That's a big "if" though. Phones get held onto for a few years, then just get thrown into the trash (and not even as e-waste) because they're only worth a token

That's a big "if" though. Phones get held onto for a few years, then just get thrown into the trash (and not even as e-waste) because they're only worth a token amount, if anything at all. Cars, on the other hand, are a) large enough you can't just throw them out with the kitchen waste, and b) have value, even just as scrap or a tax write off.