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Yes, at least in my experience.
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I've used my Fairphone 4 since I got it in Febuary 2022, although I ordered it November 2021, replacing the Oneplus 3 I'd bought at release. Main reason for the upgrade was because of the relockable bootloader, which meant it would get CalyxOS support.
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Repair is trivially easy. Like, you have to be an idiot to make a mess of it easy. Only thing I've replaced so far is the plastic back (for reasons explained in answer 4) which took literal seconds. I also bought a spare battery that can, again, be swapped in seconds. It's come in clutch several times. I've disassembled and reasessembled this phone to satisfy the same impulse I get when taking apart a pen.
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I'm very clumsy, for reference repairing my old OP3 cost me double what I initially paid for it. The FP4 has so far landed face down on the pavement about as many times my OP3 did, and the only damage it's recieved is to the plastic back, which takes alot of the impact energy with it when it pops off. Eventually the back had so many chips in the sides it had to be replaced but everything else has remained fully functional despite such mistreatment. It's also thicker than most phones, it feels comfortably sturdy to hold. There was also a massive camera upgrade recently thanks to a software update, although being on CalyxOS I can't offer first hand impressions.
That's great. I'm very nostalgic for my old FP2 (which i only recently stopped using). Still worth buying a FP3 then by the sound of it... Do you know if EOS has google services removed? And can you allow hotspot connections to use the phone's VPN? Thanks :)
EOS does indeed have google services removed, and replaced with microG, which is an open source replacement that allows dependent apps to still work. You can check it out here:
https://e.foundation/e-os/
I really like the balance they go for between practicality and privacy. Never tried their own online services so I can't comment on that part.
As for VPN with hotspot, no idea. :D For what it's worth, regular hotspotting worked fine in my experience.
If you're concerned about the lifespan of the device, maybe the FP4 or FP5 would better. Lacking headphone jack aside, they seem like good upgrades and should last waaay longer.