How long do you keep your cars?

[MonkeyMama]

I'd expect a car to last about 20 years. We drive 10k miles per year, so is usually equivalent to 200k miles. (We live in a mild climate and I think this plays into our car experiences. I'd expect any car to easily last 20 years).

With age and means, we seem to be keeping our cars for 10-15 years. We just disposed of a 15yo vehicle because it was too loud and rattly. & this was extra concerning for my spouse who is hard of hearing. It was a car we had paid very little for and drove for 14 years, so it was just time. (In our teens/20s it was the kind of car we would have just kept another several years).

In reality, I am already on my 4th car, because I seem unable to foresee what I want/need in the next 5 years. I drove my first car until the bitter end, but since then I've always sold my cars due to changing life circumstances.

[greenskeeper]

The car before that was a 1991 Camry. I only had that one for 7 years but at my old job I was doing a lot more driving so it got up there in mileage a lot faster.

I don't understand why people in general get "odometer anxious" when a vehicles odometer get's to a big number (100k or whatever).

If the vehicle has been maintained properly it can go a long way before needed major repairs.

In fact, I'd choose a high mileage car that was driven long trips frequently over a low mileage, short trip driveway queen.

Almost zero wear occurs when a vehicle is at operating temperature (provided fluids have been changed and maintenance performed on schedule)

[greenskeeper]

I forgot to add in my first response that not having car payments (two vehicles) that money is being deposited into our retirement accounts.

A quick search shows the average car payment to be $479.....imagine throwing that money towards investments

[disneysteve]

I don't understand why people in general get "odometer anxious" when a vehicles odometer get's to a big number (100k or whatever).

The cost of maintenance rises steadily as the car gets older. Things wear out. Of course, they can be replaced but it gets more and more costly as you have to put part after part into the car - starter, alternator, timing belt, tires, power window motors, struts, bearings, whatever. Every part has some finite lifespan.

I kept the 1991 for about 128,000 miles.
I kept the 1998 for about 158,000 miles.
I'm only 75,000 into the 2006 so it'll be around for a while.

It isn't like I'm trading the things in when they're practically new.

[GoodSteward]

My 07 Sienna has 160K miles and my 07 Avalon has 170k miles. I'm good with both. I use Syn Blend and change it every 6-7k miles. I know it's rated at 5k but it's mostly highway miles driving back and forth to church at 200 miles a round trip.

When I first got the van and was using Syn Blend I got concerned when I hit 5k on a trip and thought I might be pushing it. My brother (does mechanic work on the side) looked at the dip stick and asked me "Are you sure you have 5k miles on this?" The oil still looked new. Highway miles don't do much to a car, and I don't worry too much about going over anymore.

[HundredK]

We keep our cars until they're near dead. Just until repairs exceed the average cost of a car loan. Hopefully the next car we buy we'll pay for out of pocket, because that shouldn't be for at least another 10 years or more.

[greenskeeper]

My 07 Sienna has 160K miles and my 07 Avalon has 170k miles. I'm good with both. I use Syn Blend and change it every 6-7k miles. I know it's rated at 5k but it's mostly highway miles driving back and forth to church at 200 miles a round trip.

When I first got the van and was using Syn Blend I got concerned when I hit 5k on a trip and thought I might be pushing it. My brother (does mechanic work on the side) looked at the dip stick and asked me "Are you sure you have 5k miles on this?" The oil still looked new. Highway miles don't do much to a car, and I don't worry too much about going over anymore.

You could send a sample to get analyzed for $28 at blackstone labs. They will tell you how long you can safely go on an oil change and also the condition of your engine based on the amount and type of metals in the oil.

5k on synthetic is on the low end of oil change interval.

[Thrif-t]

We keep our cars as long as we can! And we try to buy lower mileage used cars from older folks. We have 3 teenagers and our cars consist of a 2002 Toyota Corolla with 80k miles, a 2003 Volkswagon Beetle with 56,000, a 2009 Honda Odyssey with 96k *family van, bought this new. And a 2006 Buick Lucerne with 110k.

All but the van were bought used with low miles. My DH drives the Buick and puts a lot of miles on for work. This will be the next car we replace, we are on the lookout now for another good used car, it takes a while. Our DS16 will drive the Buick for as long as it lasts him. I'm not planning on replacing the Van for at least another 5 or 6 years.

[DaveInPgh]

I think some of the new features are appealing, but I wouldn't replace a perfectly good vehicle to get them.

I also think a lot of newer features are outrageously annoying. For example, my rear view mirror has that auto-dim feature which I find downright dangerous as it greatly reduces visibility in low light situations. The first thing I do after I start the car is turn that off.

Another dangerous "benefit" is how all the door locks automatically unlock when you park the car. Really? Have they never heard of car-jacking? We had the dealer turn that off in both of our cars. I'll unlock just my door when I'm ready to get out. I'm not opening all 4 doors.

And I hate how newer cars have removed key entry on the passenger door and trunk making you totally dependent on the key fob to enter the vehicle.

Excellent points. I do have a keyless entry vehicle and do like having it as an option, but I would prefer to have a standard key for both unlocking the car and for starting the car.

Just yesterday the security feature got tripped up while we were out. I am assuming my wife touched her door first and the car acknowledged her remote to start the car. She got out of the car to drop something off at a friend's house, and I noticed the car stopped detecting a "key" inside the car. I wanted to get the car to recognize my key so I turned it off and attempted to restart it. Bad move. The security feature kicked in and I couldn't get the car to start even when she got back in. Thankfully I had my book in the car because I had no clue what to do. I looked it up and followed the steps necessary to start the car, but it was extremely stressful. Would have been nice to just put a key in the ignition and get moving.

[bjl584]

My truck is a 2011 with 57,000 miles on it.
I bought it brand new, and it's been paid off for a year and a half or so.

I plan to keep it until it is 10 to 12 years old.

[chestynuts]

Usually we buy a new one every 4-5 years

[phantom]

It's too soon to say. I bought my first car new in 2004, and I haven't gotten rid of it yet. My husband and I have been talking about replacing it for at least two years. But, it only has 80k miles, I still like it, and the repairs haven't been too expensive. I'd like to have a car with a backup camera, but not enough to really want to go spend tens of thousands of dollars on a new car.

[Singuy]

The car I just replaced I had for 14 years. My wife's car was about 16 years old. We don't expect to keep our current cars nearly as long..mostly because they are no longer the tried and true reliable workhorse from Japan. I am hoping these cars will last me long enough to get into the next gen of electric cars with the new fast charging abilities(imagine 0-80% in 5 mins). Gasoline is soooo 2010...

[LivingAlmostLarge]

13 years and 10 years. Then we kept DH's last car only 4.5 years and my current car is 6 years. I am guessing 10 years at least if not more. Mostly I got rid of the corolla because he insisted on side airbags.

[TexasHusker]

We trade every couple of years. I have no idea why, other than that I'm a car lover and always enjoy the latest and greatest.