Our virtual trip to Cuba brought home the point how most of these cars there are precious family heirlooms, and kept going indefinitely due to the great difficulties of buying new cars or even just buying and selling old cars. The closest equivalent in the Niedermeyer family is my ’66 F-100, now dubbed “The Bruised Banana”, which I will have owned 30 years this summer (top picture: 1993; bottom: 10 minutes ago). And I have a detailed write-up of it and its role in my life and work, coming for its anniversary. Let’s just say I’ve taken a somewhat Cuban approach: it’s a work vehicle and I’ve kept it running with the absolute minimum of expense and work.
But I know some of you have had cars a lot longer than that, like Bill Mitchell. Or a whole lot shorter, like Jim Klein. Where do you slot in? Are you a keeper or trader? And what’s the longest you’ve owned a car, or had it be in the family?
1. 1968 Plymouth Barracuda: My father’s first car. Went to my brother in 1973, who kept it until sometime in the 90s
2. 1973 Ford Thunderbird. My father’s second & last car. Owned for appx. 37 yrs until 2010
3. 1985 1/2 Ford Escort. My first car. Bought in 1987, kept until 1996.
4. 1989 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo Coupe. Bought in 1996, kept unti 2006
5. 2005 Ford Focus. Bought 2006 & still own. I have no desire to replace it.
I bought a new 1985 CJ 7 Jeep in October 1984 and still own it today March 17, 2022. 38+ years.
Bought my ‘59 Dodge in March 1983…so 39 years for me!
About 42 years:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/coal-requiem-for-a-truck/
Been waiting on your truck’s story ever since I wrote that, Paul – can’t wait!
I think my shortest ownership was probably the ’87 or ’88 Chevy Spectrum we had for right at one year. Was leaking oil and rattling after a bit over 30K miles, so we traded on our first of two Honda Civic hatchbacks (an ’89 DX and a ’90 base). Come to think of it, we sold the ’89 at around a year old, too, because we learned my wife was expecting, which meant she would be staying home to be a mommy.
Then of course, there was my short-lived Beetle TDi convertible…
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/curbside-divorce-2013-beetle-convertible-irreconcilable-differences/
I had my ’99 Saturn SL2 for almost 9 years.
The ’91 Ford Tempo that my father is giving me next week has been his for 14 years (mostly as a light duty work car), and prior to that, belonged to a family friend since new.
Everything else in my fleet is usually cycled out within 5 years or so. That’s just about how long it takes for my continuous scanning of CL and auto sites like this to get me interested in something else. I guess I just like experiencing ownership of different cars and get bored quickly.
I hope to keep my current ’13 Buick Enclave for awhile since it seems to be a good size for my family. I do like the idea of being payment free for as long as possible.
I owned a white 1990 Civic LX 5-speed from 1993 to 2008 – so 15 years. Pretty much trouble-free the whole time. Mine was basically identical to the pictured car except I didn’t have the pinstripe.
1986 Volkswagen purchased new and still in my garage.
I tend to go through cars pretty quick.
I have only owned 2 out of 13 cars for more than 4 years.
There are too many cars and just not enough time to sample them all.
My shortest ownership was a 2010 Pontiac Vibe base w/automatic. It was not a bad little car. Decently peppy and handled OK. Gas mileage was low at about 21 MPG in mixed driving. Bought in 2011 (traded in the 2007 Buick).
About a month into my ownership I was on the interstate with cruise enabled (had been driving on cruise for about 15 minutes) and the car starts accelerating for no reason. No floor mats. Nothing touching the accelerator pedal. Disabled cruise. Still accelerating. Hit the brakes and pulled off to the side. Car is still trying to accelerate. Turned it off and then back on and then continued on my way.
This happened 6 or 7 more times in the next few months. Dealership told me that it was 100% my fault as it never happened to them on their short drives and that not one report of such behavior had been reported in the US (I knew better).
Traded it in after about 7 months of ownership.
Good news was that I traded for what I paid for it.
Decided to go with ‘old school’ technology and got the Crown Victoria.
