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Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
6/15/21 12:26 p.m.
feature_image

According to a study released by IHS Markit, a global financial services company, the average age of cars driving on American roads is now 12.1 years. In comparison, 12 years ago, in 2009, the average age of cars on the road was a little over 10 years.

Graph Courtesy IHS Markit

Sure, a number of factors from 2020—a global pandemic and …

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rslifkin
rslifkin UberDork
6/15/21 12:28 p.m.

Currently we're a fleet of 3.  A 2009, a 2001, and a 1998 model.  The 01 and 09 are both DDs, although mine (the 01) gets fairly low mileage put on it at this point. 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/15/21 12:31 p.m.

I haven't calculated for a while, but I think the average age of our fleet is about a quarter century.

Looking at these stats is actually pretty interesting. The average age stayed low for quite a while. It's been a while since I dug into them.

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter)
Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
6/15/21 12:34 p.m.

This is my favorite stat for the "Cars don't last like they used to" crowd.

maschinenbau
maschinenbau GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
6/15/21 12:40 p.m.

I'm selling my 2018 DD and replaced it with a 2002. I am the data. 

Turbine
Turbine GRM+ Memberand Reader
6/15/21 12:42 p.m.

We're a fleet of 4 with an average age of 15.75, but both mine and SWMBO's DD's are each less than 10 years old. Nothing we own has less than 110k miles 

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
6/15/21 12:43 p.m.

My C10 really throws a curve ball into the mix pushing us to 18.75 year average age in the fleet. Take it out and we're 10.6

John Welsh
John Welsh Mod Squad
6/15/21 12:48 p.m.

I daily drive a combo of 04, 06, or 07 so that's 17, 15, or 14 years old. 

I keep my wife in something newer,  currently 2019 or 2 years old

 All those 4 average out to 12 years.  I feel so average. 

Mr. Peabody
Mr. Peabody UltimaDork
6/15/21 12:51 p.m.

We're at about 7 until I add the Firefly.

14.5

wspohn
wspohn SuperDork
6/15/21 12:57 p.m.

Think I'm on the older side vis a vis my equipe.

2009, 2007, 1971, 1962, 1958, 1956.  All are sports cars except the 71 which is a GT car.

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter)
Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
6/15/21 1:03 p.m.
Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

This is my favorite stat for the "Cars don't last like they used to" crowd.

01 Boxster S - 19 Fusion Sport - 15 Expedition

Me too, but even on this forum facts mean nothing.  I've seen people here claim these stats are false and that it's a factor of more cars being on the road, not that they last longer, even though that's entirely backwards if you think about it.  Logic and stats are never enough for true believers of their own world view.

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
6/15/21 1:05 p.m.

We are a fleet of 1 currently. It's a 2018.

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter)
Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
6/15/21 1:21 p.m.

Damn, if you count model year we're at 11.6 years over five vehicles ranging from 99 to 17.  So we're right on the average.

aircooled
aircooled MegaDork
6/15/21 1:26 p.m.

Uhm yeah.   If you include my wife's car I am at 42 years average.  Just mine.. 52 years!

nocones
nocones GRM+ Memberand UberDork
6/15/21 1:30 p.m.

If you count the vehicles that actually work and get driven I'm at 25.8, if you throw in the broken ones I'm at 31.7.   

Keep in mind that's with the DDs being a 2017 & 2018..   

Ian F (Forum Supporter)
Ian F (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
6/15/21 1:47 p.m.

I guess it depends on whether or not collector cars that aren't driven that much get included in the calculation.

If I include my three classic cars and the big van (intended to be a p/t vehicle), the average age is 29 years old. ('72, '73, '79, '92)

If I only include the three modern drivers, the average age is 12.  (03, 06, 17)

asphalt_gundam
asphalt_gundam Reader
6/15/21 1:48 p.m.

26.5 for me...07, 04, 85, 82

Future chances of buying something pre 80 is much higher than something post 2000

frenchyd
frenchyd UltimaDork
6/15/21 2:01 p.m.

59.5 years fleet average. 
 

67LS1
67LS1 New Reader
6/15/21 2:02 p.m.

I'm 63 years old and have exactly one new car in my life. I count that one purchase as probably the biggest financial mistakes I've ever made.

But I've also never ever had a car payment. Which I count amongst my best financial moves.

My current fleet is 1966, 1990, 2008, 2012 and 2015. 

ShawnG
ShawnG UltimaDork
6/15/21 2:04 p.m.

No matter what the government, EPA, dealerships and manufacturers tell you, Cars are more than capable of lasting well over 25 years without anything more than the maintenance listed in the owners manual. Rust belt people may have a different experience.

For some reason, people have been programmed that cars only last 5 years and it's somehow smarter to buy a new car than invest a couple thousand dollars in repairing whatever major component has just failed.

02Pilot
02Pilot UltraDork
6/15/21 2:07 p.m.

Four car average of 23 years old, and one of them is a 2021.

ultraclyde
ultraclyde UltimaDork
6/15/21 2:12 p.m.

3 car average of 10.3....but that 2005 Mustang is really dragging me down, lol.

how about average mileage? 108,000 give or take. 

Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter)
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
6/15/21 2:14 p.m.

Or average is 25.3 years old. I thi k the 1970 duster really throws it 

eastsideTim
eastsideTim PowerDork
6/15/21 2:21 p.m.

Let's see, counting just the two "daily" drivers, we average 7.5 years old.  Combine all of our cars, and that bumps us to 23.2 years old.

j_tso
j_tso Reader
6/15/21 2:29 p.m.

the daily driver is 21 years old, the fun car is 18 years older than that.

 

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