I think that we are confusing realism with immersion. You can't tell me you feel immersed when you open up your inventory panel to tediously click a few objects, if that's your argument then it's literally a lie. It's debatably more realistic and that's the only claim to be made.
Repairs in their current form=/=immersion
If you have ever played with a good group in DnD you know that it is one of the most immersive forms of entertainment available and yet gear maintenance is extremely rare outside of stocking up on supplies. The primary exception to that is when something off the wall happens that specifically targets gear like rust monsters, potent acid, or a particularly nasty monster peeling open your plate wearers armor like a tin can. In most cases these repairs require specific attention to replace or repair, and even then it comes at a high cost. (particularly if a rust monster just ate up a suit of full plate) Powerful moments of significant loss is how you make repairs seem more interesting/appealing, not tedious menus.
