Why Denmark sucks as a car country

So I was reading some laws concerning lowering my car and it just occurred to me why Denmark sucks as a car country. I’ll try to justify that statement in the following. Also fell free to comment on how you think your country is worse.

First of all, when you buy a new car from a dealership in Denmark you pay a wopping 180% of the cars retail price in tax. This is somewhat the reason why we are a nation of secondhand cars. This applies to electric cars and motorcycles as well.

And now you think sweet - then there will be a lot of nice secondhand beauties… Wrong! Because buying the new car you’ll have to pay 180% of the price for any extras on your new car. That means most of the cars is the most basic models you can get.

But now you have room for improvements, in the basic models…. right? hmm this might be somewhat true. Just know that basically any upgrade mod you can make to your car will mean that, in severe cases, you’ll have to pay another 180% procent.

To tell you why, you’ll need to know that in Denmark we have periodic inspection every 2 years for cars younger than 25 years and 8 years for vintage cars which is anything older that 25 years.

During these inspections they will also check any mod. If they find a mod you will have to provide documentation in the form of a TÜV or from the factory that the mod is allowed on that car.

Here are some changes that will require TÜV or factory approval (any changes to the following):

• breakes
• engine (increase or decrease with more that 20%)
• steering
• chassis (this include anything but the fenders and hood on a unibody)
• lowering below 40mm or lifting above 40mm
• bodylift over 10mm
• wheelbase increase with more that 10mm
• wider wheels
• coilovers
• anything turbo that did not have a factory turbo (same goes for supercharger)
• anything to the powertrain
• any brake upgrade (cylinder, caliber, disc size)

You get the point. It is really hard for me to stress how many mods are considered “unsafe” without TÜV. Basically any mod, even putting a cold air intake needs a TÜV-approval for that specific car.
And now you are probably thinking, well you’ll just get parts with TÜV. And while you can do that you still have to remain within the danish law. This means you car can be no wider than 2,05 meters, no longer that… etc. no poly bushings, no holly carb on your mad vintage car, no nothing. Because TÜV is german, this also means if there isn’t a TÜV on that part for you car, it’ll never go on that car legally.

But when do have to pay the 180% again? Well in the case you make a mod on you car that is not a bolt on, or one day job and isn’t TÜV approved. This generally relate to engine swaps, mods and upgrades, drivetrain upgrades and suspension (re)work

This is the main reason why Denmark is filled with RICERS with big bodykits, big soundsystems and fartcans. Because of the limitations in available mods, and i know you can do a lot of stuff without getting caught (cams, enginge boring, pistons etc.) but that is not a backyard mechanic job, rather a slightly more complicated mod. What you can do is tires, springs(stiffer/lower(a bit)), pads, discs, etc. when there is a TÜV. And yes may things have TÜV on them today but on older cars, there is nothing. And furthermore the mods are of a boring nature, imagine having a lowered car with mad tires and brakes. But this is as far as you car will ever go before et becomes illegal.
Engine swaps in Denmark is more rare than rainbow sh**ing unicorn. Aftermarket turbos are fairy tails and 4x4 conversions are as likely as world peace with Trump as president.

Of course cars get modified, but not in the degree I see elsewere because they[danish government] have made it absolutely impossible and so expensive that nobody want’s to do anything.

And this is why I think Denmark is one of the worst modifying nations in the world. Tell me why you think yours is the worst.

Edit: The tax on cars is no longer 180% but 150%