Logos Stick said:

---

Bidenomics has driven the price of new cars through the roof. Coupled with general, mass inflation, it seems people are holding on to their existing vehicles. I would think this tends to hurt the poors the most since they rely on used vehicles and the inventory is smaller.

Quote:

---

The average age of U.S. cars and light trucks this year rose to a record 12.6 years, according to the report by S&P Global Mobility on Wednesday, up by two months from 2023.

Though the rise in the average age of vehicles has slowed as new registrations improve, S&P said it expects those aged six to 14 years or older to account for 70% of the vehicles in operation over the next five years.

---

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/americans-keep-vehicles-record-126-years-average-despite-easing-supplies-sp-says-2024-05-22/

---

My philosophy is keep the car until it breaks down or I total it. Since I drive Toyotas/Lexus, I've never actually had one break down. But I have totaled three of them with over 200k miles.

It's cheaper to keep her.

I had one sedan that we drove until it died and went to the junkyard. My definition of driving it into the ground.

Both of our cars are more than 10 years old with north of 150K miles. Hoping to get a couple more years out of them but want to avoid having 2 car payments. When we travel long distances (i.e. Aggie football), we typically rent a car (I get a good rate) and save the mileage on our cars.

We also told our son (who is about to graduate from A&M) to keep driving his Corolla and not do something stupid like buying a brand new pick up truck until he is at least 26! He likes the gas mileage of his car so hopefully he will listen to us.

We fixed the keg said:

---

Quote:

---

$99 to update how to get to Kyle Field or to my parent's house in Waco probably isn't worth it.

---

I am guessing if you forgot, there might be bigger problems than a GPS update.

---

There is a spot between Hearne and Bryan when I'm headed Southbound on Hwy 6 where I used to start getting prepped to kiss my freedom goodbye and get my head back into the Corps Game.

35 years later, reflexively, I still tense up right about there.

This would be one of the better trends to happen with people holding on to their cars longer. Swapping out vehicles every 3 years is nuts.

Agthatbuilds said:

---

HollywoodBQ said:

---

Looks like I'm at 15.3 years average ownership on my 3 vehicles.

Not sure if that means I'm above average or below average.

I drove my 25 year old, one owner, 1999 Ford Expedition on a 400 mile road trip a few weeks ago. It's got 250,000 miles on it but it sure is nice having a vehicle that's been paid off for 20 years.

---

I'm thinking about driving my 300k mile f250 on a 2500 mile road trip in a few weeks

---

I had to drive my '99 Expy to Nashville for a wedding last Labor Day.

No problems at all but due to some work related departure constraints, I wound up making a one day drive from Galveston to Nashville - 871 miles in about 14 hours. That's a new personal record for me.

Saw some of the fattest people I've ever seen in Hattiesburg, MS and those folks in Hunstville, AL were absolutely nuts about Bucee's.

Between Christmas and Spring Break, my VMI daughter drove my Expy to Richmond, VA and back - about 2,800 miles. Plus used it as her daily driver for 2 months.

That truck still only gets 13mpg with the 5.4L V8 but... who cares, I don't live in California anymore so gas is relatively cheap.

Teslag said:

---

HollywoodBQ said:

---

34blast said:

---

I'm always hesitant on new cars. There is a ton of new electronics, but eventually will have to pay the piper and get new, but nothing in site for a long time.

---

Speaking of electronics, Jeep is now nagging me to update the maps on the Navigation system for my 2020 Jeep Wrangler.

$99 to update how to get to Kyle Field or to my parent's house in Waco probably isn't worth it.

---

With carplay I don't even get the point of factory nav anymore

---

Came in real handy in Big Bend and also in the California High Desert when I had to go offroad to avoid a 7 hour long road closure due to a "Big Rig" fire on US395.

I know you could theoretically do the same thing with downloading maps ahead of time but in the US395 situation, I didn't know in advance that there was going to be a truck fire and 7 hour long road closure.

cecil77 said:

---

A car loan used to be 24 or 36 months. 48 months was way out there and your dad would slowly shake his head at you.

Maybe people are learning that 72 and 84 months loans for a rapidly depreciating asset is just nuts.

Drive 'em till they drop is the best way. I recently bought a new vehicle with only 6.5 years and 125K miles on my current one. Felt a little icky doing it. But the old one will be carrying around my new grandson soon.

---

This is actually a good reason to get a new car.

In my case, the grandson's car seat is too much of a hassle to get into the Expedition (even though his mom's car seat fit just fine).

So if we're doing any grandson stuff, we take the 2020 Wrangler with the modern car seat anchors. It's just way easier to mount/dismount.

Avg age = 12.5 years old.

