How Old Is Your Vehicle ?

If you drive an old vehicle  you are  not alone. Research shows that Americans are keeping their vehicles longer than ever.

Years ago, owning a car for 10 years was seen as driving the car into the ground. Today, that’s pretty much the norm.

Research shows that American drivers are keeping their cars longer than ever. In 2012, the average age of the 247 million vehicles on American roads pushed past 11 years for the first time. That’s almost two years longer than Americans kept their cars in 2007.

Experts expect the average age to remain at today’s average of 11.4 years in 2015 before it increases again and reaches an estimated 11.7 years in 2019.

So why are American drivers keeping cars longer than ever? 

Better vehicles

Part of the blame falls on the automakers themselves. Auto makers are simply building better vehicles that offer increased durability. That translates into drivers feeling more confident about driving their vehicles longer.

The changing face of high mileage

Increased mileage expectations provide proof of the longevity in today’s vehicles. In the 60s and 70s, vehicle odometers could not exceed 99,999 miles before “rolling over” to zeros once again. Today, many vehicle owners view 100,000 miles as a vehicle’s midlife – just as they view five to six years of age to be a marker of the same.

Increasingly in today’s market, 200,000 miles is the new 100,000 miles. Research  shows that five different models have three percent or more of their current fleet eclipsing the 200,000 mile mark on America’s roads. As technology continues to improve, experts believe 200,000 miles will become the new mark for a high-mileage vehicle.

Car-Lotta Credit and Car Sales has vehicles of all Makes- Models and Mileages