Youngtimers prices dropped

The youngtimer owner also had to believe in 2009 and the first half of 2010: the prices of standard youngtimers have fallen by a few tens of percent in the last two years.

The reasons for this are diverse. The economic climate did not really help. Young timers are not always business-driven cars, but often also second or third (hobby) vehicles. If the belt is tightened, the hobby must leave the field. On the other hand, the "Cramer amendment" in question (freezing the Motor Vehicle Tax Exemption Regulation and raising the tax-friendly age from 15 to 25 years) has certainly not done the thing right. Entrepreneurs massively dumped their youngtimer business and sales stagnated, forcing companies specialized in youngtimers to force down their stocks. A final reason is the considerably increased supply in the Netherlands, and especially from the well-known German brands. The customer has plenty of choice, also within our national borders. And if the supply exceeds the demand, then the market forces do its work automatically. The economy is picking up again, the Cramer amendment has (in terms of the additional tax regime) been reversed, so the expectations for the second half of 2010 are hopeful again. Because let's face it: every youngtimer extra on the road brightens the streets a bit.

Chris de Raaf.