1st Choice Spares

10/10/2026

If you know you know...

09/10/2026

Something for the diary:
'Although the Regulation concerns the European Union, many of the problems it seeks to address are shared by automotive recyclers internationally.

Vehicle traceability, illegal dismantling, producer responsibility, recovering reusable components and financing environmentally responsible vehicle treatment remain subjects of debate in markets around the world.'

What does Europe's new ELV Regulation mean for vehicle recyclers? Join IRT on 29 October 2026 as industry experts discuss the legislation, producer responsibility, vehicle traceability and the challenges facing authorised treatment facilities.

03/10/2026

Again, in my defence I wasn't supervised!

02/10/2026

Interesting article:
'The new rules could also begin to dismantle one of the defining features of Europe’s ELV industry: decades of fragmentation, as collection and treatment volumes are expected to increasingly concentrate in larger, specialised hubs.

The mandatory removal and recycled-content rules in the regulation will certainly favour larger, tech-intensive hubs, Helsen said.

“There will be a gradual shift away from small family-run businesses that manually depollute and dismantle end-of-life vehicles towards large-scale, specialised and digitalised hubs,” Helsen added.'

Europe's new vehicle recycling system could change how end-of-life cars, parts and batteries move through the supply chain, revolutionising reverse logistics.

26/09/2026

And if the horn went 'Meep Meep', perfect!

25/09/2026

Interesting article:
'“we’ve even had instances where franchise garages, if they’re frustrated that they can’t get the part, would accept us getting a green part for them.
So rather than being almost this sort of sacrificial cow that you can’t ever touch – ‘it’s always got be a brand-new OEM part’ – I think there’s a realisation that vehicles are sitting there just because the part isn’t available for weeks, and that this is a real thing to be looked at.”

Recycled parts are becoming more popular as fleets try to avoid additional downtime.

19/09/2026

Stop annoying Zeus, failing that see a mechanic.

18/09/2026

Interesting read:
'A vehicle may be uneconomical to repair while its battery still retains substantial capacity and years of useful life. That battery could return to another vehicle, be refurbished or remanufactured, provide replacement modules, or find a second life in energy storage. Yet finding the highest-value next use for that battery remains surprisingly difficult.'

Europe already has a growing battery resource on its roads. REBATTEX is developing the infrastructure needed to help dismantlers safely assess, trade and reuse EV batteries across European markets.

12/09/2026

In my defence, I wasn't supervised...

11/09/2026

Some good news:
'A new SUV has previously been reported as being under consideration, potentially marking a significant departure from McLaren’s traditional focus on performance cars. No further details have yet emerged, but the company’s recent appointments suggest it is preparing for a period of significant product development.'

The British supercar manufacturer McLaren is set to create around 1,000 jobs as part of a £450m investment in its UK operations