Average Age of U.S. Vehicles Hits Record 11.5 Years, Report Says | Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com

Average Age of U.S. Vehicles Hits Record 11.5 Years, Report Says | Edmunds.com

A new report found that Americans are hanging onto their cars longer than ever, as the average age of light vehicles on the road reached a new all-time high of 11.5 years at the end of 2014.

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atlgaxt

This "average age" of cars on the road is always quoted in news articles but it is a confusing figure to me. If this is the average age of the fleet, the number would tend to be distorted by older cars. As an example, if you have 19 one year old cars and one 40 year old car the average age of the fleet is 2.95 years. I am not sure that is a meaningful number. I think the median age of the fleet would tell you something useful. The average age when a vehicle is scrapped or otherwise pulled out of service would tell you something. I am also confused about how length of ownership for new and old cars fits into this.

stress83

" I am also confused about how length of ownership for new and old cars fits into this. "

Agree -- length of ownership is important.

Also, one could perhaps have a 20-30 year old collector car that simply gets a thousand or so miles each year. How does the report take that into consideration?