How Long Do You Keep A Car?

[Irrev-Black]

Herself was just doing some totting-up regarding how many cars she's had: her total is five in 38 years.

Mine's ten in 48 years, and includes one that was basically a second-car plaything, and one that I used for an interstate move, then gave away to a family member.

The person who kicked off our counting has a friend who's done 30 cars in 25 years.

How's your car/years ratio?

[stylofone]

Herself was just doing some totting-up regarding how many cars she's had: her total is five in 38 years.

Mine's ten in 48 years, and includes one that was basically a second-car plaything, and one that I used for an interstate move, then gave away to a family member.

The person who kicked off our counting has a friend who's done 30 cars in 25 years.

How's your car/years ratio?

Seven in 38 years. All Japanese makes, all 4 cylinder except my Daihatsu Mira...which was 3!

My current thinking is to look for an opportunity to never have another car, but realistically I would need to find somewhere else to live where alternative transport is easier. If that's not practical, I will, at the appropriate time, get an EV, but I will be happy with a lower-range model - an "old man happy car" as the Chinese call them - and try to make it the last.

[nutmeg]

I've owned 6 cars in just under 38 years, which included a gap of 3 years when I had a company car.
If I hadn't migrated to Australia it would only be 5 cars - I sold a car which I'd only owned for 2 years at that time

[pipbarber]

7 in 30 years. It would be less but none of them were bought new and 4 of the 7 were sold/given to wreckers due to being beyond repair and the others were given away, close to beyond repair. I can't recall ever having sold a car, actually. Basically, i drive then til they die, then grumpily buy another. Why don't they make cars that last for a lifetime?

[two dogs]

15 in 54 years.

The most common makes have been Suzuki 4WDs (4), Mercedes-Benz (3), and Jeep (2).

My current Jeep (a 2019 Cherokee KL Trailhawk) holds the record for the longest length of time I've kept a car.

[stevebrooks]

My Hyundai i30 is the original release model, just come up on 200k kms, released the beginning of 2007, so 17 years now, it's been so good and reliable I see no need to replace it unless it catches the big one through either accident or motor dying on it. Mind you I am the same with phones, Samsung S7 purchased new is now 6 years old, it replaced a Samsung S5 that was around 6 years old, I see no reason to replace stuff that's working fine, why would you?

[stylofone]

My Hyundai i30 is the original release model, just come up on 200k kms, released the beginning of 2007, so 17 years now, it's been so good and reliable I see no need to replace it unless it catches the big one through either accident or motor dying on it. Mind you I am the same with phones, Samsung S7 purchased new is now 6 years old, it replaced a Samsung S5 that was around 6 years old, I see no reason to replace stuff that's working fine, why would you?

I'm still using my S5. Unfortunately it will stop working in June when Telstra switches off 3G.

I have not been keeping its operating system up to date, so in theory that leaves me with potential security vulnerabilities. So that's one motivation to update it. But in practice I think the risk is fairly low given the way I use it, so I've stuck with it.

[Wrenn]

I owned 2 cars in 34 years. A 1972 Toyota Crown bought for $400 in 1989 and a 1997 Toyota Prado bought new for much more. I still drive the Prado though in 3 weeks it will be sold to the wreckers as I am heading overseas and it will cost more in repairs than its worth to get a WA registration so its not worth selling despite still running fine.

I owned 9 bicycles in that time and did more miles on bikes than cars.

I won't buy a new car for at least 3 more years as I'm heading off travelling for a few years.