AVERAGE LIFE OF A CAR

Evening Star, Issue 23374, 18 September 1939, Page 15

AVERAGE LIFE OF A CAR

BRITAIN'S ONE MOTOR FOR EVERY TWENTY-THREE PERSONS The average life of a private car in Britain is computed at 8.22 years. This average was obtained by studying registrations for Middlesex, Norfolk, and Lancashire, and is slightly higher than that previously calculated on Middlesex figures only. The international situation, it is pointed out, may have affected the results slightly, as there was a tendency for sales to fall and owners to keep vehicles longer. There are over 2,000,000 passenger cars in use, and it is calculated that there is one private car for every 23.7 persons. (This compares with one for every four people in the U.S.A.. seven in New Zealand, eight in Canada, and nine m Australia) . Taxation averages £2B 14s od a vehicle, and the horse-power tax averages £8.78 a car. On a basis of 8,000 miles a year the total taxation on a 12-h p car is computed at £26.35, or for 12.000 miles £31.9. This compares with £B.ll and £9.69 in: the United States; £7.25 and £9.62 in Uanada; £12.84 and £17.94 in New Zealand; and £2O 54 and £26.17 in Australia for the average types of vehicles used in those countries. Sixty per cent, of our cars are of 10-h.p. or under, whereas cars in America and Canada are -mostly of 27-h.p.. and in Australia mainly 20-h.p. In New Zealand, which is the best export market for British cars, the average is 12-h.p.