How old is an old car?

Euphemistic on 23/09/2020 - 19:53
Last edited 23/09/2020 - 19:54

After seeing numerous threads about old cars and how lots of people seem to think out of warranty is old thought I’d try a bit of a survey. Also got me thinking when I was working on my ute this afternoon and a guy walking by commented about keeping the ‘old girl’ running. It’s a 2007 with 170k on it. Plenty of life left in my eyes. Will probably do me until an electric alternative is cheap enough to replace it.

Probably showing my age, but I reckon old is 90s or earlier. Something from when efi and airbags were new. Corresponds with what was ‘new’ when I was buying my first car. Was surprised to see one of those laser based ford Capri convertibles with historic plates on it today.

If you consider a car is old, how old is it?

Poll Options

  • 7
    Old unless it’s in warranty
  • 14
    5yo
  • 242
    10yo
  • 440
    20yo
  • 12
    Older than I am
  • 10
    Anything with steel bumpers.
  • 13
    Bikies.
Automotive

Comments

  • shulks on 24/09/2020 - 09:23

    Depends on the design of the car, got a 2003 Camry and I dont think it sticks out for looking old.

  • The Hawk on 24/09/2020 - 10:38

    Our family daily (a Multivan) was bought new and is now 10 years old and while it's starting to need a little more maintenance (at 215k) I still wouldn't call it old (partly because the new model doesn't have much more than this one does. That and the cost of a new one faaaar outstrips the cost of repairs and while the kids are still young and leaving shit everywhere they can continue to destroy this one. In a few more years at least one will be 18 and driving himself at which point we can buy something smaller.

    My run about, also bought new, is 9 years old but only has 38k on it since it's rarely driven these days. To me it still feels new and fancy.

  • juzza87 on 24/09/2020 - 10:46

    Another consideration to make this all more complicated is the original design of the car when it came out. Take for example the Kia Carnival VQ, it originally released in 2006 and had a series 2 update which gave it a different grill, headlights, engine, colours and a few other features right up until 2014 when the new YP Carnival came out.

    The car looks the same to the untrained eye and the way features were updated are in-line with expectations for a series 2 but the all of the interior lighting is the same dull green you'd see in a VY Commodore, the reversing camera is integrated into the rear view mirror and the car doesn't have DRLs, just parkers.

    So even though it's a 2014 model the interior and design are dated as a mid 00s vehicle

  • pegaxs on 24/09/2020 - 10:54
    +2

    Anything that has blue or maroon/burgundy interior. Anything that has velour in the interior…

    I remember working for Land Rover back in the late 90's and early 00's and one of the options for the Discovery was "a second airbag".

    • JimB on 26/09/2020 - 08:08

      PLM!

  • Peck on 24/09/2020 - 10:59

    To me it's an old car if I know fully how to use all of its functions!! EG integrated stereo, bluetooth, Satnav, automatic transmission in manual mode etc. etc. I will be trading-in my current car before I can even use all of these on it!

  • OzHunterNSW on 24/09/2020 - 11:02

    "Classic Car" is 25 years old.

    My vehicle is 2002 and mechanically A1.

    I am considering an upgrade purely on the basis of latest tech.

  • boratthegreat on 24/09/2020 - 11:43
    +4

    I’ve got a 2009 Lancer bought brand new in 2010 and has done 250k kms atm. Properly maintained and just travelled from Syd - Wagga - Syd thrice this month without any issues. I still think it’s new everytime i drive it. 😉

    • summerz on 25/09/2020 - 13:42

      Same make/year car…accidently scraped it against a metal pole while reversing, and it’s guard got pushed in a little. Shrug, and drove away. Though mine has only done 107K Km’s, I’ll keep it till its axels falls off. Good to see they can last that long in distance, another 10yrs. Ever worried about the timing chain?

  • 82norm on 24/09/2020 - 12:11

    Old..,. External mirror on drivers side, no aircon, only as an optional accessory, manual windows, choke….bench seats….

    • bazingaa on 25/09/2020 - 02:27

      Mine has manual windows :( I have seen many cars ~2005 has manual windows but curious about the reason.

