Are the older cars getting scrapped, or sold in another market?
Many people in the US have garages, tools, and the mindset to work on their own cars. Half of the country has no requirement for emission inspection. Oregon for example only requires emission inspection in 2 cities, with the vast majority of the state having no inspection requirement. If a catalytic converter gets clogged up and fails, I just pound a hole through it and ignore the check engine light.
People on this forum are more likely to have tools and be willing to work on older vehicles since they are already contemplating modifications to make their vehicles more fuel efficient. It's also likely that some on this forum are more frugal, and owning an older vehicle is a smart financial decision.
I find it interesting the vast differences in vehicles around the US. In Oregon cities, I see mostly Toyota, Honda, Subaru, VW, Hyundai, Chevy, Ford, etc. I'll see a Lamborghini or Ferrari once per year. In Miami Florida, I see a Lamborghini or Ferrari every 2 minutes, with the common vehicle being a luxury brand such as Lexus, Acura, Audi, Mercedes, Lincoln, and Cadillac. In central to southern California, aftermarket wheels are extremely popular, even on hoopties. It's not uncommon to see a vehicle with wheels that are worth more than the rest of the car. In Oregon, it's usually only teenagers in old Hondas that get aftermarket wheels.
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