Posted on 06/28/2019 4:07:48 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
A $300 car payment is $3600 a year.
They think I can’t spend half that much money for maintenance?
It all depends on how you want to be perceived. If perception is less important to you than $ in your pocket, you do not need a new car.
*note to self* Remember this when the wife’s starts hinting she wants a new car. Stay strong.
Going by a Hispanic church we noticed that ALL the cars and trucks are within a couple of years old. My husband rolled his eyes when I said this and I drove by last Sunday for him to look for himself. Sure enough!
So, I told him in our little town, they are hard workers and get CASH under the table. They get free everything from local charities and then go state and federal programs- claiming no daddy so getting some type of child support. Nice clothes can be had for almost nothing at our thrift store and they line up with cash on sale days- ROLLS of cash!!! Households have to have maids and landscapers as their children only know how to work computers. They live on top of each other in trailer parks and rental homes...you see sometimes SIX cars at a trailer with kid toys outside!!!!!!!
SO, they can easily afford nice cars, but usually trucks as that is the macho vehicle.
NOW, I have many wonderful friends whose family came from Mexico and they are wonderful Americans. They don’t like this either cause they pay taxes to support these folks who take jobs away from them.
SO, we have a 95 Ranger and 2009 350 Lexus....love them!
That has to be some kind of record. Older has always been better. I marvel that every time I use my 39 Ford 9N tractor that it starts up within 30 seconds, of course it gets a lot less use than my truck.
Definitely cars will last longer than 5 years at standard mileage (the average driver will put about 15K a year on his car). But I never understood the "drive it into the ground" mentality either. Nothing wrong with wanting to have a nice car and life is too short to drive around in a piece of crap - unless one has no other choice financially.
Keep them garaged and maintained and except for some of the consumable wear parts like brakes they should last a very long time.
ours are now 16, 13 and 10 years old. We also now drive a whole lot less than we did three years ago since we are retired. Not sure how much longer we will keep these but I know a new pickup is not in my future.
Anybody want a 09 Mercury Grand Marquis in very good condition? 27 mpg and like driving your living room on wheels.
I have you all beat. In 2007 i bought a 2001 Mercury Sable from a buddy for $1500. I love it for two years, my daughter had it for two years, my son had it for a year. By that point it was a rolling roadblock. He got read ended by a mix in a big 4X4. The kids dad gave me $4000 for the car and to make the problem go away.
On a Cummins the lift pump seems to go out about every 80,000 or so miles. I’m on #2 now. They were designed for higher lubricity higher sulfur fuels.
All I can get now is low sulfur off road red diesel now and so I wonder how the old pumps on the tractors will hold up.
Last year I bought a 2004 Pontiac Vibe (rebadge Matrix). Great car, no problems yet.
The painful thought of having to deal with a dealership and the price alone are big enough deterrents to keep me happy with an old vehicle. The only thing I hate more than going to buy a car is going to the doctor.
I am on my second Honda CRV. Its a 2006 with only 89,000 miles. Looks new runs great. Never breaks down.
I’m driving a seventeen year old Toyota Sequoia...that I bought used!!!
The other day an auto glass guy was complaining to me about how new windshields increasingly have embedded electronics that require firmware updates before installation.
My daily driver is a 1986 Volvo 740. 35 MPG and the crank case has never been opened.
That's the main reason I keep my 89 Wagoneer. Stays in the driveway with nearly dead battery, but has the rock solid bulletproof 360 in it. Have more money in the tires than the Jeep is worth and it gets lousy mileage.
I’ve been arguing with myself about my instinctive desire to upgrade to a newer model, but I think logic has finally won out.
The car runs beautifully, everything works, no rust.
And it’s best feature: it’s paid for.
Why on earth should I take on a new expense?
I still have my 2003 Subaru Forrester that I bought new in 2002 with 35 miles on it. Runs like a top, it’s awesome.
I inherited my Dad’d 2002 Chrysler minivan and have put over 250,000 miles on it. It’s simple, reliable (tranny rebuilt at 130,000) and ungadgeted; I threw away the seats and made it my urban pickup. Oil change every 3,000 mi and I plan to drive it forever.
My wife’s 2019 Cadillac XT-4 has so many gizmos I only ride in it as a passenger.
Bought my 1998 1500 Silverado brand new from the dealer. She’s now got about 210,000 miles on her.
Recently had to install a rebuilt motor because my idiot son ran it without oil.
I also had the front end suspension completely rebuilt last year. It was just plain worn out after twenty years of service.
I drive a 2003 Honda Accord to work. Still runs great with well over 200,000 miles on it.
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