Average US vehicle age hits record 12.6 years as high prices force people to keep them longer

8 comments

1. Don’t worry because that’ll change soon!

   …just joking. It won’t. Because tariffs will 1) mean affordable, good EVs from China won’t enter the US anytime soon and 2) the american companies have little incentive to change what they do and 3) even if they did, they’d not be competitive anytime soon.

   Expensive SUV/Trucks it is for the American market!

2. Also because they are built better. In the old days, the closer a car got to 100k miles, the more chance expensive components like the transmission would have problems. Nowadays, that’s less of an issue. My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport that I purchased in 2016. Just hit 72k and not one problem.

3. Yet it seems like everyone i know just purchased a new jeep. 

4. I believe it as I just called to put one in the shop a few days ago and they told me it would be 3 weeks until they could get to it.

   That number is gonna get higher and higher IMO. We just simply are building less cars and selling them for higher prices. When you go from building 12 million cars a year to 10 million its gonna be felt. So that means that the used car market is gonna get tighter and tighter.

   The whole ev/ice issue throws even more of a wrench into that issue.

5. One of the smartest things you can do is keep your car as long as it is serviceable.

6. I have a 2007 Accord (4 cylinder), and it is extremely well maintained. I expect my car to run for a long time on its original transmission and engine, and I also never plan to sell mine.

   If you have an old car, understand and keep up with preventative maintenance such as driver belt, spark plugs, cabin and engine air filters, all fluids (oil, transmission, power steering, brake, coolant, etc.). All this will help your car run longer (assuming you have a good mechanic around the area).

   And Set aside for some major expenses such as brakes, suspension work, for a rainy day. You’ll thank yourself later.

7. Mine is bow 10 years old and I’m keeping it pretty much forever. I used ti get new car fever every 3 years. I lobe new cars. Too expensive.

8. Nice! Now I dont feel so bad driving a 2013 A3