Responses to export figures for old-timers and sector development, especially questionable

It was announced yesterday that the number of exported vintage cars doubled in the past year to more than 12.000 cars. This development has everything to do with the 40-year compromise, which was agreed between the Ministry of Finance and the old-timer alliance in the spring of last year. A number of parties from that alliance are now doing everything they can to convince the supporters that they have dragged the right measure out of the fire. It leads to questionable reactions.

Doubling
The spring agreement - which was not finally adopted by the Senate on 18 December last December - led to several unrest in the past year. Among other things, it resulted in the doubling of the vintage car export. Compared to 2012, the export of vintage cars on diesel even increased by 522%. Exports of LPG and petrol cars also increased by 140% and 50% respectively.

First signs on the wall
They are the first signs on the wall of the harmful consequences for the industry. Because although some media say that the export figures are not so bad, the data seems to be a precursor to what the industry is expecting in 2014. The export doubling arose because the relevant sellers already took an advance on a possible agreement. But that only finally came about on December 18.

Shadow cast
Long before the ratification of the 2014 Tax Plan, the 40 year compromise cast its shadow ahead. Due to the constant uncertainty, various vintage car specialists suffered considerable damage. "And as a result, a number of companies have run into great difficulties or gone bankrupt in the past year," says Wim van Giersbergen of the Stichting Oldtimerbranche Nederland, who expects 30% of the 120 companies affiliated with the Foundation to be affected the exemption rules will not survive.

Conclusions: way too early
It is striking that the FD reports that "opponents of the measure do not have the statistics on their side". The increase in supply on Marktplaats is considered to be better than expected, as was the decrease in sales between private individuals, which amounted to 6.000 units. The FD ignores that the tightened old-timer scheme was not ratified until 18 December 2013 and that many old-timer owners first wanted certainty about whether or not the tightened arrangement would continue and therefore measures such as suspending or opting to postpone the sale in awaiting final ratification. Nevertheless, a considerable number of old-timer owners did not want to wait. And that already led to export doubling before the Senate gave a hammer on the 2014 Tax Plan. That is why it is far too early to announce on January 3 that the effects of the tax measures will not affect the old-timer industry.

Misplaced pride and statements
The market developments challenged Peter Staal of the KNAC to join those conclusions seamlessly. He now suddenly states that garage owners, restorers and specialists are crying crocodile tears, and that advocates are talking nonsense. It is a cheap piece of politics in retrospect, because the KNAC wants to convince the supporters that they are somehow proud of the fact that - together with the RAI Association and the BOVAG, among others - they were “at the maximum achievable 40-year compromise ”. And it is not only for Staal but also for organizations such as BOVAG ("a true enthusiast does not let his hobby run for € 120 per year") and the RAI Association ("Weekers has good advisors" and "demonstrating on the Malieveld is not our style ”) talking just a bit easier now that the 40-year compromise has been accepted. While everyone knows - see the June 2013 issue of Auto Motor Klassiek- that the old-timer alliance was simply forced on the new measure last spring.

Considerable level
The statements of the KNAC in particular are questionable. They express the question whether the club of Peter Staal has actually been concerned with the interests of the classic car owners and industry. In the first days of 2014, a positive answer seems far away. And the statements of the KNAC in particular, and to a lesser extent the BOVAG and RAI Association, tend more towards a step towards the organizations that actually make efforts for the old-timer owner.