Main car is 2016 CX-5 with 87k.
Second auto 2007 Escalade with 115k miles. Barely gets driven now days, but drivessolid for what we need it for. 1-2 short trips every other week.

I just paid $1500 to get AC repaired (evaporator replaced) on the Escalade.

Other than maintenance and insurance that AC repair has been the only cost we've had on cars since 2016 (bought the CX-5 with cash.)

I'm going to drive both cars until it's just not feasible.

We primed for Cash for Clunkers 2.0

Vehicle 1: 13 years old
Vehicle 2: 10 years old

Need to replace vehicle 1 in the next year only because an upcoming move is going to require it to be AWD. I will drive the wheels off vehicle 2.

Quote:

---

So if we're doing any grandson stuff, we take the 2020 Wrangler with the modern car seat anchors. It's just way easier to mount/dismount.

---

2017, it's got 'em.

HollywoodBQ said:

---

cecil77 said:

---

A car loan used to be 24 or 36 months. 48 months was way out there and your dad would slowly shake his head at you.

Maybe people are learning that 72 and 84 months loans for a rapidly depreciating asset is just nuts.

Drive 'em till they drop is the best way. I recently bought a new vehicle with only 6.5 years and 125K miles on my current one. Felt a little icky doing it. But the old one will be carrying around my new grandson soon.

---

This is actually a good reason to get a new car.

In my case, the grandson's car seat is too much of a hassle to get into the Expedition (even though his mom's car seat fit just fine).

So if we're doing any grandson stuff, we take the 2020 Wrangler with the modern car seat anchors. It's just way easier to mount/dismount.

---

Just get one of those Baby on Board stickers. They work great.

Truck 10 years old with 95k
Suv 11 years old with 150k

Waiting on a new SUV to arrive at the dealer. Both have been more and more expensive lately but still cheaper than a new one. We'll hopefully keep the truck a few more years.

Teslag said:

---

TxSquarebody said:

---

Yall drive stuff newer than 40 years old??

---

In almost 30 years of owning vehicles I honestly don't think I've kept anything longer than 5 years.

---

I am 55 years old, and I'm only on my third vehicle in my life.

I've felt for years that a young kid without college aspirations should become a mechanic as people are going to keep their cars longer with all of the liberal EV bs. That was before Biden effed up the economy to make this even more obvious.

HollywoodBQ said:

---

We fixed the keg said:

---

Quote:

---

$99 to update how to get to Kyle Field or to my parent's house in Waco probably isn't worth it.

---

I am guessing if you forgot, there might be bigger problems than a GPS update.

---

There is a spot between Hearne and Bryan when I'm headed Southbound on Hwy 6 where I used to start getting prepped to kiss my freedom goodbye and get my head back into the Corps Game.

35 years later, reflexively, I still tense up right about there.

---

My spot was coming up Hwy 21 from S.A. I recalled that last year when I was headed to A&M for daughter's graduation.

Rex Racer said:

---

Teslag said:

---

TxSquarebody said:

---

Yall drive stuff newer than 40 years old??

---

In almost 30 years of owning vehicles I honestly don't think I've kept anything longer than 5 years.

---

I am 55 years old, and I'm only on my third vehicle in my life.

---

Has to be a lie. I saw Speed crash you many times.

Pretty sure my 2016 Frontier will have no problem making it to 250K+. She is a tank and can go anywhere. Thought about getting a new one but they don't make them with a manual anymore.

I think they are deliberately making new vehicles so expensive now such that when the CCP BEV invasion happens people are relieved to see it. This stuff isn't just 'oh, well, oops.'

nortex97 said:

---

I think they are deliberately making new vehicles so expensive now such that when the CCP BEV invasion happens people are relieved to see it. This stuff isn't just 'oh, well, oops.'

---

This is the next-level pontificating you only get from an internet messageboard.

Logos Stick said:

---

HollywoodBQ said:

---

cecil77 said:

---

A car loan used to be 24 or 36 months. 48 months was way out there and your dad would slowly shake his head at you.

Maybe people are learning that 72 and 84 months loans for a rapidly depreciating asset is just nuts.

Drive 'em till they drop is the best way. I recently bought a new vehicle with only 6.5 years and 125K miles on my current one. Felt a little icky doing it. But the old one will be carrying around my new grandson soon.

---

This is actually a good reason to get a new car.

In my case, the grandson's car seat is too much of a hassle to get into the Expedition (even though his mom's car seat fit just fine).

So if we're doing any grandson stuff, we take the 2020 Wrangler with the modern car seat anchors. It's just way easier to mount/dismount.

---

Just get one of those Baby on Board stickers. They work great.