  • 82norm on 24/09/2020 - 12:42

    Old..,. External mirror on drivers side, no aircon, only as an optional accessory, manual windows, choke….bench seats….

  • outlander on 24/09/2020 - 12:46
    +1

    I'm going to introduce a new measurement for old, and say that if the car is older than the youngest person on the road (16yrs), its old. That covers the early-to-mid 00's corollas
    that are looking worn out.

    • Euphemistic on 24/09/2020 - 13:10
      -1

      That sounds like a decent rule of thumb.

      Tack onto it another couple of ears until they get to full licence and you have the most popular answer at 20years.

      • cimrak on 24/09/2020 - 13:29
        +1

        I've always gone with "If the car is old enough to legally purchase alcohol, it's now considered an old car".

  • nubzy on 24/09/2020 - 20:08

    To me, old is 20+ years. I love to buy cars at 4-5 years old, prime buying as they have depreciated a lot but still have plenty of life left in them and can usually be made to look as good as new after a good wash and detail.

    • derrida derider on 26/09/2020 - 08:49

      Yep, bought about 4-5 years old and kept for about 7-9 years after that is the financially smartest way. Though of course money isn't everything - there are good reasons why you might be willing to spend much more for newer.

  • rily001 on 24/09/2020 - 21:43

    I would say and 'older' car is after 5 years. In NSW you need to get a pink slip to renew the rego every year so i'd say an old car would be anything greater than 5 years.

    the wear and tear is dependent on kms..

    of course theres nothing wrong with a car > 5 years, especially if they have low kms and have been taken care off.

  • Orico on 24/09/2020 - 21:56
    +1

    My lady partner thinks ours is old every time her stupid girlfriends and their mad dude husbands get a new car.

    • mapax on 25/09/2020 - 14:26
      +1

      You should tell your lady partner she is old next time one of your friends gets a new girlfriend. What could wrong…

      For those that are dense, that is a joke.

  • NotAnAudiophile on 24/09/2020 - 22:00

    My car is almost 4 years old. Done almost 22k, is that considered old?

    • Fobsessive on 24/09/2020 - 22:06
      +1

      not at all

    • AMLagonda on 26/09/2020 - 17:42

      the engine isnt even "run in" yet….

  • iDroid on 24/09/2020 - 22:59
    +6

    Anything older than my car is an old car.

    • HeyHeyHeyIsItADeal on 25/09/2020 - 16:36

      mines 2003 and is missing basic features like AUX/Bluetooth but its branded as LUXURY Sport. Yours? I consider my car ancient.

  • tako on 24/09/2020 - 23:51
    +2

    I misread the title as "cat", somehow the poll options made sense.

  • blsky on 25/09/2020 - 01:49
    +1

    For some, 10yo is an old car. For (both new and used) car sales, the moment the car leaves the dealership, is an old car

  • Cheap Steve on 25/09/2020 - 06:39
    +6

    Love my old car.

    Can treat it so poorly. Don’t wash it, leave it on the street unlocked, dog rides shotgun, rest of family hate it so get exclusive use, go out drinking leave it anywhere and just ride back to pick up next day knowing no one is interested in stealing it, put my surfboards through the middle because not worried about interiors.

    Old cars are the best.

    • knk on 25/09/2020 - 08:48
      +1

      +1 - Upgraded to a car that's semi-decent a while ago and kinda miss the old shitbox that I didn't care about for this exact reason.

    • nubzy on 25/09/2020 - 09:34
      +1

      This is true. It is nice and freeing to have a car you don't have to worry about.

    • Dogsrule on 25/09/2020 - 14:22

      So true. Carpark scratches and dints - meh. Dirty exterior - meh. Cracked bumper - I'll fix it one day. I do however take very good care of my car mechanically though, reliability is paramount.

      2010 Prius, 315,000km, working beautifully.

  • Brick Tamland on 25/09/2020 - 07:10
    +2

    When you are no longer allowed to use it for Uber.

  • Randolph Duke on 25/09/2020 - 08:35
    +2

    If it’s got a carburettor that’s normally a good start. Bonus points if it’s got a manual choke.

