To what extent does a car accident require scrapping the vehicle?
3 Answers
Registered motor vehicles that meet the service life requirements specified in Article 5 of the "Mandatory Motor Vehicle Scrapping Standards Regulations" need to apply for scrapping. The following is a detailed introduction to the scrapping application: 1. Situations requiring scrapping application: (1) Vehicles that have reached the service life specified in Article 5 of these regulations. (2) Vehicles that still fail to meet the national safety technical standards for in-use motor vehicles after repair and adjustment. (3) Vehicles that still fail to meet national standards for pollutant or noise emissions into the atmosphere after repair, adjustment, or the adoption of control technologies. (4) Vehicles that have not obtained a motor vehicle inspection qualification mark for three consecutive inspection cycles after the expiration of the inspection validity period. 2. Scrapping process: The unit or individual owning the scrapped vehicle must provide the motor vehicle registration certificate, license plate, and driving license when submitting the vehicle for scrapping. For units, four copies of the organization code certificate with official seal are required; for individuals, four copies of the owner's ID card are needed. The company's designated administrator is responsible for receiving the scrapped vehicle and filling out the motor vehicle suspension or resumption of registration cancellation form, which must be stamped with the official seal for units or signed by individual owners. The administrator and custodian will inspect the vehicle, take photos, and obliterate the engine and chassis numbers.
When a car is involved in an accident and needs to be scrapped, it mainly depends on how severely it's damaged. I remember hearing from an insurance agent once that once the car's frame is deformed, it's similar to a human bone fracture being hard to fully recover—not only is the repair expensive, but there may also be significant safety risks. If the airbags have deployed, that's another bad sign, as they usually need to be replaced, and repair costs can easily soar to over 60% of the car's value. During insurance assessments, they check the vehicle's structural integrity and core components, such as whether the engine has shifted. If the frame is bent or the battery compartment is damaged, the car is no longer safe to drive. Personally, I think if the car's overall stability is compromised after an accident, with strange noises or unstable steering while driving, it's better to scrap it and buy a new one for safety. From a cost perspective, if repair expenses exceed 70% of the car's value, it's usually more economical to scrap it outright rather than spend more money on futile repairs. Safety comes first—driving a badly damaged car just makes you nervous.
I just experienced a serious accident where my car hit a tree head-on, causing the entire front end to collapse with the hood severely warped and deformed. Later, the insurance company sent someone to inspect it, and they said this level of damage is basically considered a total loss. The frame was twisted, and even after repairs, it wouldn’t have sufficient structural integrity—there’s a risk of the car falling apart while driving. All the airbags deployed, and just replacing the parts alone would cost tens of thousands, not to mention labor fees, which would exceed the car’s actual value. I believe the key is whether core components like the suspension system or chassis have sustained major damage. If too many electrical wires are severed or the fuel tank is leaking, even after repairs, hidden risks would remain. From experience, anyone who’s driven for over a decade knows that when a car is severely deformed from a crash, it’s best to let it go—otherwise, you’ll drive nervously while also wasting fuel. Safety-wise, such a car would have slower brake response after restarting, making a secondary accident even worse.