Longest
1. 1997 Buick LeSabre: Bought in 2005 and traded it in 2011. Spent thousands keeping this POS running. Sooooooo happy to see it go. My kids named it ‘hunk of junk’.
2. 2011 Ford Crown Victoria: Bought in 2012 with 35k on it and going strong to this day (about to turn over 80K). Totally reliable. Still like the car, but am getting bored with it. My 11 year old has declared that she has dibs on this car.
My maternal grandmother has given her car to my oldest daughter, so we can say that it has been ‘owned’ by the same family.
1. 2001 Honda CRV EX. Has 46k miles on it. Garage kept from day 1. Has a few dents/scrapes, mostly from ‘fighting’ with the garage. My grandmother was driving by braille the last few years she was driving. Will make a great car for my 17 year old.
My paternal grandparents had the following:
1. 1978 Olds Custom Cruiser. Sold it in 2005. Had like 90k on it.
2. 1979 Ford F100 Ranger. Hideous brown over yellow. We called it the rotten banana. Sold in 2005. I think the truck had about 120k miles.
I don’t blame you for trading the Vibe. I’d never be able to trust it again either.
The very first car I remember Grandpa Owen having was his 1933 Chevrolet four-door. It would have been about ten years old when I became aware of it. He had bought it when he found out he was going to have to learn to drive a stick-shift, after his Model T became unreliable, and he decided he wanted six cylinders too. Dad taught him the deal with three pedals and a gearshift …
His next vehicle was a Chevy too, this one a 1953 five-window pickup. So that ’33 lasted him more or less exactly twenty years. If he hadn’t needed a truck for work (he was a sign painter and avid gardener, and Grandma gave him hell about hauling his paints etc. in the back seat and dirt in the trunk) he’d have kept the car longer.
I was thinking of other ancient vehicles in our family, but I remember those from the perspective of the kid I was when I knew them, and so it’s likely that even when they were over twenty years old they were old when acquired. I have a 30-YO in the garage, but it was over 20 when I bought it!
Keeper. All below are still owned by my family or me.
1. 63 Valiant Signet 36 years
2. 86 Oldsmobile Calais purchased in 1994 with 21,000 miles on it, 23 years in the family
3. 95 Saturn SL1 purchased in 2004 with 116,000 miles, 13 years
4. 05 Saturn ION [the ONION], purchased new, 12 years
5. 02 Focus, purchased in 04 by my parents, still with my brother, 13 years
“Mothra” riding the trails outside of Tucson below
1968 Ford Mustang, with 289 V-8, C-4 and factory fog lamps. Brittany Blue with matching upholstery and white stripe Goodyears. Purchased new for my mother on September 8, 1968. Totaled on December 2, 1991 by an inattentive fool in an Olds 98 who struck her broadside. I did much of the maintenance on that car, and it was in beautiful condition with 67,000 miles on it. I still have all the paperwork for it, including the original Monroney sticker. My mother survived, but never really recovered.
Two part answer:
Part 1: The longest I myself have had a vehicle is 7 years, 11 months. That was the 2006 Honda Element I bought brand new in July 2006 and drove for 144,350 miles before trading it in on a 2014 Ford Fiesta ST. It was the EX-P, with a 5-speed manual. 270-watt stereo, power windows and locks, not a ton of other luxuries despite being the high-spec model. And I liked it that way.
No, you could not hose them out. They had padding under the rubberized floor, along with electrical runs. Hosing them out would destroy the car.
It was mostly a good car, although it never convinced me that Hondas are any better made than Fords. My first interesting trouble came at around 81,000 when a VTEC pressure solenoid failed and kicked it into limp mode while on the freeway. By 125,000 I had replaced all four coil packs twice as the car kept nuking them. Around that same time I had to have a second valve clearance adjustment done because they’d tightened themselves out of spec only 20,000 after it’d been done the first time.
But, I took that car a lot of places, typically on a whim too. I slept in that car a few times. It hauled bikes with aplomb. And, it was my first *good* car, the first that didn’t have a bajillion miles on it or some known mechanical flaw or was mechanically unfit to drive.
And once in awhile, I still miss it.