    Things I don’t miss: carburettors

  • soaringphoenix on 25/09/2020 - 09:25
    +1

    I think it also depends on the make and manufacturer.

    Certain manufacturers see much higher rotation - for example, you will notice that 90% of the Mercs and BMWs on the roads are about 3 years old, within their leasing period (e.g., seeing an E90 series now is a rare sight). To take this to an extreme, even a Ferrari 458 seems old now because you really only see the latest models out on the streets.

    So, a 5 year old Merc seems much older than a 5 year old Mazda. There are many obvious reasons for this - e.g., the types of buyers of these cars, the marketing and design refreshes that come along the way, and even that these vehicles are designed to be used within their warranty period and then discarded because of the upkeep costs and poorer long-term reliability. I just think it's an interesting thing to note.

    • smpantsonfire on 25/09/2020 - 13:28
      -1

      Lolwut

    • derrida derider on 26/09/2020 - 08:57

      This is true, but what drives prestige and performance cars being replaced often is their far higher maintenance costs once they get even moderately old. A 10yo Merc, BMW or (heaven forbid) Ferrari can cost an obscene amount to keep running, even where their actual wear and tear is no greater than that of a Mazda with the same kms.

  • seraphim2017 on 25/09/2020 - 09:30

    Depends on the car. A holden, maybe 20 minutes, a Beemer, up to 6 months. Most brands probably 10 years or 160,000k, depends how 'tired' it is and how hard a life it's had, and how 'cutting edge' the tech was when it was launched.

    • Brick Tamland on 25/09/2020 - 09:43
      +1

      The commodores are good examples as they generally look fresh for quite a while but then all of a sudden they get very tired looking. Maybe its when the P-platers get ahold of them and cut the springs and modify them. In my eyes the VF series 2 still look fresh but VE's are starting to look old.

      Also anything that has fairly radical styling changes. For example the Camry's. Some of the earlier Hybrids look ancient compared to the sharper styling of the current model.

  • mezje on 25/09/2020 - 10:54

    Anything before 1990 I would consider old nowadays.

    Love it when people come to Repco and say their car is old and it is like mid-late 2000s.

  • So lo on 25/09/2020 - 11:29

    Moved back to Aus a couple years ago, needed a car that wasn't "old." Here was my criteria:
    1. Fuel Injected
    2. ABS
    3. Stability Control
    4. A decent airbag system - ie: side airbags, etc.
    5. No more than 150,000km
    6. Service Logbooks from a dealer/specialty workshop
    Bonus items:
    7. Panoramic Moonroof
    8. AWD
    9. Leather interior

    Paid $4,250 for something that fulfilled all of that.

    2004, 3L inline 6.

    Didn't idle perfectly and fuel consumption started to get a little high, so new NGK coils and spark plugs fixed that and we're off to the traffic light races again.

    • based on 25/09/2020 - 13:01
      +1

      Subaru?

    • JimB on 25/09/2020 - 13:38
      +1

      BMW or Volvo?

      Subaru don't have inline sixes.

      • drprox on 25/09/2020 - 19:03

        My guess is it's a Subaru and he doesn't know what an inline 6 is.

        • So lo on 26/09/2020 - 02:07

          Wrong.

          If i can change spark plugs and coils i know if they all go in (a) line. :-P

    • Dogsrule on 25/09/2020 - 19:58
      +1

      BMW 3 series?

      • JimB on 25/09/2020 - 21:01

        3 series doesn't have AWD.

        • So lo on 26/09/2020 - 02:53

          @dogsrule is close enough

          2004 E83 X3 3.0i

          It's basically a jacked E46 3 series with AWD and a body so ugly it's crossed the valley to being ruggedly handsome (in my mind atleast haha).

          xDrive AWD system seems decent but is extremely sensitive to mismatched rolling diameter sizes. Mine was optioned with square 18s, though apparently there is a factory set of staggered wheels that work out to within the 1.5% tolerance.

        • So lo on 26/09/2020 - 05:50

          325iX continues to fly under the radar

          • JimB on 26/09/2020 - 08:28

            @So lo: Was the 325iX ever sold in Aust?

            Even so, I doubt it would have ESC back in the day haha.

            M54B30 is a cracker of an engine and much more reliable than the turbocharged versions after that.
            Logically engine layout so easy to service. Even has a dipstick too!

            I still keep an eye out for a unmolested low km 330ci facelift M Sport coupe in a manual. Such a classic car.

  • megaalc on 25/09/2020 - 12:17

    http://prntscr.com/unfed8

    • nickj on 25/09/2020 - 13:51
      +1

      Hahaha, 8 grand! wipes tears from eyes. Tell 'em they're dreaming! I sold a running 1995 Holden commodore with almost no rust for $800 (its rego was about to expire, and my regular mechanic had quoted it at $2500 to fix its issues and get it to pass the rego inspection, so I decided to cut my losses, first person to inspect it was an ex-mechanic, I disclosed every single issue to them, and they were happy to buy it and fix it up for a family member). That car is worth scrap value, about $250, and not a penny more.

      • Dogsrule on 25/09/2020 - 20:08
        +1

        Believe it or not, that car is possibly underpriced. Have a look at old commodores on carsales, the prices are insane. Past couple of years have seen prices of older Aussie cars skyrocket.

        • nickj on 25/09/2020 - 21:26
          +1

          Wow. I just a search for 1975 to 1992 Holden Commodores, and the prices are insane. I stand corrected. Had no idea they had become so valuable. The effect seems to fade out by the time you get to the 1993 models. Personal opinion, I wouldn't pay anything near that, but hey, if there's a willing buyer at those prices then that's what it's worth. Thank you for the heads up!

          • Dogsrule on 26/09/2020 - 08:14
            +1

            @nickj: Haha no worries, believe me, you’re not alone in thinking those prices are madness!

      • derrida derider on 26/09/2020 - 09:03

        Just shows there are lots of dreamers. Take a look at how long some of those old beaters have been sitting there on Carsales.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 25/09/2020 - 21:20

      Vauxhall Carlton that age… Would be about 80 quid in the uk

  • Antikythera on 25/09/2020 - 13:33

    So far I've bought old cars.
    1973 LH in 1991
    1983 VH in 1996
    1996 VS in 2003
    2012 VE in 2017

    my next car will likely be a couple of year old electric one. but the VE is LPG and only has 95k on the clock.

    the VH was dad's only ever new car, bought when he was 67.

  • JimB on 25/09/2020 - 13:47
    +1

    To me it's old when it's not worth paying for comprehensive insurance and instead getting 3rd party fire and theft.

    I don't think of my 13 yo MkV Golf GTI as old, but come to think of it, it is getting old and I should look at 3rd party insurance. At least it has ESC and is still safe. Still starts first time and I never worry that it will let me down (having said that, it has twice in the last 2 years).

    With Covid-19 and working from home, there's no logical reason to replace it. Our other car has probably depreciated $5,000 in the last 8 months and it's done less than 1,500km during that time.

    It's like myself, I don't feel old unless I meet some 18yo's.. then I think 'yup, I'm not young anymore, thank god I'm not 18'.

  • zuuutoootuuu on 25/09/2020 - 14:44

    When the dealership stops selling parts for the car…

  • digitalbargain on 25/09/2020 - 16:23

    Internal combustion engine = old

    • Brick Tamland on 26/09/2020 - 09:30
      +1

      Is the 1996 GM EV1 car not old then?

      • digitalbargain on 26/09/2020 - 09:42

        Guess not.. especially when compared to the ICE 1886 Benz

  • [Deactivated] on 25/09/2020 - 16:52

    How old in an old dog?

    • Euphemistic on 25/09/2020 - 17:07

      Ooohhhh. Unfortunate typo.

      • [Deactivated] on 25/09/2020 - 17:17

        (☞ ಠಠ)☞→→ really ←←☜ (↼↼)

  • Top G on 25/09/2020 - 17:35
    +1

    Old car to me is when you have to think about it potentially breaking down and shit going wrong on the fly.

    New cars you can drive around the countryside without a care in the world. So about the 5-10 year mark for most makes, 10-20+ for Toyota/subaru.

