Cars lasting longer than ever

If you think today's cars are built better than those in the good old days, it isn't just your imagination. According to R. L. Polk & Co., the automotive data provider that tracks such things, current vehicles are less likely to go to the junk heap than ever. In 2005 just 4.3% of total passenger cars and trucks were scrapped, and this overall motor vehicle scrappage rate represents a historic low, besting a mark set in 1949 when a slow startup of auto production after World War II meant new cars were hard to come by.

Another indication that cars are lasting longer is the increasing median age of U.S. vehicles, which has increased across all major vehicle categories. Median car age was nine years in 2005, continuing a four-year record-setting trend. For all trucks, the median age increased to 6.8 years in 2005. Light truck median age in 2005 increased to 6.6 years.

"Light vehicles are on the road longer today than they have ever been," said Dave Goebel, consultant for Polk's Aftermarket Solutions. "As vehicle durability and technology continue to improve each year, we expect the trend of increased vehicle longevity to continue."

In 2005, 34.8% of the light vehicle population was 11 years of age and older, compared to 29.1% in 1996. Over this same 10-year period, the number of vehicles 11 years of age and older grew an average of 4.5% per year.

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