There are more and more so-called youngtimers on Germany's roads. These are vehicles between 20 and 30 years old. Their number rose to around four million last year. On average, one in three youngtimers fails the main inspection and does not receive a new sticker at the first attempt. However, the older the vehicle, the fewer defects there are.
The older the better preserved
A look at the car defect rates for 2013 clearly shows the differences in the individual age categories. Among all youngtimers up to 30 years old, 33 percent of vehicles have significant defects or are even unsafe to drive. Of those with minor defects, 28 percent are on the road. Just under 39 percent pass the main inspection without any defects. This is the result of the latest GTÜ defect statistics, which were presented at the "Retro Classics" classic car trade fair in Stuttgart.
However, the picture changes significantly with increasing vehicle age. If a 20-year-old youngtimer still has 35 percent serious defects, the defect rate drops to 30 percent with a vehicle age of 25 years and reaches a low point at 28 years and 25 percent. The situation is similar for youngtimers without defects. Here, the rate for 20-year-olds is just under 37 percent and rises to 45 percent for 29-year-olds.
Even before they reach classic car age, many youngtimers are already on the road in an above-average state of preservation. This development makes it clear that owners are giving their vehicles the necessary care and maintenance at an early stage. "From a technical point of view, a possible reduction of the legal classic car status to a vehicle age of 25 years or older would be conceivable in this context," said Rainer Süßbier, Technical Director of GTÜ.
Number of classic cars continues to rise
The number of classic cars continues to increase from year to year. Never before have there been more historic vehicles on Germany's roads than today. There are currently more than 314,000 classic cars with H license plates. Every year, the number grows by around ten percent. Only vehicles that are at least 30 years old and have been recognized as "motor vehicle cultural assets" following an official inspection are awarded the H license plate. In total, there are around 452,000 cars on the road that are more than 30 years old.
In most cases, the old treasures are in good shape and don't need to shy away from comparison with much younger vehicles. It is therefore not surprising that classic cars with an H license plate are on average on a par with eight to nine-year-old vehicles in the GTÜ defect statistics.
The number of vehicles with defects in the 30 to 40 years age category with an H license plate drops to well below 50 percent as they reach classic car age. Around 28 percent of classic cars are on the road with minor defects. The proportion of vehicles with major defects is just under 19 percent. 53 percent of these classic cars pass the main inspection without any defects.
Well-maintained treasures
The GTÜ experts have identified several reasons for the good state of preservation of old vehicles, which even increases with increasing service life:
- The status of the vehicle changes from a commodity to a "collector's item". Accordingly, it is better cared for and maintained.
- To obtain the H license plate, the vehicle must be in a largely defect-free condition. This eliminates any existing maintenance backlog in advance of the inspection.
- Depending on the vehicle type, the vehicles are discovered to be a promising and safe investment. Significantly higher prices can be achieved in a flawless condition.
- Car dealerships have discovered classic cars as a target group and have specialized in old technology accordingly.
- Manufacturers are returning to their tradition and offering high-quality spare parts for veterans.
