Industry News: Average Age Of Vehicles In U.S. Is Now 11 Years

[William Maley]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 28, 2012

The average age of a vehicle in the U.S. has hit a record high. According to Experian Automotive, the average age of the 245 million vehicles registered in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2012 was 11 years. That's an increase of just over 2 months when compared to last year.

Experian Automotive goes onto say that more than 52 million cars and trucks in the U.S. are 16 years or older.

Experian Automotive's analysis also found that Ford has the most models on the road compared to any other automaker. That really shouldn't come as a surprise since the Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for 30 straight years. The top four automakers with the oldest models on the road include;

• Ford: 17.2%
  
• Chevrolet: 15.8%
  
• Honda: 10.4%
  
• Toyota: 7.3%
  

The four most popular models are;

• Ford F-150: 3.4%
  
• Honda Accord: 2.6%
  
• Toyota Camry: 2.6%
  
• Chevrolet Sliverado: 2.0%
  

Why are there more old vehicles on the road? For one, the recession and sluggish recovery has caused people put off buying or trading-in for a new or used car. Also, vehicles are just better built. During the 90's, improvement in quality picked up serious momentum.

Source: CNBC

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster

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[daves87rs]

Yep...that's why I'm keeping mine....

[ocnblu]

If my employment status doesn't change soon, I might be joining the "older vehicle" crowd.

[A Horse With No Name]

It's a good thing...the MINI is 10 years old, the Miata is 11, my work truck is 11, my other work truck is 16 years old, wife/son's car is a 2005 but has almost 200k....

And all of them pretty much have the wheels driven off of them...;work trucks are going 6-7 days a week, the cars are regularly beaten into submission on an autocross course....and we just keep chugging along....

[Robert Hall]

2 12 yr old cars in my driveway (Grand Cherokee and my sister's DTS), and the two older Mercs in the back driveway. Reliable, paid for cars are nice...but eventually going to have to get something new(er).

[A Horse With No Name]

2 12 yr old cars in my driveway (Grand Cherokee and my sister's DTS), and the two older Mercs in the back driveway. Reliable, paid for cars are nice...but eventually going to have to get something new(er).

I see perhaps the 2015 Mustang or Camaro, which should be lighter and more nimble....that I could see in your driveway.

Either that or just break down and buy a current generation Boss 302....perhaps the best pony car ever....

[loki]

my 99 monte, while losing it's clear-coat on the hood, and some paint in other places, is..... like a rock...with a motor. lol

[A Horse With No Name]

my 99 monte, while losing it's clear-coat on the hood, and some paint in other places, is..... like a rock...with a motor. lol

...and it keeps on chuggin along...

[G. David Felt]

My oldest is a 94 GMC Suburban and my newest is a 2006 Escalade ESV. I truly have loved some of the new auto's GM has come out with, but fitting into them is a problem for my 6'6" tall frame.

They are building them better, but also they are building them smaller and us big guys will hold onto our old roomy dependable and no Nanny Electronic Auto's!!!

[jwbouch]

So, that probably includes vehicles like my 1929 Willy's Knight that gets driven less then 100 miles per year? My two cars have an average age of 41.5. A '12 Fusion an the '29 Willy's Knight.

[balthazar]

With how some go on & on about how unilaterally better modern tin is (not to mention the average transaction price), I would think by extrapolation, the average age would be closer to 20 yrs old.

[daves87rs]

2 12 yr old cars in my driveway (Grand Cherokee and my sister's DTS), and the two older Mercs in the back driveway. Reliable, paid for cars are nice...but eventually going to have to get something new(er).

Kinda sounds like me...gotta get a new one....

[Intrepidation]

My car is 12 years old now, which means I've owned it for half its life. That's pretty cool.

The Prizm is 18 years old.

The Grand Marquis is 19 years old.

I think the Camry is 15 years old.

[ocnblu]

Seems like Ford makes the toughest vehicles, followed by Chevrolet.

[Camino LS6]

My newest vehicle is 17 years old and should hit 200,000 miles sometime this week.

[G. David Felt]

Seems like Ford makes the toughest vehicles, followed by Chevrolet.

Naw, not the Toughest, just people are sold on a cheap ass plastic interior with rubberband and twin body on frame and a Lego Engine. Cheap to fix, so the bulk of people buy em.

[ocnblu]

maybe!

[G. David Felt]

Ya know that this just drives home the need to move to CNG. Hold a car for 11 years and the amount of money saved if freakin amazing!

[daves87rs]

Don't Miss the car payments...

[A Horse With No Name]

Seems like Ford makes the toughest vehicles, followed by Chevrolet.

Naw, not the Toughest, just people are sold on a cheap ass plastic interior with rubberband and twin body on frame and a Lego Engine. Cheap to fix, so the bulk of people buy em.

Actually I think Mercedes Benz, Volvo, and BMW have the longest average lasting cars on the road, but there are more old Fords on the road largely because so many ugly rusted F150's run forever...

Ya know that this just drives home the need to move to CNG. Hold a car for 11 years and the amount of money saved if freakin amazing!

CNG is a good idea...

[ocnblu]

My new truck...