Billion Dollar Benefits In Preserving “Uneconomic” Cars

A recent release from the Motor Trades Association criticised New Zealand motorists for their reluctance to scrap their older “uneconomic” cars and argued our roads are becoming increasingly perilous due to the ageing of the vehicle fleet, now averaging 13.8 years.

While the MTA statement did distinguish between ‘classic or vintage cars’ and older ‘everyday runners’, it is pressing for Government initiatives to reduce the number of earlier models still in use. To force what it perceives as low value, poorly maintained, high mileage, older vehicles off the road, it is supporting such measures as in-service emissions testing and scrappage incentives.

But as all vehicle enthusiasts know, today’s older, low value, everyday runner can quickly become tomorrow’s collectable classic. Any artificial initiative to increase the natural attrition of our vehicle fleet will quite probably have unforeseen and unfortunate consequences.

Ironically, considering the MTA’s stance on WoF test intervals, there is anecdotal evidence that suggests six monthly vehicle testing is actually helping to keep more old crocks on the road. When required to invest in a new tyre, ball joint or brake pads in order to pass their latest safety test, owners of older, low value vehicles feel compelled to keep using them for just a bit longer to obtain a return on their money and whilst they replenish their savings in order to upgrade to a replacement.

If the incoming annual WoF regime was extended to the pre 2000 models, the potential cost of the repairs needed to bring a deteriorating vehicle back up to standard after 12 months of misuse and too little maintenance, may be just enough to make replacement the only economic option.

But while the MTA may not be wrong to contend there are some worn out, high mileage cars in the vehicle fleet which should be retired, age alone cannot be a justifiable reason for curbing the continuing use of older classics and potential collectables.

A study of WoF statistics by the FOMC has confirmed that the mechanical condition of our older vehicles is generally higher than more recent models. The inspection failure rates for cars aged between 11 years and 25 years old are all above 30 per cent, and range up to 36 per cent, but drop back to 28 per cent for those older than 25 years. Indeed the failure rate for light vehicles aged over 25 years is only slightly more than for those aged under 10 years.

Possibly because they are usually better maintained or maybe because they do lower annual mileages, older vehicles are also well under represented in road crash statistics. In the period 2005-2011 in only 22 of the crashes involving vehicles with defects were any of vehicles older than 40 years, none of those crashes were fatal, and only three resulted in serious injury. Of all the crashes in which vehicles were found to be defective, only 139 (4.5%) involved vehicles aged 30 years and older (1984 on), 7 (3.8%) of which were fatal (almost all being 1984-model year vehicles), and only 29 (4.8%) resulted in serious injury.

Contrary to the contentions that older cars comprise an uneconomic portion of the national vehicle fleet, the care and feeding of classics and collectables does in fact make a positive contribution to both the cultural richness and financial wealth of our nation, not to mention the turnovers of many MTA members.

Extensive research by our sister organization, the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs found the classic and vintage vehicle movement generates business worth nearly $10 billion a year in the United Kingdom, almost $2 billion of which comes from overseas. More than 850,000 vehicles made before 1981 still survive in the United Kingdom, and more than 28,000 people earn some or all of their income providing services to the historic vehicle owners.

So what may appear superficially to be just a wasteful hobby, reliant on the continuing care and use of uneconomic cars, actually has a multi-billion dollar positive economic and social impact. But just like us, British car collectors are concerned the increasing regulatory burden imposed by transport authorities will discourage activity and hamper both the desire and ability to grow their movement.