How Many Years of Use Constitute Scrapping for Family Cars?
3 Answers
In family cars, 5-seat sedans and 7-seat SUVs, as well as small and micro non-commercial vehicles, have no usage lifespan. When the normal driving mileage reaches 600,000 kilometers, the state will guide the vehicle to be scrapped. Apart from the aforementioned vehicles, small and micro non-commercial passenger cars, large non-commercial sedans, and wheeled special-purpose machinery vehicles also have no usage lifespan restrictions. Motor vehicle scrapping process: The car owner applying for scrapping and renewal must fill out a copy of the "Motor Vehicle Alteration, Transfer, Modification, Suspension, and Scrapping Approval Application Form" and affix the owner's seal. Apply at the registration and acceptance counter, and a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice" will be issued for vehicles that have reached the scrapping age. For vehicles that have not reached the scrapping age, after being verified by the motor vehicle inspection counter and deemed to meet the vehicle scrapping standards, a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice" will be issued. The owner can choose a qualified recycling company to dismantle the vehicle by presenting the "Notice". After verifying the "Notice", the recycling company will dismantle the vehicle and take photos. The engine must be separated from the vehicle, the engine block must be broken, and the frame (chassis) must be cut. The owner must present the "Alteration Form", "XX Province Vehicle Renewal Technical Appraisal Form", "Scrapped Vehicle Recycling Certificate", and photos of the dismantled vehicle. After verification and signing by the motor vehicle inspection counter, the license plates and certificates will be reclaimed, and the scrapping registration will be processed according to regulations after approval.
My car has been running for over a decade, and I feel there's no fixed lifespan for scrapping, but after 10 years, problems tend to arise. One night while driving, the brakes responded slower than usual, and I almost rear-ended another car—it was terrifying. With older cars, parts wear out, leading to brake failures and sluggish steering, which significantly increases the risk of accidents. Safety comes first, so I advise everyone not to wait until the car is too old to take action. Regularly check your car's condition; if repair costs become excessively high or if it fails safety inspections, it's time to scrap it. New cars come with updated safety technologies, making a switch much more reassuring. Generally, after 15 years, the failure rate of family cars skyrockets, especially with the braking system and body strength deteriorating, greatly increasing risks. Don't hold onto old cars out of nostalgia—deal with them promptly.
My little car has been in use for 8 years, and the repair bills have piled up like a mountain. This year alone, replacing the transmission cost over 30,000 yuan, and when you add in maintenance and insurance, the monthly expenses are even higher than financing a new car. You really have to crunch the numbers when it comes to the economics of a family car—usually, it stops being cost-effective after about 10 years. The repair costs are too high, fuel consumption is heavy, and it keeps breaking down. Getting a new car is much easier, saving both money and hassle. Secondly, the value of an old car plummets drastically, and cars older than this age don’t fetch much on the market. My neighbor insisted on driving his for 12 years, only to end up with major repairs every year and ultimately losing money when it was scrapped.