  • virhlpool on 25/09/2020 - 18:28

    Car is not old until it feels old. It's not about manufacture year, it's about usage.

  • lonewolf on 25/09/2020 - 18:58

    I think it depends on the person's living status / income. Growing up i thought a 20yr old car was old. Most of my friends these days seem to feel a car older than 5 or 7 years is old but their income / living status would be on the higher end.

  • drprox on 25/09/2020 - 19:01

    This will sound perverse but I worry about new cars and their build quality (along with engineered parts obsolescence).
    I have a couple of older Renault's and absolutely electrical stuff will break but the engines and gearboxes and essentially whatever is required for the car to keep running is Rock solid.
    Took my newer Skoda in today and had some wonderful surprises (also love that car in truth).

    • Euphemistic on 25/09/2020 - 21:36

      People have been worried about ‘that new fangled stuff’ not being reliable for decades.

      EFI? It’ll never work as well as a carbie. Why would you put a computer in a car, won’t be able to fix them on the side of the road.

      Actually it turns out those things made cars more reliable.

      I tend to agree though, that when they go wrong nowadays they are more expensive to replace parts which can lead to writing off a fairly young car.

  • adn on 25/09/2020 - 19:13

    You know you are in an old car when it doesn't have tech/feature that is consider essential/standard

  • sirlitchfield on 25/09/2020 - 20:11

    Depends on KMS and if the previous owner kept the car serviced on time and cleaned regularly and of course if they had a heavy foot. I bought my 2012 VW Jetta used about a year ago with only 65,000kms on it which is low for the year model. Had a log book with regular services and was a lady owner which was a plus. Car is immaculate inside and out, and engine was like new. So obviously this is best case scenario but like I said it depends.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 25/09/2020 - 21:17

    It's not the age, it's the mileage

  • Wallyt99 on 25/09/2020 - 21:19

    Good thread. Useful for me as I'm driving a 2003 Honda MDX.

    Starting to get on in Years and many would consider it an old car. Problem is its a fully specced 7 seat SUV so new replacement is about 50k.

    So for now I will just keep my old car.

  • Philthy on 25/09/2020 - 21:39

    what is time?

  • lainey13 on 25/09/2020 - 22:35

    My 2004 Corolla is OLD. There are no buttons on the steering wheel and you have to wind up the windows manually. Those things make it pretty old I reckon!

  • mousie on 25/09/2020 - 23:13
    +2

    18 minutes if it's a land rover. 3 weeks for an Audi. Maybe 15 years for a falcon on gas.

    New does not equal reliable. There are lemons from every brand but some brands worse than others. Car vanity and postcode envy is what keeps Sydney people perpetually in debt.

  • jaffar on 26/09/2020 - 01:37

    Currently driving a Camry 01. Feature wise it's pretty great (with bluetooth stereo installed) with power windows, thermostat, front/rear defoggers, cruise, auto-off headlights. Definitely shows its age in fuel mileage (10L/100 on 80/20 highway), zippiness, safety wise and interior. Fairly solid and feels like a generational leap from something like an early 90s Daihatsu Charade. So I would probably consider a car from the 90s an old car. However if I didn't have my Camry I would probably consider anything below 2005-6 too old (especially in terms of safety).

  • bigbadboogieman on 26/09/2020 - 09:22
    +1

    I've got a 2012 but around 90K Odo. I got it at around 51K Odo. Will hopefully hold onto it until Teslas are cheaper or electric becomes more mainstream. I think old depends on condition. If you regularly maintain it and replace/fix faulty stuff then it's okay.

  • shreav on 26/09/2020 - 12:23

    My car will be too old when I finally run it into the ground.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 26/09/2020 - 14:31
    +1

    Honest answer depends on its current safety rating

  • Yaren24 on 26/09/2020 - 16:55

    Wondering how often people ugrade their cars, I am thinking to upgrade from Aurion

  • AMLagonda on 26/09/2020 - 17:48

    Some people call me old, some people say Im young….

    Its all in the individual's point of view.

  • Herbse on 27/09/2020 - 15:14

    How long is a piece of string?

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