TÜV SÜD sees signs of positive impact of German scrappage subsidy

TÜV SÜD sees signs of positive impact of German scrappage subsidy

The 2012 TÜV Report, the findings of which were presented in Berlin on 6 December, shows that the proportion of cars with serious defects on Germany's roads has risen slightly by 0.2 percentage points to 19.7 per cent. The winner for the second year in succession is the hybrid-drive Toyota Prius, while the Porsche Boxster/Cayman and VW Golf Plus achieved the best results for German brands. The new report was built on data from 3.1 million roadworthiness inspections contributed by TÜV SÜD. Analysis of the statistics from TÜV SÜD's market territory, covering the German states of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Saxony and Hamburg, showed clear indications that the scrappage scheme is working: the number of older vehicles with faults in Baden-Wuerttemberg and Saxony – two states in which the scrappage subsidy was in high demand–- fell by over 2.5 percentage points in the period covered by the report. 

Main beneficiaries of the scrappage scheme have high defect rate

When evaluating its regional results TÜV SÜD investigated potential impacts of the scrappage scheme from two years ago, under which a theoretical total of two million old cars were consigned to the scrapyard and thus wiped from fault statistics.

The company concluded that the scrappage scheme has taken effect. Bernhard Kerscher, CEO of TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH, comments, "the clearest indications that the scrappage scheme is working come from those regions where the highest number of car owners took advantage of it. In those areas we noted that the proportion of older cars with defects had fallen." Regions where this was the case include Baden-Wuerttemberg and Saxony. While the number of two- and three-year-old cars with defects rose slightly by 0.2 and 0.8 per cent respectively, results for cars over nine years old – the age category in which many cars were scrapped – improved by 2.8 per cent in the south-west of Germany and 2.5 per cent in the east. However, the economy-boosting scheme's positive impact on car defect rates was soured by the fact that some car models that had benefited the most from the scheme promptly landed at the bottom in the 2012 TÜV Report – such as the Dacia Logan in last place and the Fiat Panda in third from last.

While statistics show that car lights are still the most fault-prone area of a vehicle, the number of defects fell slightly in the period examined in the Report. The greatest improvement was seen in ten- to eleven-year-old cars, where defects fell by 1.7 per cent to a total of 28.6 per cent. The rate for new cars remained stable year-on-year at 8.3 per cent, while all other age categories showed slight improvements. Factors accounting for these positive results include reduced susceptibility of automotive light systems to voltage fluctuations and the longer operating lives of the bulbs themselves, such as those for Xenon systems. In addition, the EU exerted a positive influence from Brussels; to counteract the increasing complexity of the process of changing a car lamp bulb, regulations were passed in 2006 compelling manufacturers to design car lighting systems in such a way that bulbs could be changed by any car owner without the need for special tools.   

Toyota Prius in top place again

For the second year in succession, the 'Golden Sticker' goes to the Toyota Prius hybrid drive. This result confirms TÜV SÜD's assumptions that electric drives for vehicles are safe, suitable for everyday use and technologically mature. Only 1.9 per cent of hybrid vehicles undergoing their first roadworthiness inspection after three years show significant faults. "The Prius points the way to the future of mobility. Its eminent suitability for daily use confirms the findings that TÜV SÜD has amassed in recent years as the leading service provider in the e-mobility sector", comments Kerscher. And the Japanese auto manufacturer celebrated a double victory as its Toyota Auris scooped second place, sharing an average fault rate of 2.6 per cent with the Mazda 2. The first German brands were hot on their heels: the Porsche Boxster/Cayman's fault rate of 2.8 per cent equalled that of its compatriot, the VW Golf Plus, which moved up one place from its ranking in the previous year.

At the bottom end of the scale among two- and three-year-old cars were two typical brands that benefited from the scrappage scheme: the Dacia Logan brought up the rear for 2012 with a fault rate of 12.5 per cent, while the Fiat Panda was third from last at 11.6 per cent. In other words, one in eight Logans or Pandas requires workshop attention at its very first roadworthiness inspection. 

Turning from younger to older models, the Prius – the previous year's winner in four- to five-year-old cars – landed in second place, overtaken by the VW Phaeton at the head of the list. Bringing up the rear in this age category was the Renault Espace with a fault rate of 22.9 per cent. After six to seven years, the Porsche 911 (fault rate 5.5 per cent) and Toyota Corolla Verso (7.1 per cent) are still looking good. In the eight- to nine-year-old category, the top three brands are Porsche 911, Toyota RAV4, Honda Jazz. The senior class (ten to eleven years old) confirms that sport is great for fitness in the elderly, with first and second places taken by the sporty Porsche 911 and Toyota RAV4 respectively.

Putting the brakes on rising fault rates

From cars to components: although the 2012 TÜV Report shows that the rise in fault rates has slowed compared to previous years, the condition of the vehicles inspected still leaves plenty of room for improvement. As in the past, lights, axles and brakes head the list of defective areas. While a slight improvement was noted for light systems, there is no reason for complacency; as Kerscher explains, the high defect rates only go to show how important regular care and maintenance is, particularly for older vehicles.

Baden-Wuerttemberg has lowest fault rates out of all TÜV SÜD territories

This year TÜV SÜD once again subjected data from its market territories of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Saxony and Hamburg to analysis. The results throughout all vehicle age categories showed that Baden-Wuerttemberg had the lowest fault rate at 20 per cent, followed by Saxony and Hamburg both at 21 per cent. Like last year, Bavaria returned the highest rate of defects; in TÜV SÜD's heartland, 21.4 per cent of all vehicles require workshop attention for major defects. 

Information: The 2012 TÜV Report is available from all TÜV SÜD service centres and from retailers from Friday 16 December 2011 and costs EUR 4.50.

Photos: Pictures in printable resolution on the theme of roadworthiness inspections can be downloaded from the image library:  http://www.tuev-sued.de/company/press/image_library (main category: Cars + Road Transport / sub-category: Roadworthiness Test for Passenger Cars)

Complete information on the 2012 TÜV Report can be found at www.tuev-sued.de/tuev-report-2012 (only available in german) and www.vdtuev.de.

Contact: Frank Volk