How long do you keep a new vehicle?

[thedriver]

I was thinking about this the other day. I tend to drive til its dead, unless something odd happens. Everyone else?

[Delta Force79]

same as you, until its dead or something happens....I grow to care for my car like a family member and don't like to see them go...which is why I've always wondered how car guys can just buy a car keep it a year or two an dmove onto the next w/o developing a bond with a car. I'm 24 years old and I've owned my 1979 Delta 88 for 6 years, not to mentioned the 5 other crs I've owned, currently I own my Olds which is awaiting restoration and my Riviera which is my daily driver.

[Drew Dowdell]

I lease for just under the length of the warranty.

[z28luvr01]

I'll let you know when I sell this one...it's my first new car.

[Flybrian]

Until it dies.

[bowtie_dude]

Never had a new vehicle until we bought our Escape a year ago. Plan on keeping it until its paid off, then the wife will probably sell it, privately, and lease a new vehicle.

Personally, I've never owned a new vehicle (the Escape is technically my wife's vehicle). When I get around to replacing the Crapalier, it will probably be a lightly used (finance) or a new lease.

[AxelTheRed]

I ran my Eighty Eight into the ground (straight into the ground...I only got $150 for it), but I plan on selling my Intrepid sometime in 2009 in favor of a Camaro or Challenger.

Edited April 5, 2007 by AxelTheRed

[Intrepidation]

The newest car in my family, which is also the first car I bought and with my name on the Title, is the Intrepid...I plan on keeping it for a long long time, as with all of our cars. They become part of the family and parting with them would just be so sad.

[Drew Dowdell]

Until it dies.

which life is your feline Aurora on now fly?

[DetroitNut90]

We keep our vehicles until they don't run anymore or it wouldn't be fiscally sensible to keep them running. The only exception to this is our Venture, which I'm trying to persuade my parents to trade in on something new (like an Outlook) before the head gasket and intake manifold get any worse than they already are.

[Oracle of Delphi]

2 years!

[Paolino]

Til it's either dead or near it. I might just be able to get a new car before the Century craps out for good.

[trinacriabob]

2 years!

Times 6 =

12 years....AT LEAST

I've only bought new once and it's coming up on 15 years, next month!

This way, the fact that a car depreciates so much when you drive it off the lot becomes a non-issue.

If you take REALLY good care of it and if you start out with a LONG-LIVED powertrain to begin with, making a dozen years and 200,000 miles should be no problem.

Edited April 5, 2007 by trinacriabob

[lakefire]

until I can afford a new one...which is pretty much when I have to buy one.

I've only purchased one car and that was Nov of 2003. So I would say at least 3.5 years.

[NOS2006]

I think it would depend on the car to me. The Camaro I drove for about 2.5 years (though it was at our house for about 6) and sold to a good friend. Now I've got the Cobalt and I'm planning on keeping that at least until I graduate college in 2010-2011ish. It'll hopefully be paid off, or close to it, by then, and hopefully I'll be driving a new Camaro Z/28. But, again, we'll all see how it pans out.

[K.C.]

I keep vehicles about two years, unless its a Corvette and then I keep it until the next generation model comes out. My husband keeps his cars until they are paid off, and with the DTS, and then some. I get tired of cars and trucks pretty quick so I switch them out alot.

[Ravenfreak13]

Until:

-finance allows for a new car

-car dies/is totaled

[AM6_Cutlass]

I've never had a "new" vehicle, but I kept my Cutlass Supreme coupe for 6 1/2 years. I originally didn't plan on keeping that long, but lack of comparable replacement kept it around a bit longer. I would have kept it longer still if it didn't start breaking down/leaving me stranded on a monthly basis. I've had my Impala for about a year and a half... plan on keeping it for another year and a half to two years. If I go ahead with my plans to go brand new next time (Impala or Lacrosse), I plan on keeping it for at least ten years, or longer if there isn't anything comparable to replace it with at the time (front wheel drive and bench seat). I pretty much always want the same thing, just with different styling and fuel economy improvement would be a bonus.

Edited April 5, 2007 by AM6_Cutlass

[Sixty8panther]

At least 15 minutes... sometimes as long as 3 weeks.

But seriously I'd say the average lifespan of a vehicle

in my fleet is right around one year. There's a few I've

kept a LOOONG time like the 1968 Camaro I had for

four years but then others like my Suburban or first

Fleetwood Brougham I only kept for a few weeks.

[Camino LS6]

For a new car, about three years or so. Any older car, evrything from a few weeks to a decade or more.

Why?

Simple!

So many cars, so little time. :AH-HA_wink:

[ocnblu]

I've changed vehicles a lot so far in my life. The longest I've ever kept a new vehicle... 4.5 years and 125k miles... the shortest... 4 months I believe.

[Northstar]

I drove the Alero for 22 months before I got the GTO, which I've had for 14 months (wow, seems much shorter, how time flies!). I'll keep it for a long, long time unless I find an '05/06 that is very inexpensive to trade up to, but I think it makes more sense to just throw a few mods on what I have and have the same or more power that I'd have for less money by trading up.

[balthazar]

Shortest ownership (vintage) : 3 weeks.

Longest ownership (vintage) : 21 years and counting

Only new vehicle data : 13 years and counting

[capriceman]

until the gas in the tank is wroth more than the car, then its time.

[knightfan26917]

Hmmm...depends....

My current MC Family will stay with me as long as possible (humanly or otherwise).

I've had the...

...'72 MC for 5 years

...'76 MC Landau for 9 years

...'79 MC Landau for 15 years

...'81 MC SC for 8 years

...'87 MC LS for 4 years

Previous cars were not so lucky:

'88 MC LS ... 3 years

'00 Lumina LS, er monte carlo ... 3 years

'97 Corsica, er malibu ... 2 years

Ironically ... the 2 new cars I bought ... I kept the least amount of time....

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

my radio show:CD SHOWCASE.7p-11p central.Friday/April 6 = www.wrmn1410.com

[Cory Wolfe]

Well... So far, I've had the Grand Am for 2 years and 4 months while I've had my Millenia for 10 months.

[bobo]

A new vehicle every three years, though I tend to keep adding to the fleet rather than selling anything off.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

I generally dont like to keep a new car longer than about 3-4 years and/or 36-48,000 miles. I like to be able to get rid of it while it is still worth something and before I have to start replacing things like tires,brakes,etc. I dont mind keeping the 1981 and doing things with it. That car is made a lot different than todays cars and I feel it is made more for long term keeping.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I drove the Alero for 22 months before I got the GTO, which I've had for 14 months (wow, seems much shorter, how time flies!). I'll keep it for a long, long time unless I find an '05/06 that is very inexpensive to trade up to, but I think it makes more sense to just throw a few mods on what I have and have the same or more power that I'd have for less money by trading up.

Plenty of 06 GTO's sitting on dealer lots. I hear Lutz may have a Fire Sale soon!

Edited April 6, 2007 by Pontiac Custom-S

[trinacriabob]

Plenty of 06 GTO's sitting on dealer lots. I hear Lutz may have a Fire Sale soon!

Which is amazing, because I think it's such a good looking car....especially in silver with the red interior and red gauges!

Ser gut!

[daves87rs]

Plenty of 06 GTO's sitting on dealer lots. I hear Lutz may have a Fire Sale soon!

Hmmm...I like!

It depends with me....

I'll usually keep em for a while..

With the wife the car will be leased for now on...

[Dsuupr]

38 vehicles in 19 years of driving. Basically a car every 6 months. I keep thinking I should slow down, but there are just to many cars to love and such a short life span to live.