

Firecrackers

Can you upload a photo of the structure here?

Thank you

So with the installed windows in my condominium, I would NEVER AGAIN speak of low maintenance in connection with plastic windows! Now - after about 18 years - they look terrible. Inside + outside. And I have often had to hear that I am probably very picky. Also regarding the care of the windows. They have never seen harsh cleaners and no "abrasive" cleaners, yet the surfaces have become very rough.

In my "Exhaus" we had wooden windows. I would never do that again either, as the maintenance effort is already enormous.

Now in the new house we mostly have plastic-aluminum. For the sliding door, we deliberately chose a wood-aluminum version. The profiles are quite thick and I don’t want to always look at such a stupid plastic. Since the door is quite large and visually like its own element, the material mix is not an issue - it all looks very harmonious. Also, two large windows on the upper floor have become wood-aluminum.

I would have liked to make all windows like that. The extra cost was not justified for the whole house when ordering the windows. Now I already regret that! When I see the difference in feel and appearance, from today’s perspective I would take everything in wood-aluminum. Even though the plastic surfaces inside are a huge difference compared to the windows now in the apartment...

Possibly really poor quality used? I actually don’t know anyone in my circle where the surfaces show such "damages" after some time. I would say they really screwed up there.

@Tego: agreed in that it is not the very best quality (at least the one in the apartment, the wooden windows in the ex-house definitely are). Unfortunately, I also know some people who have had similar experiences with plastic windows in the range of >15 years. We have now also decided - at least on the inside - for the plastic surface. Hopefully, a difference can be seen now.