Bovag and KNAC not happy with the abolition of MOT for classics
This is evident from answers to questions from AutoWeek. According to the organizations, there is a risk that some of the classic car owners will overlook defects. In this way, road safety is endangered.
From 2021, the MOT requirement for historic vehicles will lapse if the date of the first admission is 50 years or older. This means that cars from before 1971 will no longer be required to pass the inspector. The RDW gives the reason for this decision that "oldtimer enthusiasts usually maintain their car intensively and see this as a hobby, where they immerse themselves in the technology of that time." That is why a mandatory periodic inspection would create unnecessary burdens. Moreover, according to the RDW, the impact on road safety is minimal due to the small number of kilometers that are usually driven with old-timers.
De Bovag does not agree with the reasoning of the RDW. According to the interest group, it is wrongly assumed that every classic car owner has the mechanical knowledge to guarantee the safety of his vehicle. "You cannot believe everyone's blue eyes that he handles his car well," said spokesman Tom Huyskens. "What we are a bit apprehensive about is that it will now come to light that there are also classic car owners who are not so concerned with their possession and the safety of it. Not everyone who owns a car of 50 years or older is a hobby mechanic and knows what to pay attention to. The abolition of the MOT requirement is absolutely no license to let maintenance and technical care slip away. Some oldtimer owners need a big stick in the form of a mandatory periodic inspection. but happen that after the winter during the rally season people go back on the road without a technical inspection and then an accident occurs. "
The position of the KNAC, the Royal Dutch Automobile Club, is somewhat more nuanced. "We are doubly in it," says director Peter Staal. "On the one hand, we think it is good if people are not pushed for costs and can arrange their own affairs. On the other hand, the MOT obligation did have a function, namely to observe things that self-tinkers do not always see. We always found it a useful tool. to be able to guarantee technical order. The danger is now that this will decline. Oldtimer owners usually take good care of their vehicles, but this was an important check. It is not that we reject the abolition of the mandatory MOT, but we are here again not to cheer. "
