Waimate cars NZ's oldest

The further south you go in New Zealand the older the vehicle fleet becomes, according to figures just released by the Motor Trade Association (MTA) and vehicle owners in Waimate and Waitaki are driving some of the oldest.

By region, Waimate has the oldest fleet in the country, at an average age of 17 years, followed by Tasman and Waimakariri.

Waitaki comes in the top five with an average vehicle age of about 15.75 years.

The newest average vehicles in New Zealand are still not new, those in Auckland are 11 years old, North Shore City are 11.25 years old and in Wellington city, the average age is 12 years old.

MTA marketing and communications general manager Ian Stronach said the figures are gathered when vehicles are re-licensed.

"The average registered vehicle age generally gets older the further south you travel, with huge regional variation," he said.

"Economic factors are forcing people to keep old cars longer than they used to."

In 2011, new cars were being scrapped after 18 years, but the average age for scrapping imported cars is now 19 years.

Mr Stronach said the latest figures were not just about driving a new car with all the mod-cons. "The increasing number of old, often poorly-maintained, vehicles has serious safety implications for anyone who travels on the roads of New Zealand," he said.

"New Zealanders are also casual about their approach to car servicing.

"An MTA survey done in July, found 51 per cent of vehicles needed work done on the day they were booked in for a warrant of fitness, so they could pass the minimum test for road safety."