Cars People Keep the Longest: Vehicles We Just Can't Let Go

We're keeping our cars longer, but what are the cars people keep the longest?There was a time when Americans liked to change out cars every three years. Of course that was back in the days when the average car loan was 36 months and the cars didn't last much longer than five years.Today consumers tend to hang on to their rides longer (7.2 years according to one study). Quality is way up and so is the financial commitment. But even taking these factors into consideration, there is a group of vehicles that owners tend to keep for an inordinate amount of time.Why? What's so special about these rides that owners are so reluctant to part with them?The website iSeeCars.com does a comprehensive study each year of vehicles sold to see which cars people keep the longest before selling or trading in. For 2017, researchers sifted through 16 million cars to see which had the best track records with their sellers.The results are something of a mixed bag but you know when an owner hangs onto a car for nearly 10 years there's something special going on.Here in no particular order are 10 cars people keep the longest.Audi TTThis one might not be so surprising. This highly rated luxury coupe/convertible was introduced in 2000 and went through a complete redesign in 2006.Accolades include a truly luxurious interior, smart exterior design, and with the addition of all wheel drive, the TT can claim snappy, sporty handling. On average, owners enjoy their Audi TT for eight and half years before saying goodbye.Toyota 4RunnerThis SUV can almost claim legendary status. When you consistently get stellar reliability ratings from Consumer Reports and show up on a list of cars that last 200,000 miles or more, odds are you are doing something right.Reliability is a key "keeper" factor for SUV owners and the 4Runner has reliability in spades. iSeeCars.com data shows that 4Runner owners keep their rides an average of 8.8 years.Toyota AvalonSpeaking of reliability, Toyota's full-size sedan earns high ratings year after year. A high mileage life and low maintenance costs makes this a favorite among drivers concerned with reliable transportation.Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft have made the Avalon a favorite for their drivers. Competition is stiff for a used Avalon with owners keeping them an average of 8.8 years.Chevrolet CorvetteThe only surprising thing about the Corvette being on this list is that owners only keep them for 8.7 years. The Vette is truly an enthusiast's car. For many, buying a Corvette is a "bucket list" item to be given up only when you get so old you can't pass the DMV eye test.On the other hand, Haggerty claims there are several model years and engines that are better investments than the stock market. Flipping and cashing in may account for the relatively short hold time by some Corvette owners.Toyota SequoiaYet another Toyota makes the list of cars people keep the longest. This time it is the full-sized Sequoia SUV that competes with the likes of Suburban, Ford Expedition and the Chevy Tahoe. It is a big, three row, eight passenger vehicle that can tow 10,000 lbs. The interior can quickly be converted to flat storage space making it an ideal hauler.With the optional V8 it has plenty of power and makes a great road trip ride. Sequoia owners keep their big SUVs 8.9 years before trading them in.Ford ExplorerA perennial Ford sales star, the Ford Explorer is one of those rides people are slow to part with. There is a particular love for the SUVs made between the 2005 update and the 2011 switch to a car frame.The older, truck frame models have serious cargo and towing capabilities. Truck owners who need to haul more than four people find those attractive attributes. Less than stellar fuel efficiency does not keep owners from hanging on to them for 8.9 years.Mercedes-Benz SLK ClassWho wouldn't want to keep this classic-looking convertible with the disappearing hardtop? A sleek exterior, stunning interior and enthusiast inspired performance (there's an AMG model) make this ride a real keeper.Minimal design updates keep the older SLKs looking contemporary. When you've got a smart looking luxury car that can pass as a coupe or a convertible, you keep it for 9 years.Ford ExpeditionIn today's market big SUVs have given up ground to smaller versions and crossover wannabes. The need for truck-like capabilities still exists. There is a market for an eightf passenger, heavy towing, big cargo vehicle and the Ford Expedition fills the bill. And fills it and fills it.Data from iSeeCars.com reveals that no SUV had more models with over 200,000 on them than the Expedition. Built on the F150 platform, the Expedition is a tough, 5,500 pound mover of people and cargo. On average these SUVs stay with the same owner for nine years.Porsche BoxsterAll Porsche owners are loyal but they hang onto the Boxster the longest. The utility of a day to day ride plus the excitement of a roadster keeps the Boxster in the driveway for a remarkable 9.9 years.The second generation (2004 to 2012) appears to have the strongest fan club. With 246hp, legendary Porsche engineering and the top down, who wouldn't want to keep this ride as long as possible?Toyota Land CruiserToyota strikes again. This time it is with the vehicle that owners keep longer than any other vehicle in the study. The Toyota Land Cruiser competes with upscale brands like Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz G Class.Remarkably, Land Cruiser owners keep their vehicle 10.6 years. Over a decade with the same SUV makes one wonder why. One analyst's explanation is value. When comparably equipped, the Land Cruiser is significantly less expensive than the upscale competition. Of course price alone does not earn loyalty. The Land Cruiser's reliability and quality construction seals the deal.Do you own one of these? Have you kept a vehicle for more than eight years? If you have, what was it and what were the things that kept it in your driveway?

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