mcandrew67

I'm same, I am at 6 years now with mine pretty much to the day. This is the longest I have ever kept a car

Now, the parts on the car, thats a different story
Definitely not the same car I purchased

C7Joy

There have been some exceptions but generally around 4 years for me. I have gone as long as 17 years and as short as 1 year.

obxchartercaptain

I've kept some of my vehicles longer than some of my wives....Having said that...A Vette is not a car, it's an Adventure.

FortMorganAl

Shortest bought new - 9 months. Longest bought new - 22 years.
Shortest bought used - 2 years. Longest bought used - 44 years.

I don't buy or sell cars as an investment where I'm looking to spend as little as possible. I buy a car when I want that car. I sell a car when I no longer want that car. If I've overestimated how much I would enjoy a car when I buy something then I sell it. If I still enjoy it the maintenance costs are just the price of the enjoyment.

JKbride

Depends on the car, miles, how often I drive it, condition, and do I still like it. Of the cars I own, listed I plan to keep them all for the next 5 years, except the 92 TA, (1st place TA Nats car), because it is seldom driven and was displaced by the Vette as my "top down" car of choice.

I rarely buy new, I do want to order a Vette and watch it roll down the Assy line....hope I like the C7's

Of the cars I currently own:

YEAR. CAR. #Yrs Owned. Current Mileage
2006 Monte Carlo SS (LS4), 5 years , 70k miles
2005 Vette Convertible, 1 year, 28k miles
2003 VW Beetle TDI, 6 years, 200k miles
1992 TA Convertible, 9 years , 180k miles
1980 TA Indy Pace Car, 7 years, 40k miles

Flame Red

I had my C4 for 15 years.

I usually keep my DD about 10 years, then hand them down to the brats for them to destroy.

DocKevin

I agree with the other posters that it depends on the type of car. I've had my '07 Vette for coming on one year, but I have no intention of getting rid of it until the engine falls out (or I can afford a C7 ... debatable which will happen first haha). Between the '00 and the '07, I had two eco cars (Pontiac G6 2008 and Chevy Malibu 2010); had the first for about two years, the second for about one year, very eager to trade each one in at the times that I did. My first car, 2001 Dodge Intrepid, I had for about three years before I got the '00 Vette.

To me, the Vette (and other cars like the Vette, those really unique and special cars that aren't super common or ones that you work towards) is more like an achievement. Most people work hard to get theirs and even the 1LT Coupe can seem like a dream come true (I know I'm in heaven with mine!). Other cars though, particularly cheap cars meant solely for transportation, are easier to obtain and come by and thus don't have that "attachment" factor.


Bottom line:

Vette: Keeping forever (or until the engine falls out)

Others: Usually 1-3 years

TLS_Addict

For the deal I got on mine I may keep it 2 years or I may keep it longer. I am waiting to see what the C7 looks like and what type of price tag they carry.

Also, if I move I plan to keep the Vette only about 2-3 years and then get in to another one. If I lived down south it would be my daily driver but of course my bike would get more duty as a daily as well.

grumpy63

I have had my 1938 Plymouth Coupe which was my 16th birtday present for nearly 50 years now...

wayback

I usually only keep a car 1 to 2 yrs. Seem to get bored with them and the NEW bug bites me.

I am going on my 5th year with my 07 and have no plans to sell it. I love this car!! Now if I love the C7 I might think about getting one the second year of production.

el es tu

I keep all my cars until they fall apart

If you only buy cars you want, you'll be happy with what you have for a long time.

Imo changing out cars every couple years for a new one is a waste of money and you get stuck babying everything you own forever.

the real fun begins when your current car gets so old and beat up that you dont care what happens to it, and just enjoy it for what it is - a toy.

jb_va2001

Family cars and utility vehicles: I had been keeping them 7-10 years and >100K. Will cut that back to selling at 70K miles, seemed the resale was harder and value lower once the car was at/over 100K miles.

Garibaldi

I keep a new car until a) it stops being reliable or b) something breaks that is too expensive to fix for the value of the car

Tom45

I keep my cars until until they get to a point where they start breaking down alot. Once they leave me stranded a few time, they are gone.

Joe_Planet

If I hate it I get rid of it.. example honda s2000, worst car I ever had, it was reliable but the interior design was junk and the windnoise was like driving in a waterfall.. and this is with the top up. Got rid of it after 6 months and put about 100 miles on it. Had a chevy tahoe for 11 months, it was nice but had some sort of death wobble at speeds over 70, the whole chassis started to shake. Got rid of 03 z06 after a year. It was ok.. just not what I want.
Now I got myself a '11 F350 diesel and have no intentions of getting rid of it. Best vehicle I ever had.

I guess it just depends on the vehicle.

SDatl404

Wow a lot of great answers...

As a daily driver though, it's not as easy as keeping it while I like it because reliability comes into play. This also brings in resale and trade in value to the equation when factoring in reliability.

I like to travel and don't want to be broken down in the middle of no where. So I always like to have a reliable car. I was thinking that 75-100k, but then I start thinking about trade in value and everything gets complicated. If it takes 10 years to get to 100k then you have no value in your car and it could have been better to trade it in at 5 years.

Granted you could keep the car for the additional 5 years and put the sum of a car payment in your savings, but what would be the difference in saving for another car or just getting a new one?

Wayne O

There's no set time period it depends on the vehicle. I rarely feel the need to have the latest-greatest just for the sake of having a newer model car. I pay cash for my cars and I'll keep a 'good' car perhaps 10 years or more. As long as it's mechanically sound, serves its purpose and I enjoy driving it why sell it? I could be wrong but I think people who pay cash tend to keep their cars longer. Those who finance are more likely to turn their cars over sooner....it's just a car payment no matter what model year car they have.

I've owned several large, 4WD Suburbans over the decades....most I kept for over 10 years. My modified 2005 Corvette is mechanically sound, it's beautiful and most importantly I have a blast with it. I don't foresee selling my C6 but that's not to say I wouldn't buy another Corvette (or Viper) for street and/or track use. Usually my practical nature prevails but who knows....I go crazy sometimes.

HarleyB

1st Vette: ’73 Vert/4M – 1 year 7 months
2nd Vette: ’89 Coupe/auto – 8 years 2 months
3rd Vette: ’01 Z06 – 3 years 1 month
4th Vette/current: ’08 Coupe/6M – 4 years 3 month (so far)

blitzebill

as a psychology friend of mine so clearly put it, my attention span with cars is pretty short; i usually get a new one every 2-3 years.

RICH 28

If I had enough garage space I would keep them all. I have over 162,000 miles on my trouble free Chevy Astro van, that I bought new 10 years ago. Around 27,000 miles on my 2005 Corvette that I bought new as well and plan on keeping it til I die. I have a 1989 Yamaha Virago for the last 16 years with no problems.

I have had good luck with cars and motorcycles, and I do like to maintain them so they last.