Experian Automotive's bone-chilling analysis shows Chicago and New York are the cities most haunted by "zombie" vehicles

COSTA MESA, Calif., Oct. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --In the spirit of Halloween, Experian Automotive today announced the top five metropolitan areas most haunted by "zombie," or discontinued, vehicle brands. The analysis shows that, overall, 5.9 percent of all 249.4 million vehicles in operation have been discontinued and are now driving among the undead. The metropolitan areas most haunted by these vehicles are Chicago and New York with nearly a million (6.4 percent) zombie vehicles scaring traffic on the roads. The top five metropolitan areas include:

Further analysis shows that of all the zombie vehicles on the road, 32.1 percent are Pontiacs, 19.4 percent are Mercurys, 16.1 percent are Saturns, 11.7 percent are Oldsmobiles and 4.9 percent are Suzukis. Digging a little deeper, Pontiac has three of the top five "dead" models on the road, with the Pontiac Grand Prix, Grand Am and G6 creeping their way to the first, third and fifth positions, respectively. Filling out the remainder of the top five are the Mercury Grand Marquis (second) and the Saturn S-Series (fourth).

"When looking at vehicles on the road, it is easy to forget that some products have been discontinued," said Brad Smith, Experian's director of automotive market statistics. "Whether consumers are retaining these zombie vehicles due to economic or sentimental value is unclear, but they certainly make up a significant percentage of the overall units on the road and continue to be an integral part of the automotive ecosystem. The lasting impression zombie vehicles leave with their former owners, however, is an important piece of information because it can influence a future buying decision."

Where do consumers turn when their "dearly departed" finally cross over into the great beyond? The analysis shows that 43.7 percent of Mercury owners decided to stay within the same "family" and bought their next vehicle from the Ford Motor Company. Similarly, Pontiac (42.8 percent), Oldsmobile (37.6 percent) and Saturn owners (27.3 percent) also chose not to leave the comfort of the brand family and bought General Motors Co. vehicles.

Of the owners who decided to move on and let their "loved ones" rest in peace, 18.1 percent chose to buy a Ford as their next vehicle. Specifically, with Ford being the top choice for Saturn (12.0 percent), Pontiac (11.6 percent) and Oldsmobile (11.1 percent) owners. Furthermore, those who owned a Suzuki or Mercury, 10.7 and 8.4 percent, respectively, went on to buy a Toyota.

About Experian Automotive
Experian Automotive provides information services and market intelligence that enables results-driven professionals to gain the fullest possible understanding of the market, the vehicles and the people who buy them. Its North American Vehicle Database^SM houses data on nearly 700 million vehicles and, when combined with Experian's credit, consumer and business information, provides an integrated perspective into the automotive marketplace. Experian Automotive's AutoCheck^® vehicle history reports provide dealers and consumers with in-depth information, allowing them to confidently understand, compare and select the right vehicles. For more information on Experian Automotive and its suite of services, visit our Website at http://www.experian.com/automotive.

About Experian
Experian^® is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2014, was US$4.8 billion. Experian employs approximately 16,000 people in 39 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

Contact:

Roslyn Whitehurst
Experian Public Relations
1 714 830 5578
[email protected]
Twitter: @RozWhitehurst

SOURCE Experian Automotive

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