UK government wants to spend taxpayer's money scrapping old cars

[90019]

The government, under pressure from the car industry, is considering a tax-payer funded incentive scheme to offer up to £2000 off the price of a new car in return for the scrapping of a car aged nine years or older.

Now this won't work as anyone driving a nine year old car is either doing so through choice, ie the enthusiasts and classic car owners, or is doing so through financial necessity. The classic owners won't scrap their pride and joy and if someone can't afford a newer car then they are unlikely to have the extra £10,000 that the car industry wants them to spend.

There is also the consideration that this scheme needs to be applied to British made cars only, something the government can't seem to make their minds up about.

And the fact that cars under nine years old may be subjected to higher rates of road tax...



This foolish plan could end up costing the country millions of pounds, here's the petition to stop it, please sign it

http://www.petitions.number10.gov.uk/Scrap-vouchers/

Feel free to copy and paste this and forward it or post it in other forums etc.

 

[mbonwick]

We're the only country in Europe that hasn't implemented some form of this scheme, IMHO it's well overdue.

Not least because my family is looking to get a new car and sell our R reg Passat.

 

[90019]

We're the only country in Europe that hasn't implemented some form of this scheme, IMHO it's well overdue.

Not least because my family is looking to get a new car and sell our R reg Passat.

Yes, but scrapping isn't the right way to go about things.

What exactly is the point of scrapping a roadworthy car simply because it's over 9 years old?

All it does is waste energy and resources.


Are you looking to sell it or scrap it?
If you just want to sell it, either just part exchange it to get money off a new car, or simply sell it yourself and use the money.
Oh, and why not try nearly new if you want to save money, ex-demonstrators are often very good value. And second hand values in general have plummeted.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oh, you'd also have to buy a British car to get the vouchers.

Although, i'm not sure exactly what they'd class as a British car.

 

[will1337]

Caterham Seven?

 

[Metroland]

I'll just point out £2,000 is the subsidy they gave the 'all so inefficient' BR for 125 years per person.

 

[90019]

Caterham Seven?

Not really much of a family car

 

[mbonwick]

Yes, but scrapping isn't the right way to go about things.

What exactly is the point of scrapping a roadworthy car simply because it's over 9 years old?

All it does is waste energy and resources.


Are you looking to sell it or scrap it?
If you just want to sell it, either just part exchange it to get money off a new car, or simply sell it yourself and use the money.
Oh, and why not try nearly new if you want to save money, ex-demonstrators are often very good value. And second hand values in general have plummeted.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oh, you'd also have to buy a British car to get the vouchers.

Although, i'm not sure exactly what they'd class as a British car.

Cars over 9 years old aren't going to be compliant with the Euro emissions standards, so it'll make the world a slightly cleaner place as most things in a car can be recycled.

We're looking for a part-ex on the car, but really it's only fit for the scrapheap as it's got quite bad rust to the bottom rear windscreen, several electrical faults due to damp entering from chassis corrosion, non functioning alarm (but the locking still works, except intermittently on the rear doors when it won't release), generally it runs very rough, starting to show it's age really - you can see that the injectors and rings are worn.

The only way we can afford a car is ex-demo...all the cars we've had are like that, or company cars when my dad actually got them (before I was born though).
We are thinking either a Ford S-Max or Galaxy, through FordDirect. I'm not joking here, top of the range Galaxy, 1.8TDi in the showroom, £29k. 2.0 TDi with same spec apart from engine, 5,000mi on the clock.....£13.5k

It's just ridiculous.

 

[90019]

Cars over 9 years old aren't going to be compliant with the Euro emissions standards, so it'll make the world a slightly cleaner place as most things in a car can be recycled.

We're looking for a part-ex on the car, but really it's only fit for the scrapheap as it's got quite bad rust to the bottom rear windscreen, several electrical faults due to damp entering from chassis corrosion, non functioning alarm (but the locking still works, except intermittently on the rear doors when it won't release), generally it runs very rough, starting to show it's age really - you can see that the injectors and rings are worn.

The only way we can afford a car is ex-demo...all the cars we've had are like that, or company cars when my dad actually got them (before I was born though).
We are thinking either a Ford S-Max or Galaxy, through FordDirect. I'm not joking here, top of the range Galaxy, 1.8TDi in the showroom, £29k. 2.0 TDi with same spec apart from engine, 5,000mi on the clock.....£13.5k

It's just ridiculous.

Nah, it's brilliant. We got a 6 month old ex-demo Polo 1.2 (08 plate) with about 5,000 miles for £8k
We havent had a properly new car for years

Most things in cars can be recycled, but there's still a lot of stuff that goes to waste. Rust can be fixed, and below the back window isn't critical. If it's on the boot, then, if neede, the boot can be replaced.
However, with the rest of it, I can see why you would want to scrap it, but personally, I think it's got some life left in it.
I think cars should be run into the ground. Think about the environmental impact of scrapping an old car and then producing a new one as well, compared to running the older car until it canno safelyt be run any longer, only then producing a new one. If it's a diesel, you can run it on veg oil, which you can get second hand very cheap, if not free.
Generally, only the emissions from the exhaust of a car is taken into account, but a lot of the emissions from a car are actually from the production and scrapping of them.

