Number of old-timers doubled since 2000

On 1 January 2007 there were almost 323 thousand motor vehicles over 25 years old in the Netherlands. This is twice as many as in 2000. Over six in ten old-timers are cars.

The number of registered cars of more than 25 years old has increased by 68 percent since 1 January 2000 to over 204 thousand. The number of old company vehicles – such as vans, trucks, tractors, special vehicles and buses – more than doubled in the same period to almost 24 thousand. The biggest increase was in old-timer motorcycles. In seven years time their number tripled to over 95 thousand. 

Old-timers

Many young old-timers

There is no motor vehicle tax on cars over 25 years old, which makes them attractive to own and use privately. In 2007 almost 2.5 percent of the total number of motor vehicles consisted of old-timers. Motorcycles are relatively often older than 25 years (16 percent).
Most old-timers are young old-timers of up to 35 years old. Almost 60 percent of the old cars, 66 percent of the company vehicles, and 71 percent of the motorcycles are young old-timers.

Old-timer motorcycles and cars by age

In the period 2000–2007 mostly vans and special vehicles were added to the collection of old-timer company vehicles, including old campers and fire engines.

Company vehicles over 25 years old

Petrol or diesel

Regardless of age, almost all tractors and buses run on diesel. The use of fuel differs between old-timer and recent vans and special vehicles. The young vehicles mostly have diesel put in their tanks, whereas almost half of the older vans run on petrol and over a quarter on LPG. Over half of the old special vehicles run on diesel, while a third has an engine running on petrol.

Some 80 percent of both the younger and the older vintage cars use petrol. 15 percent of the older generation runs on LPG and 5 percent on diesel. For the young generation the percentages are 3 and 17 percent.

Hermine Molnár-in ’t Veld