Average age of American cars

[oily rag]

A few days back a report came out on the average age of America's cars and light trucks. They increased this year to an average of 11.5 years old.

So I had to average all my house hold's current vehicles,

Mine turned out to be 52.666 years old on average, a bit older than the national average.

 

[CarlLaFong]

29.2 here

[Guest]

85.5 here

[padgett]

23.83 including the tow car.

[Grimy]

68 (average of seven oldie prime movers, the errand truck and the tow F350 DRW)

[Chris Bamford]

My seven average 87 years. The oldest is a 1906, my newest is a '65 (daily driver/winter beater is 1947).

[smithbrother]

Of course, they are talking about cars/trucks that are driven mostly on a daily basis. Your's/mine aren't, that's comparing apples to oranges. Fun to review ours, but means nothing compared to the study

Dale in Indy

[padgett]

Guess I don't count since I do not drive any of the herd daily, was a telecommuter and now retired. When I do go out it is what I feel is the most appropriate for the task/day. Each has a door.

[Paul Dobbin]

45,62 right now, but soon to be 46,62 with the flipping of the calendar, unless I add add #9 before New Years Day.

My average includes two modern cars and a motor home to keep the average low.

 

When i think back to my first "äntique car" was 34 Ford in 1972, it was only 38 years old.  (Seemed older)

Now a 38 year old car is a 1977 Mustang II or a new 1978 Toyota Corona..  YIKES!  it just seems different.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Paul Dobbin (see edit history)

[1940TORPEDO]

Average age for the two,43 years

1940 Pontiac

2003 chevy truck

[Guest AlCapone]

The spirit and intent of the survey was not to include antique / collector / classic cars! It was to determine how long the potential buyers keep their every day drivers before they replace them with new or used! . wayne

Edited November 17, 2015 by AlCapone (see edit history)

[DAVES89]

I drive one of my two 1989 Reatta coupes everyday for work. They are both 1989s so that makes my avaerage 26 years.

The Black has 272,000 miles the Red has 171,000.

[AC Fuhrman]

12.5 years for my two everyday vehicles - and both with over 100K miles.

Just a year off the survey!

Edited November 17, 2015 by AC Fuhrman (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

We have three daily drivers, a 2002 Volvo, a 1999 Chevy pickup, and a 1985 Olds Delta 88.  The Olds has the lowest miles of the three (about 100K) and is my wife's daily driver.  That's 21 yrs avg (given that the 2016 model year cars are out).  The more interesting thing to me is that my first car in 1974 was a 1968 Olds Vista Cruiser - six whole years old!  There's no way I'd drive anything that new today!

[JACK M]

45,62 right now, but soon to be 46,62 with the flipping of the calendar, unless I add add #9 before New Years Day.

My average includes two modern cars and a motor home to keep the average low.

 

When i think back to my first "äntique car" was 34 Ford in 1972, it was only 38 years old.  (Seemed older)

Now a 38 year old car is a 1977 Mustang II or a new 1978 Toyota Corona..  YIKES!  it just seems different.

 

Agreed, a 35 year old car is just a used car these days.

It is not uncommon for a car to run 2 or 3 hundred thousand miles compared to what I had to choose from in my youth.

Rarely would you find a used car with any value that had over 100,000 miles on it.

[28 Chrysler]

I don't drive every day (retired) so I don't have a daily driver. All have plates and ready to go. Average age is 51.8

My highest mileage vehicle is my "81 CJ7 with 82.000 miles on it

[Chris Bamford]

Of course, they are talking about cars/trucks that are driven mostly on a daily basis....

So was I.

 

However, averaging my bride's '06 PT Cruiser with my '47 Dodge D25 daily driver, our average vehicle age is 38.5 years.

 

Neither of us drives everyday — when she's driving its always her car, when I'm alone its usually the Dodge or the '24 T Speedster (or, most commonly, my bicycle). Weather usually determines what vehicle we take when we travel together — and its been a while since we were both out in the T.

[John Byrd]

19.8 for me...  Oldest is a 48, newest is an 08.  I drive the 48 the most, my wife drives the 08 the most.  The 63 and the 05 are also driven regularly too tho'.

Edited November 17, 2015 by John Byrd (see edit history)

[Guest]

85.5 and it has been my daily driver since June 1959. 99,000 then and 500,000 now.  Same family since new.  I'm the second driver, my Grandfather was the first.

OOPS pardon me this is a Canadian car.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Guest (see edit history)

[mercer09]

several years back, the avg age was 9, and now 11.5

 

Americans are "broker".....................

 

that was the intent of the study

 

have you priced a fully loaded pu lately??????????????

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Of course, they are talking about cars/trucks that are driven mostly on a daily basis. Your's/mine aren't, that's comparing apples to oranges. Fun to review ours, but means nothing compared to the study

Dale in Indy

 

 

  Kiljoy!!!!

