As U.S. car sales pick up, trade-ins are older

Sac Bee ^ | 01 Apr 12 | Mark Glover

[blueplum]

The economy remains wobbly, unemployment is still high and yet people are buying new cars at a pace that would suggest a sweeping wave of prosperity.

Even auto industry analysts concede that it's counterintuitive … until you take a closer look at what's being traded in for new wheels.

[snip]

David Rodgers, senior vice president and general manager of the Sullivan Automotive Group, which oversees John L. Sullivan Chevrolet and Roseville Toyota in the Roseville Automall, said that, more than car age, he's been struck by the high mileage he's seeing on trade-ins.

"The average (age) is running about three to four years older than what we were seeing before (the recession), but the mileage is what is really noticeable," he said. "We're seeing 200,000 to 250,000 miles on some cars, where we were seeing 85,000 to 130,000 or 140,000 before."

[snip]

In last year's third quarter, R.L. Polk & Co. said the average length of ownership among U.S. motorists who had purchased a car new hit a record 71 months. Likewise, retention of vehicles originally bought used climbed to an all-time high of 50 months.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/01/4379965/as-us-car-sales-pick-up-trade.html#storylink=cpy

[sodpoodle]

Good grief - what kind of analysis is this?

People are keeping cars for a longer period and the mileage is higher.

Doesn’t this writer understand that in order to keep a vehicle longer AND have lower mileage - one has to drive the car in reverse?

[rawhide]

You got quite a good deal.

My ‘92 Camry LE is my daily driver.
Runs great and looks good.
310,000 miles.

[Carriage Hill]

Good purchase, P. I’m going to have to find an SUV with the same parameters, in a couple of years. My Jeep’s still got 100k+ in its mechanicals, and the body/chassis is spotless, like new, 100% mine since paying $25k cash new in ‘02. So why get rid of it? Not yet.

[Moose4]

All the 60k-120k tradeins were recycled into aluminum cans thanks to Olenin’s Cash for Clunkers. Kia and Hyundai got the $4,000 credits, and America lost an entire generation of affordable used cars.

}:-)4

[cableguymn]

GM offered me 3500 on a trade in for my 02 Chev Express with 321,000 on the clock.

Maybe it’s just the model I own, or the fact that the van runs/drives like a new van.

Or perhaps the replacement was 3500 over what they where willing to take for it.

I didn’t buy the van I was looking at, but I had the price of the new van before I told them about the trade.

[gunnyg]

Just imagine for a minute what car ownership would be like with gubmint out of our business!

No bs restrictions on automakers to neuter (to use a recent obama word) the vehicles, no faux epa rules, etc.

just to imagine this would be too much...

;)
Semper Watching!
*****

[Buckeye McFrog]

It’s a testament to modern engineering and engine technology that you can drive them 250,000 miles without requiring any sort of major overhaul.

[central_va]

It’s a testament to modern engineering and engine technology that you can drive them 250,000 miles without requiring any sort of major overhaul.

Automatic transmissions usually blow way before the engine starts using oil heavily. I have a '02 Galant GTZ and it doesn't use a spec of oil and has 202K miles on it. The tranny blew at 175K. :(

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

For all the crap "The Big Three" got over the years especially before 2 of them went belly up, their durability and durability testing in regards to the auto's life span would suprise many. They are lasting up to 250,000 miles without batting an eye-lash ( minus the mid life electrical stuff that needs changing and that is for the imports too, Starters, Alternators, Batteries etc ) .

ALL of my experiences with domestic makes have been problematic. We bought a Dodge Caravan back in '05 to give Detroit another chance. The engine itself has been good to us, and the overall design is pleasant, but we've had no end to problems with the brakes and with the power windows and power locks. On those things alone, I think we've had the Caravan in the shop more times than we have our '95 Civic for all repairs.

Not a real confidence-booster for me. I doubt we'll go domestic for our next purchase unless we have no other choice.

[mrsmith]

bad news.
People are having to go into debt slavery to replace their old cars.

They don’t want to, they know they can’t afford it, but they have no choice.

Obama crushed a lot of good buys with ‘cash for clunkers’.

[zeugma]

Doesn’t this writer understand that in order to keep a vehicle longer AND have lower mileage - one has to drive the car in reverse?

Need to talk to Ferris Bueller about that.

[Carry_Okie]

I had 220K on my Saturn SW2. Wonderful car: fast, quick handling, 35mpg on the highway, nice 5spd and room for a 10' stick of conduit or pipe, crank windows, manual mirrors, NOTHING complicated. Paid $17k for it out the door.

Then a spark plug disintegrated and scored a cylinder wall. The interior is shot. The paint is starting to flake off the plastic. It's not worth fixing.

My problem is, NOBODY makes what I want: the same thing, only new. :-(

[Neidermeyer]

I recently purchased a 1998 Camry with only 41,000 miles. The old lady that owned it couldn’t drive anymore. Under $5k and good for a very long time.
************************************************
I’d go ahead and change the cam belt right now ,,, 14 years is a long time even though it hasn’t hit the mileage targets... Toyota didn’t go to a chain on their 4cyl 2.4 until 2002.

[Neidermeyer]

My problem is, NOBODY makes what I want: the same thing, only new. :-(
*******************************************
You’re going to have trouble finding a car with manual everything ... best match for a stripper Saturn wagon would be a Nissan Versa Wagon ... price is comparable at $14,480

[Carry_Okie]

Thanks, I dread the whole process.

We bought that Saturn new in '94 with a 150K warranty (and I made the most of it). The car has done everything, and has cost us less than $0.03 per mile for maintenance. By comparison, our '98 Volvo V-70 has cost us over six times that much in upkeep (gold plated piece of crap). Now that the kids are about to fly the coop (and the Saturn won't pass the next smog), we need a new commuter car and a backup. I was hoping to pay off the house first, but it doesn't look like we're going to make it.

[cableguymn]

Have you looked at the Focus or Escort wagons from the early 2000’s?

[Carry_Okie]

Have you looked at the Focus or Escort wagons from the early 2000’s?

I'm looking for something with less than 50K on it.

[cableguymn]

look harder.. they exist. Ford made the focus wagon until 07.

You can’t get crank windows in them but the mazda 6 wagon and mazda 5 (technically a mini-mini van) are an option.

[Carry_Okie]

look harder.. they exist. Ford made the focus wagon until 07.

I did. Both Vehix and Edmunds said there wasn't a one for sale for 50 miles around the Silicon Valley (haven't tried Craig's list etc yet, that was just a screen). Similarly, try to find a used Saturn SW2 wagon with less that 150K on it for less that five grand. I've seen $8K!

I'll look at the Mazda, thanks.

BTW, to me, crank windows are a safety feature, but then I guess I'm just one of those weird people who want the windows to work if the emergency is severe enough to kill the electrical system.

[Publius Valerius]

Get power windows and buy one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Original-Life-Hammer-Escape-Orange/dp/B000BMWXZM/ref=pd_cp_hi_0