I have been a trader rather than a keeper, but my ownership times have been getting longer. The longest so far is my 1994 Club Wagon which came out to 11.5 years. My 2007 Honda Fit is coming close to that mark and is currently at 10.5 years and going strong.
Wait a minute, how could I forget the 1993 Crown Vic LX! My mother bought it new in July 1993. I bought it from her in October 2006. I finally sold it in summer of 2015, making 22 years (and 3 generations of drivers) in the family.
My family has a varied history. My parents, both children of the depression, tended to buy old cars that Dad kept running during my early years, but as they matured and became more financially stable, progressed to new cars replaced every 5 years or so. My brother was notorious for tearing up his rides, so they rarely lasted a year. My sisters tend to keep cars for 10 years from new, and I tend to drive either new or used cars until around 125K and then replace. With one exception, the Miata. Since it is well past paid for, I just do maintenance and enjoy it weekends and a few nice rides to work, and it is humming along at 21 years old and 225K.
28 years! It’s my first car, a Ford Fiesta Mk2. Even though I really have no use, space or money for it, I have a really hard time letting go of it. Oh nostalgia…
I’m a keeper. If I could I’d never sell a car, like Jay Leno.
Just being curious, are you Portuguese? (Asking because of the name)
Indeed I am. 😉
Glad I’m not the only Portuguese guy here! Cheers! 🙂
Our family had the Matador for 19 years, and we’ve owned our 1986 Honda Interceptor for 17 years.
My manager still has his grandfathers TT truck, so that’s probably 90 years in the same family.
1st Place goes to my 1992 Honda Accord, purchased with 175,xxx miles and later resold with 225,xxx miles.
2nd Place goes to my 1980 Chevrolet Malibu Coupe, that was originally purchased with 44,xxx miles, and later sold with 78,xxx miles.
Both of these cars made it over 5 years, in service to me.
The Bronze award for 3rd Place goes to my 1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS, 25th Anniversary trim, which was prematurely totaled out, by driver that failed to yield. Purchased, for only $900 with 100,851 original miles, and totaled at 176,xxx miles, this car achieved that kind of mileage on merely oil changes, transmission fluid changes, and cooling system flushes, over the course of 3-4 years.
Now, my 1991 Pontiac Grand Am and my 1995 Saturn SC2(TWO of Paul’s FAVORITE GM products…….) are up on the list, having purchased the Grand Am in 2013 as a replacement to my totaled Camaro, and the Saturn last August.
Part two:
Longest in the family is the 1977 Thunderbird Town Landau that I currently have. My great-grandparents bought it brand new (from what I understand they ordered it, too) in 1977. So the story goes, Grandma hated it pretty much from Day 1. She hated the doors that were too heavy and the access to the back seat that was too hard for the kids to get in and out easily. So, a couple of weeks later, she made Grandpa go get her another Cadillac, at which point they sold the Thunderbird to their daughter, my great-aunt.
It became Aunt Judy and Uncle Del’s second car-sometimes she’d drive it to school (she was a teacher), sometimes they’d take it out on the town. They garaged it every winter in a process that took a whole lot of back-and-forth to fit it at the back of their shed. After Uncle Del passed in 2002, Aunt Judy drove it maybe five times total before finally leaving it in the back of her brother’s machine shed in 2007 (at least that’s the last time she’d even registered it).
In 2013, she decided to clean out her house up north and move close to her daughter, and as part of that she offered Mr. X and I first chance at the Thunderbird. We found it under ages of dust and grime and stinking of dead mouse, but it was in good shape otherwise. So we bought it, ran the Clinton-era gas out of it as much as we could, washed the grime off of it, and took it home. We watched it roll 80,000 miles on the way.
Nice! Obviously a keeper.
Have any fans found you and introduced themselves from the stencil on the door?
Of the 10 or so I’ve owned, most were kept for no more than 4 years. Longest period of ownership is 12 years and continuing for a 2005 Accord.
1. 2002 Honda CR-V, almost 15 years. Bought new in May, 2002, sold in February this year – to a neighbor two houses down!
2. 2004 Impala, over 8 years. Bought new, May 2004. Sold July 2012.
3. 1984 E-Class, 8 years.
