The number of dismantled cars in the Netherlands rose sharply in the first ten months of 2017. This is reported by VWE, which mapped the figures and put together a top 10 of the most dismantled cars. Passenger cars in the age category 18-25 year were most often brought to the last resting place. Furthermore, a decrease was observed from the age category of 10 to 18 years, and the average age of demolished cars increased.
The starting points were formed by the first ten months of 2016 and a similar period in 2017. The number of passenger cars in category 18-25 year fell sharply. And that was mainly due to the demolished number of 107663 units. The number of cars in this age category is likely to fall by 125.000 units compared to the previous calendar year. It must be said that the aforementioned fall is a conservative estimate of ours. Demolition has a major influence on the population of volume models in the aforementioned category. Compared to 2016, a demolition increase of 25% was measured. But younger cars - with ages from 10 to 18 years - were scrapped less. There was a decrease of 5%. The age of the demolished car grew compared to the same period last year (ie up to and including October) with 0,3 years to 18,9 years.
Small share of old diesels
Remarkably, the reviled old diesels represented a small share of the dismantled cars. Because no 10% ended up under the demolition hammer, while the actual decrease compared to 2016 in the 18-25 year category shows higher values. This difference is partly due to the fact that diesels are more often exported before, since they are more in demand on foreign markets than with Dutch occasion buyers.
The number of demolition diesel engines may increase
A number of importers have recently launched scrapping schemes for diesels. As a result, even more diesels may end up at the dismantling companies in the coming months. The announced measures for old diesels and the political measures (certainly at the local level) also contribute, because they do not contribute to the popularity of older self-ignitors.
Commercial property mostly stable
It is striking that the share of "commercial property" within the 18-25 age category remains stable. Youngtimers from 2000 and 2001 appear to be gaining prominence among entrepreneurs. One of the underlying explanations for this lies in the fiscally attractive young-timer scheme. The number of cars of forty years and older is (also for diesel) in stable water. Passenger cars in the transitional arrangement have a slightly decreasing trend in numbers. There is no question of alarming numbers.
Farewell to historical volume toppers
The increase in the number of demolished cars is mainly due to the popular volume models that were frequently sold during the 1990s and the beginning of this century. The Peugeot 206 was the largest climber in absolute numbers, the Picasso in percentage. The Opel Corsa was most often offered to the dismantling companies. Cars from Japan were not in the top 10. In any case, it seems that the car enthusiasts (also in the 18-25 year category) will become the classics of the future. Nevertheless, the numerical development of that population does require further research.
Enough passenger cars in the 18-25 year category
But as said: In particular the excellent selling volume models from earlier times were written off, while the entire category up to 18 years seems to be cherished more. In both cases, enthusiasts will still be able to keep a wide selection of the classics of the future in the long term, especially in view of the fact that the average lifespan of the passenger car in our country is increasing. And in addition: in the 18-25 age category, fat 700.000 passenger cars are still registered in the Netherlands. Within the 15-18 year category (fifteen years were retained in this example due to the young-timer scheme), more than a million passenger cars are still in the traffic picture.
Those old 206s and Corsas have transported their owners in the lean years and are now on, I think.
But it remains an idiotic business: that cars are worth less and less in the first 15 years, while they are often still technically fine, just because the dealers and the manufacturers have to sell new ones. Many people clean up a car when it is 6 or 10 years old, because 'there are costs to come'. While the expenses for trade-in are of course much higher. Purely because a car has become economically less valuable.
I often hear people say: 'our previous car was better', or 'the previous one cost much less in terms of maintenance'.