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.

[silent_jonny]

"Buy a used Toyota!"

[MayflowerMadam]

“I also think what one has to endure at a dealership when buying a new car is also a deterrent.”

We bought our last car in 2013 at Car Max. Great car, and the experience was cut and dried, with no dealing for a fair price. We got way more for our trade-in than we’d expected.

The down side was that the sport of messing with a salesman was gone, and my husband used to love that part.

[Comment Not Approved]

Car thieves nowadays can't drive a straight stick.

My 01 Ranger has the same anti theft device. 4.0 liter 4wd 5 speed with 161,000.

[MayflowerMadam]

“I will be researching how to disable these noisemakers.”

It can be done. Two of my friends have disabled their squwaking features.

[PAR35]

I keep my cars until I need the folks that offer a free tow away if you donate it. I haven’t traded in a car in over a third of a century.

[Larry Lucido]

My 2006 Ford Five Hundred is now 13 years old (duh) with 176,000 miles. Needs new struts and probably a new a/c compressor soon - otherwise runs great. Paid $24,000 new and still want to get a few more miles out of it.

My 1986 Ford Thunderbird was 13 years old in 1999 (duh) and 187,000 miles when I traded it in (on a used Taurus, not a LeBaron). Paid $17,000 new and wanted to get as many miles as I could out of it.

[spokeshave]

Just went through that crap this week with the stupid new wheels and air pressure sensor nonsense. It took me 2 days to find someone who could fix a slow leak in one of my tires, without destroying the sensor.

If you purchase tires from America's Tire company they install upgraded sensors when new tires are installed or after a (free) repair.

If you also purchase the tire insurance ($20 or so) you get a free new tire if they can't fix the leak (usually a sidewall damage or a split in the tread).

I have 2 new free tires in the last 2 months

First was a sidewall damage

Second was a tread split...was causing a rumbling sound...I originally thought a bearing had gone.

Also the free tire rotation and wheel balance.

[FXRP]

My fleet:
1995 Dodge Dakota. 257,000 miles
2005 Toyota MR2 Spyder 60,000 miles
1948 Harley Davidson FLH unknown mileage
1975 Vespa PX150 unknown mileage
2009 Honda Shadow 750. 4000 miles

When the automatic transmission on my truck dies, I will buy another sh**box.

[cnsmom]

My Acura MDX 1992 is still going with 200K+ miles

[mountainlion]

With all the alcohol in the gas it is amazing old stuff can be kept running. Old tractors are hard starting and do not run right after the gas has set in the tank a month. Alcohol dissolves carburetor parts and gas lines. Bad idea forced on us by the so called environmentalists.

[LumberJack53213]

I hear you. My household has five Toyota’s , the newest one has 200,000 miles with the oldest having shy of 425,000. I’d take any of them cross country.

[phormer phrog phlyer]

Got a 98 corolla, just turned over 267K.

[outofsalt]

The distance from the earth to the moon is ~240,000 miles.
I try to drive my cars for at least one moon unit to get my money’s worth. (And, no, I’m not referring to Frank Zappa’s daughter.)

[Constitution Day]

Can confirm. I have a 2008 Audi and it’s still going strong at 200K+ miles.

[Mouton]

Sounds like you will survive the EMP attack! Good story.

[freebird5850]

1991 Toyota 4x4 truck here. 265000 miles.

[grey_whiskers]

We bought a new car in 2017.

Found the only one on the lot with a manual transmission.

"Millenial anti-theft device" we call it.

Plus, it's fun to hypermile by shifting into neutral down every hill. Averaging about 43-44 mpg.

[grey_whiskers]

$523/month?!!

Outrageous.

[AbolishCSEU]

did’t “cash for clunkers” eat up a lot of the used cae/car parts market?

[Dilbert56]

• My wife's 1999 Rav4 has 130K miles - she loves it. Next year, it will be old enough to drink
• Her prior 2000 Rav4 got to 235K miles before rust (upstate NY) did it in
• Our 2004 Sienna van got to 208K before we scrapped it
• Our 2012 Camry was still like new at 130K miles when another car smashed into it and totaled it

We've bought our last three cars at Hertz. They service them properly and sell them for $1K below Kelly Blue Book. They really just need to get rid of their rentals, not make money on the sales. They're generally 12-18 months old with 30-50K miles. Hertz has taken the new car depreciation hit but made their money renting them. The mileage is above average for that age car but, as the article points out, a car with 50K miles could still have 8-10 years of productive life.

At first we were leery of buying a rental - you never know whose driven it and how they may have abused it. But we figured Spring Breaker types don't generally rent from Hertz. Having rented cars hundreds of times on business trips, I wouldn't do anything stupid with the rental and risk it breaking down. Who wants to miss a flight so they can joy ride over a curb or some similar antics. Anyway, the mechanics who checked out our cars all said we got great deals.