Average US car now a record-setting 11.4 years old [w/ poll]

How old is your primary vehicle?

  • 0-3 Years Old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3-6 Years Old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6-9 Years Old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 9-12 Years Old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 12-15 Years Old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 15-18 Years Old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 18-21 Years Old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 21 Years Old Or Older

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I Don't Own A Vehicle

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
23,378
6,001
Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Via Autoblog.com

Average US car now a record-setting 11.4 years old
View media item 528228
Cars are becoming less and less of a disposable item, according to a report from The Detroit Free Press. The average age of the 247 million cars and trucks in the US fleet is now up to 11.4 years, an increase of two full years since 2007 and 0.2 years since 2012. The newspaper spoke with Mark Seng, vice president of industry research firm Polk, who cited consumers' desire to avoid monthly payments and the ever-improving quality of mainstream cars and trucks as reasons for the increased age.

The first item is fairly obvious – no one really likes to carry a monthly car payment. The second point, though, is perhaps less obvious. The fact of the matter is that modern vehicles are just so reliable that people aren't feeling the need to scrap them as quickly. In fact, scrappage has fallen 50 percent since the start of the recession, a stat that is sure to pain junkyard scroungers everywhere.

But while the nation's average vehicle age is likely to continue to increase, it is expected to do so right along with increasing sales of new vehicles. After a 30-year low of 10.4 million vehicles in 2009, the annual average is running right along at 15.5 million according to The Detroit Free Press. While it seems counterintuitive for these two stats to climb together, the combination of improved reliability, lower interest rates and readily available longer-term financing options has created a kind of perfect storm for both long-term ownership and new vehicle sales.
NT, how old is your primary vehicle? Participate in our poll above, then let us know your thoughts in comments.
 
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Car I drive at the moment is about 10 years old. I have no A/C or heat though. :smh:
 
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2012 Golf, 11k miles

prior to that though i was driving a 24 year old truck with an endless list of problems...
 
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u got rid of the bronco :smh: it was so clean.

had to, i was dropping like 300+ a month on maintenance, not to mention gas @ 7 mpg, plus burned through 5 quarts of oil a month :smh:

it was hard as hell to get used to driving a golf after that though :lol:
 
6-9 years old, bout 77k on it. Been paid off for years. Hoping to rock with it for years to come.
 
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u got rid of the bronco :smh: it was so clean.

had to, i was dropping like 300+ a month on maintenance, not to mention gas @ 7 mpg, plus burned through 5 quarts of oil a month :smh:

it was hard as hell to get used to driving a golf after that though :lol:

Oh wow now i understand :lol:

i drove the new golfs too its a very fun car to drive. plus i bet the interior is lightyears better than the bronco
 
1996 honda accord 180k miles. this is my 3rd honda accord and after this one i will never drive one again
 
'01 Jetta w/ 167K miles on it and still going strong :pimp:




.. For now, that is.
 
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98 328is....170K. engine/****** strong like bull. interior needs work though...

Ill keep it til the wheels fall off....or until it just dont make sense anymore. ///M
 
97 :nthat:

All the cars I'm looking at getting are way older :lol: aside from a 2007ish 4 door wrangler
 
06 Acura TL at 96K miles

Before that, I had a 01 Accord that was at 130K before I traded it in last year.
 
Weekend Car = 1997 Acura NSX-Targa 26K miles

Daily Driver = 2012 Porsche Cayman R 7K miles
 
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