 

  Ben

[60FlatTop]

39 with all included.

Bernie

[padgett]

Back in the day, the best 327s I found to make race engines were from 100,000 mile Chevvies that had rusted out. Cranks were beautiful.

[Buffalowed Bill]

Cars just last longer today, I think that we drive them longer because we can. My daily drivers:

1988 Jeep Cherokee-222,000 miles

1994 Lincoln Mark Vlll-178,000 miles

1994 Ford F150 four wheel drive-155,000 miles

1996 Ford Thunderbird-248,000 miles

1996 Jaguar XJ6- 141,000

Average age about 22 years

[padgett]

Helps to live where rust must be imported.

[ScarredKnightfan]

Of course, they are talking about cars/trucks that are driven mostly on a daily basis. Your's/mine aren't, that's comparing apples to oranges. Fun to review ours, but means nothing compared to the study

 

 

Mine can!  My 1979 Caprice Classic sedan is my daily driver.

 

 

Cort www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve | 1979 Caprice Classic (awaiting new owner)

"It's only going to make me strong" __ LeAnn Rimes __ 'Life Goes On'

[mrspeedyt]

i'll be among the first to admit that these cars that are built now are so much better for every day driving and longevity... I drive my 2012 scion XB (which is such an ugly car)... aside from an oil change every 8000 miles been a trouble-free and no maintenance. and 26mpg for over 80000 miles. got NO class however. sitting in my garage is a 23 Buick and a 26 Dodge because of the modern gas and carburetion problems.

[joe_padavano]

Back in the day, the best 327s I found to make race engines were from 100,000 mile Chevvies that had rusted out. Cranks were beautiful.

 

The use of "aged" engine parts in high performance applications is not news.  The whole point is that an older engine has had all the residual stresses relieved from the cold-hot-cold cycling.  That engine is simply used as a core that gets a complete rebuild.  This is completely unrelated to this thread which is a discussion of cars running longer without major rebuilds.

[padgett]

My point was that in 1970 a 62-65 Chevvy (327 was introed in 1962) with 100k miles (5-8 years old) was often considered worn out & junked and the fact that I got great cranks from them was more of a side benefit. Guess I was assuming too much knowlege from the readers.

 

Depreciation was also much faster, in the 70-75 tmeframe, decent gen1 F bodies (Camaro, Firebird) were $500-$1000  cars and I bought my 63 FI split window for $1k even. At the end of the '70s an optionless Firebird with significant hail damage but no rust was $150.

 

Today cars last longer (20 years/200k miles is common) and have been since the '80s.

[Curti]

We have 4 modern drivers  ave, 9.1 years

               10 collector cars ave. 78.4 years

 

have you priced a fully loaded pu lately?????????????? Ya, it cost more than my 06 Vette.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Have you priced a fully loaded pu lately?  Ya, it cost more than my '06 'Vette.

 

From what I have read, the manufacturer's mark-up for large

pick-ups and utility vehicles is MUCH GREATER than for small cars.

I think it's foolish to pay $50,000 to $70,000 for a 

depreciating asset, and, almost assuredly, most of the people

stretching their budgets to buy them have ordinary incomes

and are not multi-millionaires.

 

Choice #1:  Buy $70,000 truck.  In 10 years, have a $10,000 asset.

Choice #2:  Take $70,000, invest wisely.  In 10 years, likely to have at least $140,000.

 

No one ever got rich by going shopping.

Edited November 23, 2015 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

About a year and a half ago we bought our most recent late model vehicle, a '13 GMC Yukon. We looked at new models, and were surprised at how little dealers were willing to negotiate on the sticker prices for these things. I am not even talking about a top end Denali - the mid range vehicle we wanted is around $50K and despite all the doom and gloom on the economy they must be doing OK at GMC... Wife says "Who buys these things" - well the answer is few do, but many people lease for whatever reasons, likely to get into a pricier vehicle than they might want to buy. We bought a one year old Yukon off lease for well over 25% less, with next to no miles. Best route to take, IMO unless your buying a middle or lower priced car, then it makes sense to finance at 0%, a lot of manufacturers do that today. Surely they build it into the price but it still feels like free money and usually beats paying cash unless the discount is significant.

But back to the topic, and how it relates to my comments - bigger overall cost likely drives people (buyers, not people who lease) to want to keep their vehicles longer, which is another factor besides the economy in general that, along with the fact that cars just plain last longer, accounts for this trend. I fully expect 200K dependable, basically issue free miles out of this Yukon, unheard of not that long ago.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

Fuel injection and overdrive have probably done the most to increase longevity in newer cars. My '05 Silverado has gone 150,000 miles at about 1700 RPM and does feel significantly different from when it had 5 miles on it.

