Average age of vehicles operating in the
US hits record high of 12.6 years
Scripps News,
by
Alex Arger
Original Article
Posted By: OhioNick,
5/22/2024 11:14:03 PM
Our eyes are often drawn to those snazzy new cars driving next to us on the highway, but take a wider look around and you'll likely find a sea of much older vehicles taking up the bulk of the road. And these days, that majority is getting even older. [SNIP] For just cars, the average age is now 14 years, compared to around 11.5 years 10 years ago, according to the automotive data company.
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
ladydawgfan 5/23/2024 1:53:08 AM (No. 1723135)
My Corolla is a 2017 model, making it 7 years old. It only has 23k miles on it, so I'll be keeping it for a LOT longer!!
7 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
DVC 5/23/2024 1:59:16 AM (No. 1723139)
People don't want their ultra expensive newer crap, especially EVs.
19 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Strike3 5/23/2024 2:09:58 AM (No. 1723144)
Sixteen year-old Toyota Highlander here with many good miles left in it. Car prices are now through the roof and most of the additional cost is for electronic gadgets that the government uses to track you or convince you that they are necessary for safety. If I couldn't use (R)everse without a backup camera I would quit driving. EVs are dying a slow death but that was expected.
18 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Dr. Constant 5/23/2024 2:57:29 AM (No. 1723156)
This says as much about the reliability of newer vehicles as it does anything else. If you take care of almost ANY brand of automobile, you now can get at least 150K - 200K miles out of that vehicle. A 5 year-old vehicle used to be an old car. Now, assuming you change the oil every 3 to 5 thousand miles, it isn't.
16 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 5/23/2024 3:28:23 AM (No. 1723160)
And what's wrong with that? I've always kept cars past 10 years since new. So long as you can still get parts, there's usually no problem.
8 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
mifla 5/23/2024 4:20:46 AM (No. 1723168)
Given the cost of a new car, records are meant to be broken.
7 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
vrb8m 5/23/2024 6:33:28 AM (No. 1723207)
I've driven a 1999 Toyota 4-Runner since 2005, when I bought it used with 50,000 miles on it. Had a new engine put in it one year ago. It runs like it did when I bought it. I only use non-ethanol gas in the tank. I am crazy about my car.
11 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
petrichor 5/23/2024 6:47:32 AM (No. 1723217)
I admit I look longingly at the newer models but I drove a Cadillac CTS for 15 years I really liked that car until I finally relented to get something more practical. Now I feel I have my very last automobile, but time will tell.
7 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Red Jeep 5/23/2024 6:57:04 AM (No. 1723223)
40 years ago many factory workers bought a new car every 3 to 4 years and took out mortgages to buy homes. Now, most factory workers can't buy homes and almost need a 25 year mortgage to buy a new car.
In 1970 the average cost of a new car was $3500.
10 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
JackBurton 5/23/2024 7:06:26 AM (No. 1723231)
I had a 12 year old Focus that gave me 40+ MPG on the highway and only sold it in 2021 because it was pointed out to me that Ford had lots full of Escapes that they couldn't move during covid. Great car. Larger and only slightly less stingy on gas. Thanks to covid I got a great deal. Thanks to the cost of new cars, I scored a good trade in price on the Focus.
The dealer loaded the Ford app to my phone and asked me what to call the car. I said "William Randolph Hearse." Why 'hearse'? I was 70 at the time and believed it would be my last car.
We'll see.
9 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Hazymac 5/23/2024 7:09:32 AM (No. 1723234)
This LDotter drives a 2003 Honda S2000, bought new in July 2003. No plans for any other transportation. I might keep that car forever.
14 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
homefry 5/23/2024 7:14:54 AM (No. 1723240)
Its kinda like when during the election of 2012 a mechanic was voting for obama. He said my business has never been better. I said thats cause you have to keep peoples junk going until they can afford to trade for something new.
4 people like this.
You can keep your (overpriced and full of posh features that don't help get you from A to B) new cars. My 20 year old 4 Runner still looks good and runs like a top. It will reach 200,000 miles next year.
9 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
chumley 5/23/2024 7:26:47 AM (No. 1723248)
Bought a 2023 4runner just before I retired last year, while I was still making good money. My 12 year old Ford had 200,000 miles on it and I'm too old to work on them anymore.
Paid way too much for the '23, but peace of mind is worth something.
4 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
bpl40 5/23/2024 7:37:51 AM (No. 1723256)
I have a 2014 Civic with 80k miles. Used as a second car. Just put in new spark plugs, brakes, tires, refrigerant. Gives 27/40 mpg on City/ Highways. Never going to get rid of it.
