Interregional Filtering-Down of a Household Asset: The Case of the Automobile Age Mix in Israel

An interregional filtering-down process of a household asset was examined through the study of spatial changes in the age mix of private cars. The relative share effect of shift share analysis was used to identify cities exporting and importing old cars using Israel as a national case. A causal path model supported the hypothesis that a core-periphery filtering-down process characterizes the spread of private cars. A further analysis of the car market demonstrated the regional impact of the automobile filtering process. The latter was found to have a core-positive effect that both directly and indirectly, increases regional inequality. Peripheries thus are always expected to have a relatively larger share of secondary goods than do the cores. The theoretical context of the study is presented first and followed by a proposed mechanism by which the age structure (hereafter the age mix) of the car market is changed. Using Israel as a national case, both a shift-share and a path analysis are used to examine and test the filtering- down process. Finally, the regional implications of the process are discussed.