---

Did laugh

Cruiser87 said:

---

HollywoodBQ said:

---

We fixed the keg said:

---

Quote:

---

$99 to update how to get to Kyle Field or to my parent's house in Waco probably isn't worth it.

---

I am guessing if you forgot, there might be bigger problems than a GPS update.

---

There is a spot between Hearne and Bryan when I'm headed Southbound on Hwy 6 where I used to start getting prepped to kiss my freedom goodbye and get my head back into the Corps Game.

35 years later, reflexively, I still tense up right about there.

---

My spot was coming up Hwy 21 from S.A. I recalled that last year when I was headed to A&M for daughter's graduation.

---

Glad to know it wasn't just me.
A friend of mine from Houston said it was about Navasota for him.

Kansas Kid said:

---

While some of it is clearly new car prices and insurance rates, another big reason is cars last a lot longer today. I have a 14 year old van that is highly reliable and shows no signs of dying soon despite 250k miles. My cars bought in the 80s and 90s were end of life at 90-120k miles. I am amazed how many fewer repairs cars built in the last 10-15 years require.

---

You make a good point, although I think things started to change a bit in the '90s. My dad, who was born in the depression era and knew cars, never could get the "100K miles; car is done" thing out of his head. I had to constantly tell him, "Dad, that isn't just old school, it is flat out wrong." He did temper it from 2000 on with an "over 100K be careful" attitude, but I'm still more concerned with how a 5 year old, 100K mile Toyota (for example) is maintained than I am the mileage. My wife's Rav4 will run, for the most part, indefinitely. At least at the 8-9K a year she's putting on it.

Truthfully, V8 pickups could last well over 200K even as far back as the late '70s. But cars started getting good in at least the mid-90s and today, the right cars (Toyotas and Hondas for sure, and other makes/models) can easily go that 200K and beyond while well maintained. With some, the powertrain is solid but you'll have to replace other things (water/fuel pump, AC, etc.). Still others, like my '13 Maxima I used to have, are solid all around except for one poorly designed component (e.g. CVT in the Nissan).

You're correct: mileage is no longer an indicator of life or reliability. Constant maintenance and brand quality is.

coming from east texas it was around kurten

Then there are people like me. My Cadillac is 8 years old and I have 39k miles. At current pace, I will hit 40k by end of year.

Had always planned to replace when I turned 50 but now I'm just curious how long I can make it last. I feel like I'm on borrowed time already at 39k miles.

Some of you guys absolutely waist a ridiculous amount of money getting from point A to point B

I agree that during the 90s, there was a continual improvement in car quality especially by the US manufacturers because the Japanese were killing them in the market. I always think of the early 2000s as to when you could expect a car to consistently get over the 100k mark and the 2010s is when 200k+ become normal.

Rex Racer said:

---

Teslag said:

---

TxSquarebody said:

---

Yall drive stuff newer than 40 years old??

---

In almost 30 years of owning vehicles I honestly don't think I've kept anything longer than 5 years.

---

I am 55 years old, and I'm only on my third vehicle in my life.

---

You are the winner and the other guy who never kept a car longer than five years is the clear loser.

This is just one measure but it could probably be anything. Why in the world would someone waist money like that v

nortex97 said:

---

I think they are deliberately making new vehicles so expensive now such that when the CCP BEV invasion happens people are relieved to see it. This stuff isn't just 'oh, well, oops.'

---

Were the dealers tacking on $10k market adjustments to Kia Tellurides also a part of this kabal?

I have two car payments now and it's eye opening.

Wife had a ten year old minivan that was beat to hell on the inside raising two kids, and hauling around two fatass cats, a Bassett hound, and 3 Great Danes over those ten years. So we got her an Ascent in 2022. She loves it. Will be a 10-12 year car.

Mt truck is required to be of a certain age due to our vehicle plan and stipend policy. So I guess in reality I only have one payment on my own but it's crazy how much trucks cost. I don't think I'll get another one when I'm required to get rid of it.

11 year old F150 and 127k miles here.

Aside from the supply issues and economics of a new car, I wonder if the ability to do your own maintenance is part of helping people to keep cars longer. Every issue I've had seem to be common issues I can find multiple YouTube videos to help me fix. Probably a minority is motivated to fix on their own, but it's not hard given the resources available. It's definitely helped me keep my vehicles longer.

I like keeping cars 3-4 years and selling while the value is still high. If I bought a $50,000 car and drove it 12 years, it won't have much value left. If I lose $10-12,000 x 4 it's about the same money out of pocket over the same period of time when factoring in virtually $0 spent on maintenance beyond oil changes.

Same

All of the standard and safety features made new vehicles too expensive.