Bought EV - now what to do with old ICE car?

[jottor]

I recently bought a nice new Model 3, for environmental and road-safety reasons, but I still own a perfectly-functioning 1998 Honda CR-V that I've driven for the last 21 years. I didn't trade in the CR-V at the time of the Model 3 purchase because I would only have got minimal cash for it, and I thought it might be better to scrap it instead, rather than it being sold on to someone else who will run it for another 10 years, spewing out CO2, particulates, etc. However, I'm not even sure how easy it is to ensure that a car does get scrapped, if you sell it to an "auto recycling" place - I guess it would be in their better financial interest to sell functional cars on, rather than actually scrapping them. But maybe I shouldn't feel too bad about the next person still driving my old car around for years, because presumably it would displace the even worse car he/she was driving. And eventually, some cars will drop off the bottom of the ladder and get scrapped. What are people's thoughts on these auto life-cycle questions?

 

[Dre78]

The used car market is reuse of an already manufactured product. I wonder at what point do the emissions of a car outweigh the impact of manufacturing a new one.

 

[jottor]

The used car market is reuse of an already manufactured product. I wonder at what point do the emissions of a car outweigh the impact of manufacturing a new one.

That's a good question, but one more relevant to someone considering whether to buy a new car, or a used one. My question is more about whether there's a clearly "green" thing to do with an old ICE car that I don't need any more (and which is not worth much monetarily) - (1) remove it from the road (if I even can!), or (2) let it pass into the used market in the expectation that it will push a less-green car off the lowest rung of the trade-up ladder?

 

[Mattski30]

No easy answer.

Only guessing, but best option might be to try to sell it cheap to someone who has a more polluting ICE that is ready to be scrapped...maybe even offer deal contingent on that (or trade and take to scrap yard if you have one nearby.

Assuming you accept that people are not going to scrap decent working cars, the ideal situation might be to have EVs in the possession of those who drive the most and the most inefficient ICE with those who drive least...of course, the cheaper one can buy a working car, the less likely they are to take public transportation (or walk).

 

[Watts_Up]

I recently bought a nice new Model 3, for environmental and road-safety reasons,
but I still own a perfectly-functioning 1998 Honda CR-V that I've driven for the last 21 years.

I didn't trade in the CR-V at the time of the Model 3 purchase because I would only have got minimal cash for it,
and I thought it might be better to scrap it instead, rather than it being sold on to someone else who will run it for another 10 years,
spewing out CO2, particulates, etc.

However, I'm not even sure how easy it is to ensure that a car does get scrapped, if you sell it to an "auto recycling" place
- I guess it would be in their better financial interest to sell functional cars on, rather than actually scrapping them.

But maybe I shouldn't feel too bad about the next person still driving my old car around for years,
because presumably it would displace the even worse car he/she was driving.

And eventually, some cars will drop off the bottom of the ladder and get scrapped.
What are people's thoughts on these auto life-cycle questions?

Don't feel that bad, this second hand car will be certainly very handy for someone who don't need a brand new car,
for just doing some local errances or so.

Most of the environmental impact for a car is to build it, not to drive it so the longer you keep it running, best it's for the environment.
Driving the same car for 200,000 miles might be better on this point of view than driving two cars for 100,000 miles each.

Note: On a practical point, if you have room to keep this running car, I would keep it, just in case your Model 3 get in an accident.
As simple body repairs car take several months.

I have been looking at some junk yard, and what people remove first are the wheels and the bumpers.
Thereafter, most of the car get untouched. Getting a used starter for example might requre to lift the car,
so it might simpler to get a new starter at a store.

When you keep maintaining a car, unless you do it by yourself, the labor is the most important cost, not the parts.

 

[Mattski30]

Most of the environmental impact for a car is to build it, not to drive it so the longer you keep it running, best it's for the environment.
Driving the same car for 200,000 miles might be better on this point of view than driving two cars for 100,000 miles each.

Where do you get that stat from? Sure, some of the environmental impact comes from the build, but MOST???

The environmental impacts of cars, explained

When Used Cars Are More Ecofriendly Than New Cars

Buying A New Car Is Greener Than Driving An Old One...Really

 

[Solarman004]

Donate it to the non-profit charity of your choice. Yes, it will still be on the road emitting exhaust, but you will also be providing a social benefit.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I recently bought a nice new Model 3, for environmental and road-safety reasons, but I still own a perfectly-functioning 1998 Honda CR-V that I've driven for the last 21 years. I didn't trade in the CR-V at the time of the Model 3 purchase because I would only have got minimal cash for it, and I thought it might be better to scrap it instead, rather than it being sold on to someone else who will run it for another 10 years, spewing out CO2, particulates, etc. However, I'm not even sure how easy it is to ensure that a car does get scrapped, if you sell it to an "auto recycling" place - I guess it would be in their better financial interest to sell functional cars on, rather than actually scrapping them. But maybe I shouldn't feel too bad about the next person still driving my old car around for years, because presumably it would displace the even worse car he/she was driving. And eventually, some cars will drop off the bottom of the ladder and get scrapped. What are people's thoughts on these auto life-cycle questions?

After buying my first Tesla, I kept my 1997 Honda CR-V a few more months just to hit the 20 year mark in early 2017. I then sold it very cheaply to a family as their teenage son's first car. I drove it across Kansas to deliver it to them and had someone following behind in my Tesla for my ride home. My brother reports still seeing it around town where he lives. I hope to catch a glimpse of it on one of my trips when I'm visiting for the holidays.

 

[nwdiver]

Some people use their old POS ICE to make art; Hard to argue with that

Or a flower pot....

 

[seattlite2004]

After buying my first Tesla, I kept my 1997 Honda CR-V a few more months just to hit the 20 year mark in early 2017. I then sold it very cheaply to a family as their teenage son's first car. I drove it across Kansas to deliver it to them and had someone following behind in my Tesla for my ride home. My brother reports still seeing it around town where he lives. I hope to catch a glimpse of it on one of my trips when I'm visiting for the holidays.

You think your Tesla will last as long as that CRV?

 

[S'toon]

 

[destructure00]

Kill the engine using the mixture that they used during the Cash 4 Clunkers crap that happened several years ago, then turn it in to a recycler.

CARS tells dealers how to kill a C4C's engine


Or just sell/donate it and don't worry about it.

 

[Watts_Up]

Where do you get that stat from? Sure, some of the environmental impact comes from the build, but MOST???

The environmental impacts of cars, explained

When Used Cars Are More Ecofriendly Than New Cars

Buying A New Car Is Greener Than Driving An Old One...Really

I would recommend watching this wery informative video, you can jump at 7:45 to fnd some maths,
and Jason Fenske additional references under the video: