Cars scrapped after 14 years on average

The cars sold for scrap at breaker’s yards are older and older. In 2003 almost 35 percent of all car wrecks were over 15 years old. Four years earlier this was 21 percent.

In 2003 cars were on average 14.1 years old when they were sold for scrap, commercial vehicles were on average 13.3 years old. This makes scrapped cars on average 7 months older than four years earlier.

Cars scrapped by age class

Half a million cars out of circulation

In 2003 some 497 thousand motor vehicles disappeared from Dutch roads. About 184 thousand went abroad and 310 thousand were scrapped.

Demolition or export

Two-thirds of all passenger cars taken out of circulation were scrapped. One third were exported. One quarter of all commercial vehicles were scrapped and three-quarters exported.

Motor vehicles out of circulation

In 2003 exports of cars taken out of registration increased by 8 percent on the previous year. Younger second hand cars aged five to six years are very much in demand in Eastern European and African countries.

Some 94 percent of the 310 thousand vehicles sold for scrap were cars and 6 percent commercial vehicles.

In terms of weight this is the equivalent of 295 thousand tons, of which 89 percent were cars and 11 percent commercial vehicles.

Half of all wrecks demolished in three provinces

Half of all wrecks are stripped in the provinces North Brabant, North Holland and South Holland, each with a virtually equal share.

Demolishing vehicles by province, 2003

René Jolly