4. 1981 Reliant, 7 years.
5. 1996 Ranger XLT, 6 years.
My 1961 Mercedes Ponton 180b, acquired from a neighbor for $200 just before my senior year in high-school. Shortly after, I got a Mercedes factory shop manual and learned to repair it, and cars in general. Drove that car from 1973 to 1992.
I still have it – inside my fenced-in my side-yard
Sadly, it’s now a rusty hulk that I should’ve sold 25 years ago, when it was still running and restorable.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Longest I have ever owned a vehicle is…..(no catcalls, please) My “Forest Green” with “Silver Fern” interior, 1997 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. 18 years, now owned by a friend, who loves the thing. only has 140K well maintained miles on it and is still dependable, though now at 20 years, it is looking a bit worn. Not your usual Sebring convertible story. The longest oend “In Family” is the 1991 Buick LeSabre Custom sedan, bought new by my father in late 90, used by my mother after his passing in 98 and used by my sisters 3 sons, in turn as they turned 16, to cart mom (their grandmom) around and after her passing, came to me. I still own it. itis going into full retirement this month. Has been sldom used these past few years, Now has ‘only’ 132K miles, runs smooth, no leaks, and also dependable as any machine can be. so that is nearly 27 years there.
Our 1970 Mustang Mach 1 has been in the family since 1984. I’d have to dig out some old pics to scan from back then, but it looks much the same. My Dad bought it from the original owner’s son or daughter. I found the listing in the classified ads in the newspaper (!) and bugged my Dad to go look at it. (I was in high school at the time). We looked at it and my Dad said, “well, I don’t want to haggle, so I’ll make one offer and if they take it, we will buy it. I believe they were asking $3K and we bought it for $2500, if my memory serves.
It still hasn’t hit the 80,000 mile mark.
And all of these years later, now I have a kid in high school. His Mustang is in the behind the Mach 1.
The longest was 14 years for a ’83 Cutlass Supreme two door with the bucket seats. The parts and service on this car were soooo cheap, that I kept getting it fixed till the A/C died and the rear seal was gushing a quart of oil every 100 miles. Got tired of carrying a case of oil in the trunk!!!
I so miss that car!!!
I’m somewhere between a keeper and a trader. I typically keep a car ’til it has way over 100K on the clock and then trade it in when it doesn’t make sense to spend the money on it anymore. Longest ‘odometer-wise’ was my ’88 5.0L T-Bird that I kept until 236K miles, and traded it in the fall of 1997 (bought it in 1990 with 42K on the clock).
But my current namesake here wins the title by time. My 2007 Mustang was bought in January or February of 2008 with 1127 miles on it. I still have it, and it now has 173,400-something on the odometer. For the first time in my life, I was able to buy a new daily driver and keep the old car for pleasure rather than trading it in. I plan to keep it for a very long time as my ‘hobby car’. While it’s still a long way from Historic Tags and Curbside Classic status, I plan to get to that point with it, finances willing.
Besides, my Cairn Terrier Molly would completely loose it if I were to sell HER CAR! She gets very upset if I drive away without her in the Mustang. She doesn’t get nearly as upset if I drive off without her in my Honda Civic. ;o)
The Mustang still looks pretty good for her ‘not so advanced’ age. If you look close you’ll see Molly standing guard on the console between the front seats.
Here’s a shot of the interior from the same trip to the store back in February (9 years after purchasing the Mustang). Molly is eagerly awaiting the ride home.
Jake and Maggie approve of this post.
As does Molly approve of your post. ?
My dad bought a brand new Checker Marathon in 1965. Black with silver interior, 6-cylinder Chevy engine, 3-speed stick with overdrive.
My stepmom finally traded it in 1990 in one of those we’ll-give-you-$3000-no-matter-what deals.
In between, it went through one accident that almost totaled it, at least 2 repaints, a cracked block, and probably had well over 200,000 miles on it.
