Oh dear - here we go again - a license to steal?

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:25 pm

If anyone's of a Radio4-listening persuasion, then you may have heard a Motor Industry spokesman yesterday asking the government to launch a "bounty for scrapping old cars" initiative. Ouch.

While I don't think it'll happen (cross fingers, touch wood), I shudder to think about it. The French government got rid of a lot of interesting cars that way, and any financial incentive to purloin or acquire old metal seems to mobilize chancers and quick-buck merchants very quickly.

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:35 pm

This would be completely unfair, as all new cars are sh*t, too expensive, and boring. It should be a persons RIGHT to own a car they want, am I right?

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:27 pm

It should be a persons RIGHT to own a car they want, am I right?

- - sure, the one they want but not a right to own a car at all.

Actually, we don't really have the right to own what we want anyway: If I wanted a 40 Y. O. V8 with an industrial revolution coming out the straight through exhaust and illegal mods and such then it wouldn't be long before it was 'noticed' - but what if that was the car I wanted?

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:06 pm

good point but you're talking about law - as in the 'industrial revolution V8' (

) with illegal mods.

The initiative DLM mentions is incentive based you it's up to you (unless someone decides to start nicking the cars) so it should be Reg Doc only if thats what you choose.

Talking of the incentive - what exactly is it? A cash payment? A contribution to a new car? A years free road tax? or to put it another way, will old cars see an increase (incentive by stealth!) in road tax - I sincerely hope not!

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:39 pm

Oh I see, well if we, owners of older cars are picked on in any way, then that's when it becomes hugely unfair.

I heard somewhere that this is happening in Germany. Not sure how it's working over there but you apparently get 2000 euros to scrap your old car. Whether this is cash (unlikely, as you could just keep buying older cars and scrap them) or goes towards your purchase of a new car, I'm not sure.

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:31 pm

I thought that was already in place in the UK? Or is it just come back on the table again now that scrap metal prices have fallen through the floor?

Yet over here in the godzone they are now targetting the Boy Rcaers and souped up cars, well should say talk talk talking about the problem again after a Police Car was ambushed by a mob.

Agree with that though we currently have two idiots in little 1500cc Japper Crapper mitsis tearing around disturbing the peace. Which when you live in a wooden house with single glazing is annoying

One snag they have enocountered is the proposal to crush cars is seen as a breach of human rights and not fair on the finance companies etc.

Funny that but if your a real car enthusiast your branded a boy racer

Still love to see them call a 20 year old BX 16 valve a boy racer machine

Laugh even more when the stupidity being proposed to scrap older cars for cash comes to NZ as it will no doubt folllow! Heck second hand cars hold there value here! Scrap dont!

what other stealth palns are theire coming from Europe to take away our
beloved older motors? Dont the salt on the roads help that issue anyways?

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:02 pm

IMO this is a fairly thinly diguised attempt to boost the car industry. We've just been hearing that new car sales are down something like 30%..... well, GOOD! Maybe people will take a bit more care over their cars, and get more use out of them.

An incentive to scrap an old car means that people will be forced to look at newer cars, which will eventually force up the sale of new cars...

Which means lots of jobs for people, and lots of tax for the Government.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 6:58 pm

/\

Exactly, and Vauxhall have been doing a similar scheme for a while now I'm told. Any part-ex over a certain age HAS to be scrapped, which of course means less old cars on the road so more chance of flogging new ones.
The government have been mulling over a scheme to help the manfacturers but this is NOT a cash handout I believe but some way of making finance more achievable for new car buyers. Rather stupid idea imho as in the current climate I don't think enticing people to get credit to guff on new cars is really such a good idea myself.
Oh abd scrap is rising again nicely now, EMR paying good money. Time to get myself a trailer or another recovery truck methinks.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:16 pm

Yup - I did see the reg doc implication, and the jobs implication.

I see no point in public money being indiscriminately spent to persuade people to support the motor industry, despite the long history of doing just that.

Would you pay a man up a tree branch, sawing away vigorously behind himself, to get onto the next branch so he could start doing the same?

Post by **docchevron** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:38 pm

If it was Gordon Brown, the tree's lowest branch was 1000feet off the ground and he had no parachute then yes, I'd pay for that!