Budget row over 2K payout to scrap a car

SingleSue

I do hope they don't start banning cars over 10 years old as a further development of this scheme, I would be completely and utterly beggered if they did!

My car at 17 years old does qualify for the scheme....I certainly don't as I don't have the pennies.

Cash-Is-King

I wonder how they (the government) are going to further force owners of old cars to give up their motors apart from increasing tax on older cars?

Who wants to buy a 0-15month old car when the value is in the 3 year + market?

This offer is a stupid idea designed solely to grease the palms of the major Blue Chip car producing companies to make them maintain a manufacturing presence within the British Isles and not take their business (or lack of it) elsewhere. All businesses are trading in a difficult time and we all are just going to have to weather the storm - there are plenty of other worthy benefactors of new laws to help business continue - why don't the government give interest free loans to businesses to help cash poor businesses retain their employees and provide their services? This would be a MUCH better use of £150m, it would help job retention and productivity - and i mean this for small business, construction consultancies etc etc

Car manufacturers have to react to demand and adjust supply accordingly.

A poor gimmick of a benefit for the old boys club. Stick it.

tubster

The environmental cost of this is crazy. Perfectly good cars are going to get scrapped, and cars cost a whole heap of resources and CO2 emissions to make. The greenest thing you can do with an old car is keep it going, because the production emissions of a replacement far outweigh any efficiency improvements.

michaels

This is entirely true - and don't get people started on how green a prious actually isn't with the extra materials for and weight of the batteries...

If this is presented as an economic policy then its merits can be discussed, wrapping it up as a green policy is just simple spin. I hope the media do not let them get away with it if they attempt this.

tubster wrote: »

The environmental cost of this is crazy. Perfectly good cars are going to get scrapped, and cars cost a whole heap of resources and CO2 emissions to make. The greenest thing you can do with an old car is keep it going, because the production emissions of a replacement far outweigh any efficiency improvements.

sabretoothtigger

But there are already enough cars newly made but just sitting around to cover this scheme, so really this is a bail out for the car makers done indirectly through consumers

1984ReturnsForReal_2

sabretoothtigger wrote: »

But there are already enough cars newly made but just sitting around to cover this scheme, so really this is a bail out for the car makers done indirectly through consumers

Its about reducing stock..

Andrew64

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Its about reducing stock..

If a shop wants to reduce stock it has a sale - 30%, 50%, 70% off. Why are car makers different?

wymondham

What an odd policy. I can see it improving sales as it has done elsewhere, but one of the reasons we are in a mess is we have too much personal debt. Encouraging someone to buy a new car who probably can ill afford it is wise?? - lets face it if you were able to and could afford it you probably would already have bought one, and at much more discount than £2k. Again the Governement is selecting a sector and supporting it, regardless of all common sense - first banks, now the motor industry. I'd like to know where this £2k comes from - when do we have to pay it back in the form of taxes?

If cars were a reasonable price this would not be necessary. If the Government ever had a serious green policy on motoring then they are now showing their true colours!!

sabretoothtigger

No I'd say it makes more sense up front then the bank bailout.

Vat even now on a 10k car will come to 1500.
It might be possible for people to get more benefit then that by a cheaper car or by buying a cheap old car thats only just been registered in this country, no doubt some dealers will have all sorts of tricks but in the majority it might be a relatively low cost initiative for government

Rick62

This scheme is mad. My Audi at 10 years old is in mostly excellent condition and has a good 5 years life in it. No rust, nothing.

And why only main dealers? If the government are using any of our money then let us buy anywhere - grey market, auctions etc. Typical incompetant corrupt labour, in the pockets of their big business friends.