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.
Photograph Courtesy Mazda
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 worldwide chip shortage, just to name two—have pushed many people to hold on to their cars longer. Still, we’d like to think that our many readers who find pleasure in keeping older cars alive have helped to skew that data at least a little bit.
What’s the longest you’ve ever held on to a car? Or what’s the oldest running car in your fleet?
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.
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.
This is my favorite stat for the "Cars don't last like they used to" crowd.
I'm selling my 2018 DD and replaced it with a 2002. I am the data.
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
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
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.
We're at about 7 until I add the Firefly.
14.5
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.
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.
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