Average U.S. car is 11.4 years old, a record high

[dud]

Interesting link:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/06/autos/age-of-cars/index.html?iid=s_mpm



"This trend of cars growing older has been building for a long time. In 2002, the average vehicle was 9.6 years old. In 1995, it was 8.4 years."

"Even as auto sales bounce back, Polk expects the number of vehicles 12 years and older to keep expanding, growing by more than 20% by 2018."

 

[SSSnail]

Cool, that means I have another 3.5 years to go.

 

[mmntech]

Couple of things behind this.
1) Vehicles are getting more reliable
2) Cars prices are increasing while wages have stayed fairly stagnant

 

[JackBurton]

My truck is 15 yrs old and going strong.

 

[Zodiark1593]

1999 Mercury Cougar still running well, even after hitting it's 160K mile mark.

 

[RU482]

1985 US population 237.92 million
1995 US population 266.28 million
2002 US population 287.63 million
2012 US population 314.69 million

year US auto sales volume
2012 14,785,936
2011 13,040,613
2010 11,772,219
2009 10,601,368
2008 13,493,165
2007 16,460,315
2006 17,048,981
2005 17,444,329
2004 17,298,573
2003 16,967,442
2002 17,138,652
2001 17,472,378
2000 17,811,673
1999 17,414,728
1998 15,967,287
1997 15,497,860
1996 15,456,112
1995 15,116,325
1994 15,411,374
1993 14,198,854
1992 13,117,444
1991 12,549,523
1990 14,149,378
1989 14,845,261
1988 15,791,544
1987 15,192,946
1986 16,323,021
1985 15,725,291

Notice that HUGE dip in 2009?

Factor these things together:
Shrinking % middle class
Growing % lower class
Growing population
Dramatic decrease in quantity of affordable used cars
Vastly improved reliability of cars

Not to hard to figure out why/how people are making cars last longer

/first guy to say "cash for clunkers" gets throat punched

 

[SparkyJJO]

As mentioned, cars last longer these days without needing major repairs. I have 183k on my 2002, and the only thing wrong with it is the rust is gradually taking over. Assuming it doesn't rust too fast I don't see any reason not to get 250k out of it at the rate things are going.

 

[Yuriman]

It's all those darn 90's Civics and Corollas. Good luck finding one at a junkyard that hasn't been completely smashed.

 

[TridenT]

I drive a 2000. I guess it's about 13 or 14 years old now. (Made in 1999, I think?)

She still goes strong and easy.

 

[CurseTheSky]

The late 90s and early 2000s were a HUGE step up in overall reliability, IMO. If that doesn't sound right, think of ALL cars from the 80s and 90s. Yeah, you had the Corollas and Civics that could go for 250k+ miles even back then, but the market as a whole wasn't up to par with what it is now.

I'm only 27, and I can still distinctly remember when 100-150k was the point where you unloaded a car before it cost you more than it was worth. In only about a decade, the number has increased to 200-250k.

Of course, that's all generally speaking.

 

[kitatech]

Yes, CTSky...
100k miles in the used car market is the new 50k...
200-250k in ownership is the new 150k miles....well, we can all hope...I am...
I bought my 05 Camry with 97k miles (for $3k less than my last used buy, @ 4yr old/55k miles) and it runs like new, better than that last car that lasted 13yrs/195k miles before getting rearendtotaled...fingers crossed....

 

[Pocatello]

The number would be higher if the government let Chrysler went bankrupt.

 

[nerp]

The number would be higher if the government let Chrysler went bankrupt.

How?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

The number would be higher if the government let Chrysler went bankrupt.

lol

 

[Tweak155]

How?

I think he means Chrysler makes unreliable cars.

 

[Scotteq]

99 Acura 3.2 TL here -

I did the timing belt at 100k. Did the suspension (bushings, struts/shocks) and exhaust at 140k. And recently replaced the alternator because I thought I heard bearing noise from it, and the belts needed done so that too.

Oil every 6k, or thereabouts. Serviced the tranny once. Replaced the plugs once. Filters when they're filthy. And it likes to eat brake rotors.

But I can still balance a nickel on the running engine at a chunk over 160,000 miles.

There's no reason to replace that car.

 

[nerp]

I think he means Chrysler makes unreliable cars.

Oh. I figured he was being dumb. Guess I was right.

 

[KentState]

Our 2003 Altima V6 is going strong at 170k. The biggest downside to a car that old is the lack of side airbags and other structural features. I also lucked out and my parents are going to sell me their 2003 Mazda 6 V6 with 50k on it. Now I just need to find a way to unload the CTS-V or just keep it as a weekend car.

 

[Jimzz]

^

The New CTS, replacement for the G37, and many other lines are coming out this year so if you have one of those cars sell it now as the value will drop more later this year.

Mind you the CTS-V holds better than the V6 CTS but still will drop some.

 

[Genx87]

I got 227K out of my 2001 A4. And now I found a guy to fix it for relatively cheap. Ill use it as a back up car now and may get another 5ish years and 25K out of it. My 2014 CX-5 should get a similar life and be replaced in the mid to late 2020s.

 

[pauldun170]

Current station car is a 2002 bought in 2008 for 9,000. It had 38K on it when I bought it.
All I've had to do is:
Gas, oil+filter, tires and the occasional windshield wipers + fluid.
Think I may have done the front brake pads once. That and the cabin air filter.

Original rotors, original clutch original just about everything.
No issues whatsoever....except that its a Camry.
Might start neglecting it so I can justify getting a new station car but I'll probably wait until it turns 15. Maybe I'll just give it to the kids when they reach driving age 8 years from now.

 

[MrWizzard]

I believe it I got a 12 year old car and a 18 year old car. Both still work fine.

 

[Pardus]

From mid-August to mid-September is the best time to buy a new car with the 2014 models coming in, dealerships need to make that 3rd quarter sale and there offering some huge rebates/incentives makes it hard to consider used.

Like many others, I tend to keep my car at least 8-10 years, long as you maintain it, today's American cars will go 100k, Japanese a lot longer.

 

[halik]

114K on my 911, don't see much of a reason to upgrade now that people have figured out how to do this:

 

[Via]

I had a 2001 Sable that I got up to around 200,000 miles with no major repairs. It was a very decent car, great for highway driving.

I've had a 2004 Accord since then , and I want to get this sucker up to 300,000.