Been thinking about whether I should replace my car, so I looked into what Americans actually do. Turns out most of us hold onto our vehicles way longer than you'd think from all those car commercials.

According to recent data, the average car on the road is about 12.5 years old, and that number keeps climbing. People are keeping their vehicles longer than they did 20 years ago when the average was under 10 years. But here's the thing - how often should you buy a new car really depends on your situation. Some folks swap cars every five years or less, while others stretch it to 14 years or even longer for electric vehicles.

The math gets interesting when you look at costs. New cars are pricey right now - averaging around $48,000 when you factor in everything. Used cars run about $26,000 on average, which is still a chunk of change. Even when your older car needs more maintenance, it might still be cheaper than those new car payments. If you drive average miles, a regular car can last around 14 years, which is way longer than most people think.

So the real question isn't just how often should you buy a new car, but whether you actually need to. A lot of us have cars that are less than five years old with plenty of life left in them. Interest rates and supply issues also play a role in whether buying makes sense right now. The decision really comes down to your personal finances and how many miles you're actually putting on the vehicle. Sometimes keeping what you have is smarter than chasing the newest model.