My current summer toy is a 1975 Olds Delta 88 Royale convertible white with acres of cranberry red vinyl. We always had convertibles and when they announced the end of them, my Dad ordered it and I drove it home from the dealer. Fast forward to 1982 and I got it as a wedding present. Happy to report that both the marriage and the car are still going strong. Fast forward again and eventually it will become a generation 3 car when my son will take it over which is appropriate since he got the “car bug” by going to car shows in”Oscar” and admiring old iron at an early age.
Longest for me was my 74 Dart Sport – almost 10 years and 130,000 miles. Wish I had kept that car, but had no place to keep it when the second hand Bel Air arrived.
Second longest was my 87 Voyager – 9 yrs 4 months and 170,000 kms. Would have gone longer except for the untimely transmission failure that occurred just at the time when Mrs. Moparlee and I were qualifying for a new mortgage and had few spare funds to buy a replacement.
My 85 Reliant SE was good for 9 and a half yrs and 305,000 kms. We gave it to an in law who kept it another 2 years.
I also had a 96 Cavalier that only had 50,400 kms on it when it met an untimely demise by a red light runner in Hamilton when my son was driving. The car was 9 years old then. That was the last GM I ever bought due to several major maintenance issues with the engine and trans.
Among my shorter stints was an 81 Bel Air that had many maintenance issues and I kept it for only 3 years. Also a 98 Honda Accord for only 3 years, again reliability was an issue. The 2004 Civic that replaced in in 2007 is still going strong and has gone 200,000 kms.
The shortest duration was a 62 VW beetle that only made it through 6 months in 1973 when the engine expired. That was when the Dart arrived, the first of only 3 brand new cars I ever had.
1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale – 39 years and counting. Ordered in March and took about 6 weeks before arriving at Fred Stecker Oldsmobile in Cleveland in April 1978. It’s been in the family ever since. 350 CID (code R engine).
Mark, very nice Olds. I had a friend with the nearly identical car, same model, colour, and engine. Unfortunately it wasn’t well cared so it was sent to the scrap yard some time ago. That was probably one of the toughest cars I have ever seen though. It suffered a lot of abuse but never died. It drove itself to the scrap yard under it’s own power.
My family owned a 1995 Plymouth Voyager from August, 1995 to July, 2013. I think my Uncle’s 1993 Saab 900 has been in the family since 1996 or so.
My personal record is just over three years with an 03 Caravan; 2013-2016.
1976 Chevrolet Malibu Classic sedan, bought new by my parents in Februrary 1976. Mom drove it till 1984, when Dad inherited it to replace his 15 year old 1969 Chevelle coupe, Dad shared it with my big sis as her first car, then she got her own car. He drove it to the bus station for 8 years, till I turned 16, and I got the keys to it. I drove it for another 8 years till it finally gave out at 200,000 miles and 24 years of single family ownership.
Second longest was my 1995 Ford Explorer, bought it at 6 years and 100,000 miles. Kept it for 15 years and put another 250,000 miles on it. Damn good truck. Wish I hadn’t gotten rid of it. – this is probably the one I let get away.
Currently it’s now my 77 Chevy Malibu Classic sedan that I’ve had for 8 years. Or my 2004 Buick Rendezvous that has been in the family since new.
Longest for me and in the family is my ’63 Ford. Acquired by my great-uncle in 1964, by my father (although unofficially mine) on December 26, 1986. The title has been in my name since 2008.
The longest in continuous use is my grandfather’s 1992 Ford F-150 he purchased new. As of last summer, it had 70,000 miles.
I have owned my beat-up old ’69 Vette for 17 years and I have now put almost 130,000 miles on it. Still use it as my summer daily driver.
My hobby car is a 64 Impala I bought in 1990 that I still have.
The longest I owned a daily driver would be my 2002 PT Cruiser that I just sold last Oct.
We also had a 97 Voyager we kept for 12 yrs.
A guy I went to college with still has the 48 Ford he bought in High School in the 60s.
Longest I’ve ever owned a car…1 year 11 months on a 2015 Golf SportWagen TDI. I got rid of it for obvious reasons.
Shortest I’ve ever owned a car…4 months on a 2011 BMW X5. Even with a warranty that covered everything, it pissed me off how often it broke.