Here's a thought for you:
Taking into account the full life cycle of the car, including production and disposal of all the parts, and taking into account the expected lifespan, a Hummer is actually cleaner overall than a Prius (Which, is actually one of the most polluting cars to produce and dispose of, and isn't even that good on fuel consumption either).

 

[mbonwick]

Ah, thing is, it's knocking on for 170,000 miles on the clock. We would keep it, but the thing is, I'll be learning to drive soon.
My mum currently drives a T reg Rover 820 Si, 2 litre automatic, so that's no good either. As she only uses it for the school run, and a 20-mile round trip twice a week, she's looking to downsize to something with lower road tax, as it's rather expensive atm.

I personally think one of the reasons the Passat has lasted so long is because it's underpowered. From a 1.9TDi, it develops 90BHP but models are available with 1.8TDi's and 130BHP. Oh, another problem I forgot to mention about, the rear window washer leaks inside the car.

 

[Dennis]

Not being a car owner, I feel like I'm missing out. Perhaps HMG would care to buy me a new bicycle instead. Anyway, I'm sure the likes of VW, Fiat, BMW etc will enjoy the boost in business.

 

[Metroland]

me too, I'll settle for a new bike and a few all line rovers though...

 

[90019]

Not being a car owner, I feel like I'm missing out. Perhaps HMG would care to buy me a new bicycle instead.

Get involved in the cycle to work scheme and they will.

Anyway, I'm sure the likes of VW, Fiat, BMW etc will enjoy the boost in business.

No they won't, because they're not british cars.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Ah, thing is, it's knocking on for 170,000 miles on the clock. We would keep it, but the thing is, I'll be learning to drive soon.
My mum currently drives a T reg Rover 820 Si, 2 litre automatic, so that's no good either. As she only uses it for the school run, and a 20-mile round trip twice a week, she's looking to downsize to something with lower road tax, as it's rather expensive atm.

I understand why you want to downsize, I only managed to get a driving test last month (It would've been last year if it hadn't been such a farce )

I personally think one of the reasons the Passat has lasted so long is because it's underpowered. From a 1.9TDi, it develops 90BHP but models are available with 1.8TDi's and 130BHP. Oh, another problem I forgot to mention about, the rear window washer leaks inside the car.

In general diesels will go on for a long time, even higher powered ones. If someone else buys your passat, it'll keep going for some time yet.

 

[me123]

I'm for it. As far as I'm aware, the incentive is to buy eco-friendly cars. It would be better, in my opinion, if it would be restricted to, or aimed specifically to promote, the adoption of eco-friendly cars. Of course, then the government don't get as much road tax from you...

But such a measure could help refuel the economy. (Pun not intended).

 

[90019]

And one of the most eco-friendly cars around is an old diesel running on 2nd hand veg oil

 

[Metroland]

Of course, then the government don't get as much road tax from you...

Until road pricing/toll roads...

I'd be more for it, if everyone got a £2000 voucher to spend on 'green things'.

They are on about giving grants for £5k for electric cars, thus to offset the higher prices.

With the current grid intensity of 0.537g kw/h, and electric car consumption for a small car about 0.2kw/h per km, this makes electric cars 107g co2/km for a small car, about the same as some of the smaller ICE models on the market today.

So really its a giant subsidy to the car industry, one of the richest industries on the planet (like banks) - which I'm neither for or against btw, i just like pointing out BS, its my speciality. Especially because they are currently cheaper to run therefore may INCREASE emissions because people may drive more, which in turn will cause more congestion and emissions (especially as ICE cars will be about for years more)...conclusion: Pure greenwash.

A general 'green' voucher, which for example could be spent on home insulation, would reduce emissions, or better still on sorting out power generation.

 

[yorkie]

I find it absurd that some people support this incredibly biased and unfair, and fundamentally flawed scheme.

I agree with Metroland, 90019 and Dennis on this!

The maximum you can get from the cycle scheme on a normal wage is in the region of £400 - far less than the £2000 being handed out here, and there's a lot of red tape to get it IF your employer supports it, so hardly a viable comparison.

They should be encouraging people to not get cars at all, or use cars less, or where cars are used for it to be shared with about 3 or 4 people, instead of simply encouraging them to get new cars that still cause pollution but just a bit less.

Even cars that are zero rated for VED can pollute up to 99grams of CO2 per km - that's still a lot of pollution, and the Government are quite happy for that amount of pollution to be created. Strange.

 

[90019]

Even cars that are zero rated for VED can pollute up to 99grams of CO2 per km - that's still a lot of pollution, and the Government are quite happy for that amount of pollution to be created. Strange.

In a way it is odd, but what would be the point of having a VED band you have to pay nothing in if no cars are actually in it?