Average Vehicle age now 12.6 years old
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Anytime I stop by my buddies large independent shop its mostly newer vehicles they are working on with major issues. Not high mileage vehicles either. Mostly domestics. Ecotec and Ecoboost engines keep them busy.What? Who doesn't want to pay $55k car at 8% interest for 8 years?
What really grinds my gears is how longevity of modern platforms has decreased compared to years past.
Is it really worth 1 extra mpg if you have to rebuild the top end at 60k miles? Or constantly burn oil? That's real good for the environment
Rant off/
The commonality of the these engines, which are one Ford and one GM are that they are both DOHC with chains, and are turbocharged. The Ford also has the internal water pump problem for sideways FWD engines. I would imagine Consumers Reports would have filled-in black circles for these engines for their respective years.
I've been having this EXACT thought and in fact decided against starting a thread about it because of the political implications.What? Who doesn't want to pay $55k car at 8% interest for 8 years?
What really grinds my gears is how longevity of modern platforms has decreased compared to years past.
Is it really worth 1 extra mpg if you have to rebuild the top end at 60k miles? Or constantly burn oil? That's real good for the environment
Rant off/
But I can't help but feel that those patting themselves on the back for getting "good mileage" while burning a quart every thousand just don't get it. I actually tried to explain it to a soccer dad the other day and got the classic blank stare.
Once you say "low tension piston rings" people tune out and return to their safe world of CNN. Ignorance truly is bliss!
I've also said this before but we've gotten about as good as we will at building ICE automobiles. Yeah, we'll still see gains but it'll be tiny percentages or less every few years in power and mileage (reliability already seems a distant third and readily sacrificed for the first two).
But -- and I'm admittedly cherry picking extremes here -- if we look at 12 years apart: let's say an '85 F150 with a carb'd 351, v-belts, C6 and a distributor. Then fast forward 12 years to 1997 where you get EFI, serp belt, overdrive and DIS. In this example you gotta conveniently ignore that the Ford modular in '97 was gutless and did spit plugs although the plug thing is kinda over-dramatized.
Now, take today with another 12 year gap. What major things are you really gaining from 2012 to 2024? Direct injection? Not sure that's a plus. Six more ratios in an automatic? That can be good, depending. A BUC? I still use my mirrors.
I dunno, we've mostly plateaud (is that a word?) at building vehicles. The next things are gonna have to be EVs, self-driving, or Jetson personal hovercraft things. I'm not advocating for any of this, just saying twelve years of "progress" today doesn't amount to much for the consumer
But -- and I'm admittedly cherry picking extremes here -- if we look at 12 years apart: let's say an '85 F150 with a carb'd 351, v-belts, C6 and a distributor. Then fast forward 12 years to 1997 where you get EFI, serp belt, overdrive and DIS. In this example you gotta conveniently ignore that the Ford modular in '97 was gutless and did spit plugs although the plug thing is kinda over-dramatized.
Now, take today with another 12 year gap. What major things are you really gaining from 2012 to 2024? Direct injection? Not sure that's a plus. Six more ratios in an automatic? That can be good, depending. A BUC? I still use my mirrors.
I dunno, we've mostly plateaud (is that a word?) at building vehicles. The next things are gonna have to be EVs, self-driving, or Jetson personal hovercraft things. I'm not advocating for any of this, just saying twelve years of "progress" today doesn't amount to much for the consumer
After having a 76 Ford product, followed by an 85 Ford product, my family learned never to buy a Ford product again.
There's no way I would go from buying a Ford truck engine that spits out spark plugs, to then buying a Ford truck engine with 2 piece spark plugs that break in the cylinder head, to then buying another Ford truck engine that has cam phaser issues, to then buying another Ford truck engine that dumps coolant directly into the oil pan.
I just don't understand why people keep buying Fords.
There's no way I would go from buying a Ford truck engine that spits out spark plugs, to then buying a Ford truck engine with 2 piece spark plugs that break in the cylinder head, to then buying another Ford truck engine that has cam phaser issues, to then buying another Ford truck engine that dumps coolant directly into the oil pan.
I just don't understand why people keep buying Fords.
I think the main reason is cost (initial purchased price) when compared to the competition.
It's the same reason why many new to the Volvo brand go with them over BMW, MB, Porsche etc.
Cheaper to purchase, but the long-term maintenance and repairs are comparable.
Ford has a great marketing department. Don't forget the aluminum doors/handles that freeze in the cold. If my GM truck didn't have AFM cylinder deactivation it would be a much better engine. Still, my old truck seems far more reliable than new GM trucks with all their electronics and even more complex and faulty engines. Even after a decade of AFM/DFM, the engines still have issues in 2024 models.
Build back better = driving a 13 year old car.
Months back took my 08 Acura TL to --- "We buy any Car" just to see what there offer and scheme technique was. They tried to give me half exactly what Kelly Blue Book had it listed. Told the female that was working the sales that the average car now between 10 and going on 13 years old and likely to rise. She adamantly shook her head no and telling me no at the same time. As I got up, laughed at her and walked out the door.
You totally missed the point. You can use my example with GM (although the square bodies will have support for a long time yet) or Dodge.
Look at what you gain from an '85 Chevy or Dodge to a '97 Chevy or Dodge.
Now, with that in mind, what do you gain from a 2024 Chevy or Dodge that is markedly improved over a 2012 Chevy or Dodge? A bigger nav screen maybe? I suppose LED packages are nice on today's stuff (I like it on my '19 Wrangler).
Also: nothing against people who want or own brand new vehicles. I'm just saying most of our automotive "advancements" are small nuances these days.
43 years into 3 cars. No plans to swap any of them out. Just did the front brakes on the Sonata today as it's going another 50k easy.
Personally, I don't see an issue with average car age going up unless their maintenance and repair costs become unreasonable.
Each car gets built/used with process like this - raw materials extraction>processing>manufacturing>useful life with maintenance and repairs>scrapping, recycling and disposal. Useful life may not be the most environment damaging (or expensive) term of car's life.
Each car gets built/used with process like this - raw materials extraction>processing>manufacturing>useful life with maintenance and repairs>scrapping, recycling and disposal. Useful life may not be the most environment damaging (or expensive) term of car's life.
Hmm, my average age is 39.6 years.
The local Chev dealer has 0% for certain models during Truck Month. I assume they are clearing out the 2024’s or maybe even some left over 2023’s. Consumers are funny. Some can’t identify what’s a good price so they instead jump on 0 % financing. Much like they can’t decide what’s a good price on an EV and instead jump on the rebate.
I just wish someone would fix the stupid rules that keep us from having regular cab trucks with eight foot beds and true compacts like the Hilux.
Finally above average on something. Nice
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