Bernie

[padgett]

It can vary. When it came time to replace my previous trip/tow car ('92 Pontiac TranSport with 3800 and towing package) in '12 I looked at everything GM first, have never had a F*rd, then a friend raved about Jeep. I learned to drive with a Jeep, shortest throw shifter I've ever seen. Bought Grand Cherokee new in Jan '12 and was under $30k. Did not have all the bling or even 4WD. Does have the towing package & Bluetooth & is the lightest GC. Best tow car I've ever had.

 

So yes Virginia, you can pay over $70k for a new pickup/SUV with all the toys, some even reach $100k. Do not have to & gives me something dependable to pull the tow dolly if one of my older cars has a problem. Or can carry a large load my others can't & do not mind flipping the fobic to a valet at a nice restaurant.

 

I suspect every one here has at least one vehicle like this.

 

ps agree: the "sweet spot" for an American gas buggy at 70mph is 2000 rpm. Wrote a paper on that at GMI in 1972 (then an "economy axle" was a 3.08 - just over 3000 rpm at 70 (were a very few with 2.56s), there were no "lockups" or OD automagics. Performance cars usually had 3.90s or 4.10s.

 

Am sure that all those revs affected longetivity.

[28 Chrysler]

It is unfashionable to drive an old looking car in the eyes of most people. 

A ten year old car today looks very similar to today's new cars unlike 1949 to 1959 or 1972 to 1982. 

[60FlatTop]

We haven't had a problem with being unfashionable up in these parts. Our issue came when I started buying new trucks. My wife noticed that people looked perplexed when they heard I bought a truck. One day she asked me "why do people look at you so oddly when you say you have a truck?" I told her it was natural to associate owning a truck with "work"; something I have never displayed strongly in public.

 

Actually there has been some deceptive play going on. Most of my life I have been around town with what looked like a different car for every day. At night I was going into the city to run power plants for a living but never felt compelled to give a "fashionable" impression.

Bernie

[Ed Luddy]

Depending on how I factor it I can go from 7.5 to much older. But just including daily drivers and not my soon to be 50 yr. old Pontiac (1966) or 37 yr. old Corvette(1978) or the 1972 Satelitte I just bought keeps me fairly new.

 

 A 10 year old vehicle really doesn't seem very old in 2015. But going back to 1971 when I was 16 a 10 yr car was usually rusty, smoking, and darn near ready for the junkyard if not already there. I had a love affair with 1950's Ford's back then and they were getting thin and very cheap. Even my 1st Mustang, a 1967 I bought in 1972 making it 6 model yrs old was considered borderline scrap because of rust and obselecence . I don't think 2009-2010 Mustang's have the same stigma?

[padgett]

Particularly since there is so little change any more, used to be you could spot the year, make, and model from the taillights. Now "its got LEDs, must be new".

In the late sixties every year was newer/faster/sleeker and the new car spy photos were avidly sought.

One thing I have noticed is that traffic moves much slower out of a light now than in 1970. This makes a slower car more useful today, worst seem to be older gargantuan SUVs with mouse motors. As a consequence, an older "base" engine is much more usable today than thutty yar ago.

The real problem with the base six in a big car was that it was also a loss leader and everything (battery, alternator, radiator, fan, trans, axle) was "lighter duty". Often the interior was "low line" or "taxi cab special" sometimes without a rug.

I remember around 70 or 71 running from Anderson Indiana to Flint Michigan is a Nova with a six and a peculiar two speed automatic you had to shift. Being a rental it did have AC. About halfway to Flint on I69 at 70ish it overheated & repeated itself several times. When I called and complained I was told they all did that. One of my requirements in a car needed several times a year is to just get in and within 5 miles be at 70ish with cruise & AV on and stay under 190F for several hours at 90F

Now am a bit eccentric and have always liked a good six, particularly with OHC and lotsa carbs or FI. Except for the Judge (have dual quads in the garage), all my cars have sixes ranging from 165 to 290 hp.

So are good sixes and no-so-good sixes. If it has a log manifold and single 1 bbl carb then I'd put it in the "not-so" category.

[frank29u]

My current average is 3.5 years.  Wife's "new" 2009 MKZ and 2014 Mustang Convert.  Has never been this low.  I don't see another new car in my future, unless I happen upon a wonderful, inexpensive '29 Plymouth Roadster.

Replaced my '73 Gran Torino Sport in '93 with used '89 Mustang convert.  Replaced 89 in 2008 with 2003 convert.  Replaced that with a new 2014 at my wife's insistence, she didn't like the way the 03 rear end sounded and we were planning a +1200 mile trip.  It was barely broken in with a little over 119,000.  Wife has gone through a Cutlass, Reliant, Sable, Chrysler of some ilk since 1981.  The salt treatment in winter here is very hard on the metal.  These cars were/are all daily drivers.

[padgett]

When I was in Indiana there was Ziebart and Tuffy "Tuffcoat". Many had new cars Ziebarted before winter. Dealers did not like because undercoating was a big profit item.

 

Also remember cars blowing enough oil out the "draft tube" to coat the underside. These didn't rust.