As for longest cars in the family, my dad had a 1964 Impala he had inherited sometime before I was born, in the early nineties. His grandfather had bought it new and passed it down to my dad, who owned it until 2013.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qdX4nVRYdc
Yours may be among this collection.
The longest I’ve ever owned a car is 9 years, with my Jeep Cherokee. Ran it till I moved much further from work, gas prices went up, and it developed overheating problems. The longest car in my family is my dad’s 54 VW – he bought it non running back in the 1970’s, and put it in the garage. 40 years later, it’s still in the same condition. Anyone want to make an offer on a German spec’ed (speedometer in kilometers, large sunroof, small bumpers, & semaphores?)
? where the hell were you when I was filling up this site looking for an old VW Beetle ? .
.
-Nate
I’m setting a new record every day and VERY proud to announce that I have beaten my previous record of four years. Extended Test Drives, my foot!
As of today, the 2002 Porsche 996 C2 has been mine for exactly 4 years, 6 months, and 5 days!
COAL here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-2002-porsche-carrera-my-daily-driver-is-a-keeper/
And below is the link to a 4-minute video of it taken the last time I did anything of significance with it a few months ago on the ice at Georgetown Lake. All electronic nannies are turned off…which makes it quite a handful as is evident even with Blizzaks. Still, was able to get some decently long drifts going, and at least one 360 degree spin that I was able to get out of. And more than one spin that was not recoverable…The sound sucks due to being muffled by the video case and somewhat overshadowed by the Audi 4000Q chase car (that, by the way, is a MUCH better choice on the ice).
https://youtu.be/AqXY5NlEzyc
1955 Ford Customline.
Purchased (used) by my grandmother in about 1958.
Given to me in 1972.
Still in my possession to this day and driven occasionally.
Total 59 years. It hardly seems possible.
I was wondering if you live in a salt free climate. Very nice to have a car of that vintage still in your hands today.
Yes. The car was in Arizona by 1957-58, was there until 1995 when it moved to central Texas.
97 Mercury Grand Marquis, grandma bought it new and I’ve had it for 5 years. 20 years makes it an antique, right haha? Plan to keep it as long as possible.
Since I was born my dad has had a pretty good run with his vehicles:
1986 VW Golf – 1986-2000 – Given to his brothers friend at about 380K
1986 Chevy Celebrity – 1993-2001 – Junked at 280K due to headgasket failure
1989 Ford Taurus wagon – 2001-2004 – Purchased with 101k on it, junked at 190k due to heater core failure. I believe this car (which became mine in 2003) was his highest mileage purchase
1990 Buick Regal – 2002-2010 – Junked at 190k for various reasons
2006 Ford Taurus – still with us at 172k and going strong, but cosmetic rust is starting to surface
He also had a couple of short term vehicles in the early 2000’s, as he searched for the ideal first car for myself – 1986 Toyota Cressida (grey), another Cressida, this time an ’87, and a 1993 Chevy Corsica. All of them had been pretty used up by that point (2002ish) and ended up getting junked.
As for myself, I had the 1989 Taurus from 2003-2004, which was replaced by the 1997 Sable, which I had until 2013. Now I’ve got the 2013 Focus.
Personal best was 6 years.
A 1995 Pontiac Grand AM Bought it used in 2004 with 113k miles on it.
I drove it until 2010 I gave up on it after the third accident in a year.
I bought another car and gave it to my cousin as a second beater car so he and his wife wouldn’t have to share one. It had 225k miles on it then.
His wife wrecked it a fourth time before he junked it with 244k miles on it two years later
I still miss that car
Longest family owned car award goes to butthead (my sister)
She has a 95 Camaro she bought in 1999. It has been dubbed the eggplant due to the dark purple paint (complete with pink pinstripes)
In 1986 my parents bought a house, an ’86 Toyota 4Runner, and an ’86 Porsche 944. After over 30 years, we still have two of the three (The 4Runner was traded in for a ’99). This is a photo of my dad taken in the front driveway sometime right after they bought the house and the Porsche. The yard wasn’t even put in back then. The car has somewhere around 140,000 miles on it now. The odometer has worked intermittently over the years, and the car spend a few years just sitting in the garage non-functional in the mid ’00’s.
