How long do you keep your car?

[renovation]

On average how long will a car stay in your family -new or used?

For me I try and make 8-10 years on a new car. On a used car when they hit 100 thousand-125 thousand mile I pass them on.

[KIISQueen]

We lease. SomI say about every 4 years we go and get another car.

[bachviet]

Around 10 years or so

[Novarod]

10 years here. ButI think I'm going for 200K miles on the ones I have now. I have a 98 Lumina with 128K miles and a 96 Civic with 108K miles. Both going strong. No problems. I do use a K&N air filter and 5w30 Mobile One synthetic oil with a Wix oil filter on both. I also replaced the Civic timing belt recently. When you replace the timing belt, it's a good idea to go ahead and replace the water pump too.

[Daedalus]

I've never owned a car that was not at least 8 years old, and 3/5 had over 125k when I got them. Ownership periods so far have been 7mos, 16mos, 3yrs, 7yrs, 9yrs. Haven't sold any yet, but I think I'll be donating the car I've had 9 yrs for the $500 write-off (inherited clunker). I have no plans to ever get rid of the other 4.

[DarkFury]

The shortest I usually own cars is 6 years.... however my last car stayed with me for 10 years.

I plan for my truck and current car to be with me for the next 10 years as well (Lord willing... )

My personal philosophy/mantra on cars... "Always buy the vehicle you REALLY want and can live with for the long haul. That way you can get the most out of it and your money."

[Airencracken]

I drive my cars till they die.

[hoey222]

last cars lasted 8 years....these we will try to get a full 10 out of them...we're halfway there...

[djsusm]

13 years for the current Lexus, and still going...

On average, at least 10 years.

[guiseppewv]

I would say on average about 5 years. I have a 94 Honda Accord that was purchased new by my mom and I bought it in 03 as a secondary car. I would like to get to 250k+ miles on it before it dies. It has 175k on it now.

[Sirrich3]

I'll keep driving my Honda until it reaches 8 in 2011.

[Napoleon54]

Until my current one I drove mostly junkers that died within two years or so... '85 Impala (160k miles at death), '89 Caprice (120k), '90 Sentra (150k), '92 Century (115k). '93 Cherokee (145k) has been going strong for 3 years now. I drive them hard and do my own work to keep them running until something major/ expensive happens. I've always driven at least 20k miles per year so junkers wear out quickly.

[brainsmile]

11+ years now

[Jeffbx]

2-3 years (leased)

I think the longest I've ever kept a car was about 4 years, but I have a minivan for hauling the kids around now that I'm hoping to get at least 10 years out of. But I always lease the car I drive back & forth to work because I'm only putting about 9k miles/year on it.

[mcs328]

I drive my cars till they die.

I've only owned one car and that's my '99 Civic. Still runs like a champ. I only got a small leak into my trunk which was solved with silly putty when the liquid metal stuff just wouldn't do. I have about 160K on it.

[kgsilvas]

Not less than two, typically not more than five years.

[Prngr44]

I don't typically car hop, but I guess I kind of do.

Went from a handmedown truck, to great grandma's car (still have it) and then I bought a '98 Grand Prix new, got whacked by a drunk driver and realized I didn't want to by married to that payment and took the opportunity to buy economically (Cavalier) until I realized you can't haul anything in the trunk and sold that to buy a small truck (Ranger) and have driven that since. I plan to keep that 'til it dies and will buy my Challenger when they come out in '08 or '09 for my "fun car."

[Burzhui]

3 year lease tops! maybe an 18 month next time

[jaja]

4 years

[BigJon]

I drive my cars till they die.

Same here. I get my cars used from my dad's work...then drive them until they die.

I've already killed an 86 Chevy Caprice, got a 90 Pontiac Bonneville, traded that for my mom's 91 Pontiac Bonneville, gave the Bonne to the wife and got me a 94 Chevy Astro.

[mechmike0034]

Until it pi$$e$ me off...

[DarkFury]

Until it pi$$e$ me off...

Well you are a mechanic... so how long would it take for it to piss you off?

[Jihforce]

I'm averaging about 4 1/3 right about now. Planning to drive my A4 til the lease is up at this point. Not gonna buy it, didn't like it enough to justify buying it off.

[ray]

When I bought my first car I wanted it to last at least a decade. When I buy my second car, I will want it to last 15 years.

[Mommypooh]

Same here. I get my cars used from my dad's work...then drive them until they die.

I've already killed an 86 Chevy Caprice, got a 90 Pontiac Bonneville, traded that for my mom's 91 Pontiac Bonneville, gave the Bonne to the wife and got me a 94 Chevy Astro.

Here let me correct some facts for you. The first Bonne was a 91, the current one is a 94 your astro is a 91.

I have only had one other car and we got rid of it right after I had Gabby cause it died. It was my Grauation present and it was a 91 Eagle Summit. I loved that thing.

[BigJon]

Here let me correct some facts for you. The first Bonne was a 91, the current one is a 94 your astro is a 91.

Meh. It's all the same. They're all old.

[DarkFury]

Here let me correct some facts for you. The first Bonne was a 91, the current one is a 94 your astro is a 91.

Heh.. with that "battleship", I'm surprised he hasn't modded it up to look like a Super StarDestroyer.

[scottmath]

Until they DIE, SCREAMING SMOKING AND LEAKING!

[mechmike0034]

Well you are a mechanic... so how long would it take for it to piss you off?

It took the last Saab 900 about a year to beign being a PITA, and about 2 1/2 years to infuriate me to the point I traded it - Time isn't the sole factor - aggravation and expense factored together with time are the determiners.

Let's put it like this - after I put a motor in the damned thing at 80K (to the tune of $5500) it was all downhill from there. it had an interior water leak I never could find, the Mass Airflow sensor went out, the AC comprssor started leaking refrigerant, etc., etc.

Mrs. MM's 2003 Rendezvous is starting to aggravate me as well. There's no reason for it to start setting trans codes and defaulting to hard shifts at 85K miles. I reprogrammed the trans computer which seems to have taken care of things but we'll see. It has NEVER been abused, nor towed / hauled anything heavy. She makes a 60 mile round-trip daily work commute which is why it has the mileage it does on it after three years. If the 1-2 clutch goes out (which I suspect may be the long-term issue) yours truly and the local GM zone service rep are going to have a long discussion.

[yippiekiyeh]

My personal philosophy/mantra on cars... "Always buy the vehicle you REALLY want and can live with for the long haul. That way you can get the most out of it and your money."

Very wise. I agree, buy a car that you will like and enjoy driving. I just got my car in 2005, so I definitely expect with good maintainence and care the car will last for 10 - 12 years!

As a side note, the car that my parents got in '88 and have passed down to my younger sister is still going strong! Closing in on 20 years! Talk about longevity!