Have an old car? You’re not alone. Vehicle age hits record

AP ^ | June 27, 2019 | Staff

[C19fan]

The average age of cars and trucks in the U.S. has hit a record 11.8 years, as better quality and technology allows people to keep them on the road longer. The 2019 figures from data provider IHS Markit show that the rate of increase is slowing, but the average age is still expected to go over 12 years early in the next decade. The average age is up 0.1 years from 2018. People are feeling comfortable keeping vehicles longer because they’re built better than in the past, said IHS Markit Director of Global Automotive Aftermarket Mark Seng. “The quality is higher, lasting longer, withstanding the weather,” Seng said.

[C19fan]

They say one of the worst financial decision a person can make is to only own a car for say 5 years. I always keep my cars until they die. I like not having to make car payments. Quality cars now are built to last. Also with all the regulations from the government there is simply not the variation in design one saw in the past.

[chrisser]

"People are feeling comfortable keeping vehicles longer because they’re built better than in the past"

Or it could be that regulations have driven up the cost of new cars to be unaffordable.

Maybe unaffordable is too strong a word - they don't have value equal to their price.

[21twelve]

I just got a thumbs up in my 1997 Buick LeSabre from a couple of kids driving similar. I figure I’d only get $1,000 bucks for it, and it saves wear and tear on my work vehicle for errands and stuff. We got it for our son years ago - but he has since bought his own vehicle.

Added benefit - I have a place to play all of my old cassette tapes!

[thoughtomator]

Late 90s Toyota passenger cars were extremely popular, and they are a marvel of engineering. Will last forever if maintained, and a long long time even if not maintained. I see them everywhere still.

[DesertRhino]

Not to mention that they are mostly ugly and all basically look the same now. You can barely tell a BMW from a Camry from a Chevy etc.
They all have the weirdest looking headlights and the interiors have giant TV screens. They look like they are all designed by kids.

[thoughtomator]

All the electronics replacing mechanical elements makes a lot of people wary as well. It adds additional points of failure without commensurate value. Do I really need a microchip in my starter?

[wbarmy]

Kind of like a Ford E350. Nothing can replace them and nothing really needs to. They are the original “it takes a licking and keeps on ticking”. I have my 2007 with 170,000 miles on it and still going strong.

[Tennessee Conservative]

Recent picture of my 2000 GMC. Still looks good at 20 years old and 260,000 miles. No problems except for new brakes and a replaced fuel pump. Plenty of power and good gas mileage. Why would I trade this?

[digger48]

A sensor under the console of my 2012 F-350 went out. It cuts the engine when it senses a rollover.

Damn thing cut out as I was going around a roundabout

$650

[grobdriver]

2000 Nissan Frontier pick-em-up.
268,000 miles.
Working OK - frequent SES light makes getting it inspected a chore - have to wait for the right weather conditions and the light goes out.

$30-$50K on new trucks drives even used trucks to outrageously expensive as people try to recoup money.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I buy a new pickup every ten or 12 years.
Currently own a 2011 GMC Sierra ext-cab 4WD.
45,000 miles on the clock.

The big Ford 350 is attractive but more than I need.

[Flick Lives]

Not to mention that they are mostly ugly and all basically look the same now. You can barely tell a BMW from a Camry from a Chevy etc.

Lot of truth to that. If you removed the manufacturers logos from a lot of cars it would be tough to tell who made it. Cars are overall just less different and distinctive the in the past.

[Pearls Before Swine]

The rust monster puts an upper limit on car life in the northern third of the country.

[Clay Moore]

Sometimes I have to laugh when my truck is older than most of my coworkers.

[OttawaFreeper]

One story I read is that when you buy a brand new one, the moment you drive it off the lot when it becomes yours, it right then loses a certain portion that made up the price tag figure. That’s been one reason why I’ve driven used for all my years of owning cars.

[grobdriver]

They all have the weirdest looking headlights and the interiors have giant TV screens. They look like they are all designed by kids.

To correct: They look like they are all designed by FOR kids

The movie Cars changed an entire generation of vehicle design in that regard.
Every vehicle now sports an aggressive racer-frowny-face front end.
If it doesn't sport it from the factory, accessories will change that (witness the Jeep front air dam that partially covers the headlights, turning the front appearance into an aggressive racer-frowny-face).

[TalBlack]

My 02 F350 Super Duty work truck has 265000 miles on it and counting. Nobody in my industry wants to buy new because of the price. 70000 plus is just stupid. The big thing with old vehicles is the fuel pump...WHEN will that die, 85,000 or 285000?

[wrench]

My Chevy truck is 41 years old with over 1/2 million miles.

It starts and runs better than any of the plastic fantastics being sold today. Plus, a week doesn’t go by where someone doesn’t try to buy it from me.

[wbarmy]

I have five children and some of them are going to college while living with us. It is the only thing I have found which can handle all the stuff moving around.

[alancarp]

My family now has 5 vehicles... the newest is the one I just got for myself... a 2011 Expedition. The price was right and I hope to have it for 10 years.