4 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
Clinger 5/23/2024 8:22:14 AM (No. 1723276)
We have only begun to feel all of the pain of losing 25% to 30% of our wealth to government theft. Rather than make all the adjustments at once we have been kicking the can down the road by racking up credit card debt and hanging on to cars and other big ticket items longer and longer. Some day we will have reached the credit limit and our old stuff will break down and then we'll be bombarded with a propaganda campaign blaming the next POTUS. Not to imply I'm taking Trump off the hook for the fractional part of that at the tail end of his term. He either played an active role in fleecing us or he was played, either way he owns that bit.
4 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
franq 5/23/2024 8:42:33 AM (No. 1723285)
My daily driver: 16 years old.
My wife's: 23 years old.
No plans for replacement.
8 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
jc96 5/23/2024 8:57:03 AM (No. 1723290)
2 35 yr old Alfa Romeos here. No need or desire for something newer. Pristine, cheap to run and paid for. And easily repaired. Our daily is a Suzuki mini SUV, nearly 20 yrs on now. Small diesel, 65 mpg or so.Ciao, Cris
5 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
red1066 5/23/2024 9:42:37 AM (No. 1723312)
Between the price and the interest rates for used and new vehicles, I'm surprised I don't see going out of business signs on car dealerships. I guess the repair section of the dealership is keeping the new car section of the dealership from closing.
6 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 5/23/2024 10:00:01 AM (No. 1723326)
Keep in mind this is after Cash for Clunkers. It's more evidence of the de-valuing of the dollar. The left will shout they are saving the planet by driving up prices and slowing growth. The left will say the additional tax revenue will pay off the debt. Never mind the government gets bit by inflation too. Government spending will increase solely based on inflation even if they don't add any new spending items (which we know will never happen).
At this point in my life, I don't even own a car. One car for two people and we make it work. Most new cars are at 40-50k. Many people can't afford that. They can all thank Joe Biden.
6 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 5/23/2024 10:03:14 AM (No. 1723329)
Pardon second post...
The Lady Chihuahua purchased a new Kia Soul during the heart of the pandemic. Sale price was only $15500. They were begging people to buy cars at that point.
5 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
granny5 5/23/2024 10:08:40 AM (No. 1723333)
My 2012 Toyota Tacoma is the best truck I've ever had. I've put 120,000 miles on it and it still runs as good as the day I bought it. And -- it's paid off. At this point in my life, if I were to have a $600 or $700 a month car payment, I'd have to give up eating.
6 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
DiegoDude 5/23/2024 10:33:15 AM (No. 1723351)
My wife drives a 2003 Dodge Caravan with 90k on the clock and it runs just fine. My 2014 Ram 100 runs great, so no need to buy a new car.
5 people like this.
Reply 24 - Posted by:
Ruhn 5/23/2024 11:17:17 AM (No. 1723381)
My 2004 Dodge Ram 4X4 has 120K+ and still runs great (and that's after 5 moves all over the country). Baseline price for a current year model is through the roof.
It also seems that they don't make 'em like they used to.
1 person likes this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
Venturer 5/23/2024 12:01:30 PM (No. 1723411)
When I get rid of a car I call the Junk Yard and tell them to come and get it.
Because it has died on me and costs more to fix than it's worth.
4 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
DVC 5/23/2024 12:28:54 PM (No. 1723434)
Re #11.....what an interesting car!
I had the opportunity to test drive a Honda S2000, precipitated by my ancient crush on the 1969 Porsche 911S model when I was in high school. The '69 911s was the first mechanical individual port fuel injection system ever used on a production car in the USA, other than a diesel, and put out 200 hp from 2,000ccs of displacement.
That 100hp per liter mark was never again achieved in ANY street car in the USA until the Honda S2000 was created which had 240 hp from 2 liters, so 120 hp per liter. Not only broke the long standing record, but blew well past it -- with technology.
Remember, the 99 was a single valve, single cam engine with fixed valve timing.
I wanted to drive such a Honda, and did, without the salesman. I was quite impressed with the fact that driven below about 4000 rpms it behaved just like an ordinary Accord engine, good torque, smooth power, nice motor. Clark Kent. BUT....take it up into the upper rev range....from about 4500 to the amazing 8,800 redline and a whole different beast was unleashed -- power just increased steadily and steeply all the way up. Superman.
A truly Jekyll and Hyde engine wrapped in a nice, balanced very pleasant little sports car with an excellent six speed, torque sensing limited slip - all the cool stuff.
I still love my old '80 911 SC Targa and my wonderful Cayman, but no doubt that the Honda S2000 is a technological tour-de-force, an Accord when you want it to be, a race car when you want it to be, which deserves a nod from any car guy.
If the space suits your needs and your weather suits the ragtop, great choice.
2 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
broken01 5/24/2024 7:51:10 AM (No. 1723826)
Just like you #1 my 2017 Corolla is still going strong, and it doesn't cost me 60 bucks to fill up. Despite the high gas prices. I plan on keeping it until the wheels fall off as I do not want or need something new.
2 people like this.
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