How Many Years Can a Car Be Driven Before It Must Be Scrapped?
2 Answers
If the car is well maintained and passes the annual inspection, it is possible to drive it for 20 years. However, if the car does not participate in the annual inspection on time, it may be forcibly scrapped in less than 10 years. According to the regulation "private cars over 15 years old must be inspected every six months," the annual inspection cycle for such a car is 0.5 years, and three inspection cycles would be 1.5 years. If the car has not undergone an annual inspection for 1.5 years, it will be forcibly scrapped. Below is relevant information: Vehicle Scrapping Age: The vehicle scrapping age refers to a safety inspection system based on the number of seats and the period of use of the car. The regulation states that small and micro non-operational passenger vehicles, large non-operational cars, and wheeled special machinery vehicles have no usage age limit. New Scrapping Standards: According to the regulation, registered vehicles must be forcibly scrapped under the following circumstances: reaching the prescribed usage age; or failing to meet the national safety technical standards for in-use vehicles after repairs and adjustments.
I've driven several cars and found that scrapping a car isn't as simple as just looking at how many years it's been driven. Firstly, in many places like China, there's no mandatory requirement for small private cars to be scrapped after a certain number of years. As long as you maintain it well and pass the annual inspection, you can keep driving it. The annual inspection is a yearly check to see if the car is safe and meets environmental standards. If it fails, it might be required to be scrapped. Specifically, in terms of safety, older cars are prone to brake system failures, and body rust can affect the structure. Environmentally, exhaust emissions are more likely to exceed standards, especially in big cities where air cleanliness is a priority. Economically speaking, if repair costs become too expensive after 15 years, it might be more cost-effective to replace the car. In other countries like the US, there's no unified scrapping age—it all depends on the car's condition. So, don't worry about the age; the key is regular inspections and good maintenance.
