What is the maximum mileage a car can run before being scrapped?
3 Answers
Non-commercial vehicles and commercial vehicles have different scrapping periods, as detailed below: Scrapping regulations for non-commercial vehicles: For household 5-seat cars and 7-seat SUVs, non-commercial small and micro-sized cars have no usage age limit. When the normal mileage reaches 600,000 kilometers, the state will guide the scrapping. In addition to the above vehicles, small and micro-sized non-commercial passenger cars, large non-commercial cars, and wheeled special machinery vehicles also have no usage age limit. Common scrapping regulations for commercial vehicles: Small and micro-sized taxi passenger cars have a scrapping period of 8 years, medium-sized taxi passenger cars have a scrapping period of 10 years, and large taxi passenger cars have a scrapping period of 12 years. Public transport passenger cars have a scrapping period of 13 years, other small and micro-sized commercial passenger cars have a scrapping period of 10 years, and large and medium-sized commercial passenger cars have a scrapping period of 15 years. Micro-sized commercial trucks have a scrapping period of 8 years, light and large commercial trucks have a scrapping period of 10 years. The vehicle scrapping process is as follows: The car owner applying for scrapping and renewal must fill out a copy of the "Motor Vehicle Change, Transfer, Modification, Suspension, and Scrapping Approval Application Form" and stamp the owner's seal. The registration office will accept the application and issue a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice" for vehicles that have reached the scrapping age. For vehicles that have not reached the scrapping age, after inspection by the motor vehicle inspection office, if they meet the scrapping standards, a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice" will be issued. The owner can choose a qualified recycling company to dismantle the vehicle with the "Notice". The recycling company will dismantle the vehicle and take photos after verifying the "Notice". The engine must be separated from the vehicle, the engine block must be broken, and the frame (chassis) must be cut. The owner must submit the "Change Form", "XX Province Vehicle Renewal Technical Inspection Form", "Scrapped Vehicle Recycling Certificate", and vehicle dismantling photos to the motor vehicle inspection office for verification and signature. The license plates will be reclaimed, and the application will be submitted for approval according to regulations, followed by the scrapping registration. Special notes: According to Article 30 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations", if the vehicle cannot be driven back to the registration location due to damage, the owner can hand over the scrapped vehicle to a local motor vehicle recycling company. Commercial vehicles converted to non-commercial vehicles must be scrapped according to the original commercial vehicle scrapping time. According to Article 43 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations", after completing the transfer or cancellation of the motor vehicle registration, the original owner can apply to use the original license plate number when registering a new vehicle. The application must meet the following conditions: (1) The application must be submitted within six months after the transfer or cancellation; (2) The owner must have owned the original vehicle for more than three years.
I've been driving for twenty years and seen old Jettas with 500,000 kilometers still on the road. Honestly, how far a car can run these days really depends on how you maintain it! My neighbor's Corolla stubbornly clocked 480,000 kilometers before heading to the scrapyard—key was frequent oil changes and never overdue transmission fluid. What really kills a car is constant short-distance driving, shutting off the engine before it fully warms up; carbon buildup can glue the piston rings solid. Last time at the scrapyard, I saw a BMW with just 120,000 kilometers, its cylinder block already rusted. Current regulations suggest scrapping at 600,000 kilometers, but if you're willing to put in the effort for maintenance, with an unrusted chassis and a rebuilt engine, hitting 700,000–800,000 isn’t just talk. Remember, cars are ruined by poor repairs—timely upkeep beats everything.
Just checked the 2023 new regulations, there's no mandatory scrapping mileage for private cars now! But commercial vehicles like taxis must be scrapped after reaching 600,000 kilometers. My uncle's driving school trainer car was blocked from annual inspection by the DMV after running 380,000 km - its chassis was rusted like a honeycomb. Nowadays electric cars are even more amazing - my colleague's Tesla has done 210,000 km in three years with only 8% battery degradation. Reminder to all: vehicles over 15 years old require biannual inspections, failing three times means immediate scrapping. Most importantly, be extremely cautious about flood-damaged cars - even with just 50,000 km, their corroded wiring will cause major problems eventually. For average family cars doing 20,000 km annually, proper maintenance could easily keep them running for thirty years.
