Truck and Barter: Average Age of Automobiles in the US

October 08, 2004

Average Age of Automobiles in the US

By Kevin

Inspired by Buzzcut's comment on Steve Verdon post on smog, I would like to look at the mean age of autos in the US, and the median age of autos in the US. Since the mean is persistently greater than the median (as expected), the distribution is persistently skewed towards older cars. Is this distribution becoming less skewed over time?

Mean and Median Age of Automobiles and Trucks in Use, 1970-2003

Year	Mean	Median
1970	5.6	4.9
1975	6.0	5.4
1980	6.6	6.0
1985	7.6	6.9
1990	7.6	6.5
1991	7.8	6.7
1992	7.9	7.0
1993	8.1	7.3
1994	8.3	7.5
1995	8.4	7.7
1996	8.5	7.9
1997	8.6	8.1
1998	8.8	8.3
1999	8.9	8.3
2000	9.0	8.3
2001	NA	8.3
2002	NA	8.4
2003	NA	8.6

Up to 2000, it doesn't look like many of the oldest cars are dropping from the sample. The mean and median of the distribution are just shifting out. Increased durability lowering the scrapping rate is to blame for the average increase... Posted at October 8, 2004 10:55 AM

Comments

I don't know where that blank space is coming from...

Comment by Kevin Brancato at October 8, 2004 02:00 PM | Permalink

Yeah, sorry, I just don't believe the data.

9 years old is the mean?!?

The mean?

THE MEAN?!?

Maybe I am relying on too much anectdotal info, but it just does not seem realistic to me. I am a gearhead (I KNOW cars), and I just don't see many junkers out there. I see so many new cars that there would have to be tons of junkers out there to bring the mean back to 9.

Just out of curiousity, how would antiques and collectible cars effect the mean? How many 70 year old cars does it take to offset 1 new one to make the mean 9?

Comment by Buzzcut at October 8, 2004 05:04 PM | Permalink

Uh, buzz, it takes 1/4 of a 70-year old car to average out to 9 with a brand new car....

Comment by Andrew McManama at October 8, 2004 05:34 PM | Permalink

Just to make trouble, what about the comany which is now stamping out, minus drivetrain, 1970s Camaros into which hot rodders install new crate motors and rebuilt transmissions?

Comment by triticale at October 12, 2004 04:40 PM | Permalink

Still, a median of 8.6 years is pretty surprising. Of course, I drive a 1993 Cadillac, so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised... :P

Comment by Adam Crouch at October 12, 2004 11:30 PM | Permalink

'70s Camaros?!? Come on, man, you HAVE to provide a link for that!

I wonder how one goes about registering such a vehicle?

Low volume automakers can get emissions waivers. The current model year Lotus does not meet US emissions standards, for example. Lotus has promised the Feds that their next iteration will meet US standards. The Feds figure that a few hundred sports cars won't make a difference one way or the other.

Comment by Buzzcut at October 13, 2004 09:26 AM | Permalink