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I look on older vehicles as having "paid off" their environmental manufacturing impact, unlike - obviously - a new car that hasn't yet. However many years that might be.
How can it be paid off? Well, maybe it never really can...but I look at it as a certain amount every year that it's lived as a year one more new car hasn't been produced. The longer it goes, the lower the overall environmental impact.
Obviously, if it's burning oil or running terrible and putting out unnecessary levels of exhaust/emissions from running rich or whatever, it's not doing anyone any favors.
They often point out how a new car puts out less emissions than an older car...and, of course, in some ways, no matter what you do, it will be relatively higher, but I'm of an opinion that a lot of that comes down to maintenance and how people won't (pay to) fix a $500 car. So they keep on driving it while it's blowing oil, coolant, or excessive fuel out the tail pipe. It has the potential to be much cleaner, not it's fault it's not been given that chance.
Most of our vehicles are "older". Other than my new new car, the next newest is my wife's '06. It's got less miles on it than most cars approaching 10 years, so I'd say it's easier on the environment than most of those 5 years newer cars.
None of my cars burn or leak oil or coolant, and none of them run rich either....
Anyway, if it takes 10 years for a new car to "pay off" it's environmental tab, well, other than one of them, they're all "paid off" and I'll keep them healthy so they never go in the "red" again.
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