The car has essentially been my dad’s daily driver since 2011 when he traded in his 2007 Nissan Altima.
Last summer, I changed the engine oil seals, timing belt, balance shaft belt, water pump, and steering rack. In the fall, I replaced the 30 year old fuel lines, recharged the A/C, and did some brake work. It’s in good working order now, although the California sun has started to take it’s toll on the old car. Still, we intend to keep it going for as long as possible.
Next up on the list would be a 2001 Acura MDX which my parents bought new, and has 220,000+ miles on it, and then my mother’s ’07 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas (bought used in 2010, and still going on 7 years old and 60,000 miles).
Blue Betsy has been in the family for 25 years now! Time flies, and the GEO soldiers on, still in semi-daily-driver status. Before that we had a ’76 Vega that was in the family for 23 years until I sold it in 1999.
The vega didn’t rust away?!?!?
Nope, just a little surface rust here and there. They don’t use salt on the roads out here in Washington.
I live in coastal South Carolina. It rarely snows. My aunts vega rusted so bad it was a patch work of primer at 7 years old trying to keep the rust at bay
35 years.
’66 bug bought new in ’66, sold in 2001.
How did it feel to finally sell it after such a long time? Was it painful, like loosing a family member?
Nah, it needed a little TLC and was going to a good home.
In the family and owned- ’64 Cutlass F-85 hardtop, 46 years.
’67 GMC, 19 years.
Longest, period: My 1979 Malibu, of course. Purchased new by my grandfather in ’79, given to Mom in ’86, given to me in ’96. 38 years in the extended family, 31 years in the immediate family, 21 years with me. Of course, it hasn’t run since 2001, so there’s that. But it still exists.
Longest “in service”, family: 1997 Crown Victoria. Purchased by my parents in 2003, given to me in 2013, still running. 14 years.
Longest “in service”, personal: 2003 Marauder. Daily driver for 5 years almost exactly, 11/2006 to 11/2011. (I have *owned* the 2012 Forte for longer but my wife drives it much more than I do.)
My 1959 Beetle COAL I did here is my longest owned. I’ve had it since 1988, when I was three years old.
Aside from that, my dad has a 1966 Ford Galaxie that his father bought new in 1966. He’s owned his 1985 Mustang GT since new and he’s owned his 1970 F-100 since 1992.
My family tends to keep cars around for a while.
Not too many 32 year old’s can say they’ve owned their car for 29 years!
I have had my ’59 Dodge Coronet 2-door sedan for 34 years, since March of 1983.
Very nice car
Thanks!
+1.
1. 38 years—my Uncle Bert’s 1934 Ford five-window coupe with rumble seat and V8.
2. 29 years—my Uncle Norman’s 1956 Ford F-100.
3. 18 years—my Mom’s 1970 Mercury Monterey Custom hardtop with a 429 four-barrel.
4. 17 years—my Mom’s 1988 Honda Accord LX four-door (her last car).
5. 14 years—my 1984 Honda Civic sedan.
(all purchased new)
As far as my immediate family is concerned, it was our 2004 Toyota Highlander that was purchased new by my mom in December 2003, passed down to me in March 2010, and traded in by me in September 2012, so just shy of 9 years. At almost 7 years under her ownership, it was also the longest my mom has ever owned a car for.
My 80 year-old great-aunt Mary, however, did finally trade in her 2005 Cadillac DeVille for a new 2016 XTS this past summer. I’m sure that’s the longest she’s kept a car too. Her husband, my great-uncle Joe, who just recently passed away this March, drove a 2006 DTS (which was featured in William Stopford’s article) that I’m proud to say his daughter is keeping as a memory of him.
Longest I’ve owned a car is around 3 years. I don’t know what it is, but I get the itch to move on after that time. I guess I like to explore what different cars are like. Since I’ve owned the coveted premium German vehicle and been a part of that culture for a while and that I’m involved in the transportation industry that regularly updates its fleet vehicles, I feel less inclined to “move on” any more. I’m more than happy with my current ride, 2012 Fusion SE.
As for my parents, probably their ’98 Mazda 626 LX. Reliable vehicle, that.