Car Scrappage Scheme Options

[Cadence]

*The 2CV thing is serious. I've always wanted one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I love 2CVs - my parents had one when we were little and when I think abou it now it makes me smile ... ours was 'convertible' but whenever I picture the car it reminds me of a huge umbrella!

[Arundodonuts]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I remember seeing a Renault Espace (the original one) in Chamonix just after they had come out. That was seriously a jaw dropping moment. The Renault Avantgarde had a similar effect more recently. Shame they're Renaults really. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The Renault Avantime was wonderful! I'd have had one if all other things added up to it! Pity they stopped making them, but hardly surprising... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Oops, that's the right name.

What is wrong with Renaults?!

Well they're fun but not the best built or most reliable cars.

[Pixie*Porsche]

I think most people seem to have a different idea of what makes a great car than me on here!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Arundodonuts]

I think most people seem to have a different idea of what makes a great car than me on here!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Ah well I think there is a big difference between "great car" and the sort of box most of us use to commute, shop, go on holiday, etc.

[Markey78]

Avantimes drove really nicely........for about a month(before the seat falls apart)! Even the name ended up being a joke at Renault, because the project was delayed for years. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)

Renault bought back all the cars that the dealers had left.

[ianporsche]

I agree with Nicia- I think the scrappage scheme is completely stupid. Surely all that is going to happen is the dealers will be reducing the discounts that they would already have given anyway so the new cars won't be any cheaper for the customer (eg for many years citroen were giving cash back offers on their cars of around £2000, they don't seem to be doing that any more (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ).
Ialso think its a bit rich helping the car industry when all the British marques have been allowed to disappear over the last twenty years.
Surely a better way of stimulating the car industry would be to increase the disposable income of customers by say; decreasing the tax on petrol, removing vat from utilities, reducing road fund license (or whatever they call it these days).
I do object to my tax money being spent on these kind of schemes, no one ever helped me to buy a new car. Its quite typical of this goverment though- especially after the huge amount of money they gave to the banks to bail them out- if the company I work for is doing badly they don't get bailed out.

On a lighter note one positive thing from the scrappage scheme is that if you don't scrap your 10 year old car, its going to get very rare- this may make classics out of all kinds of unexpected cars.



While I'm in a rant just one more thing
Why doesn't anybody use the handbrake anymore ? If your at a traffic lights with your car in gear with the clutch pedal depressed and your foot on the brake you will warp your front discs- also if anybody hits you from behind you will be launched forward and hit the car in front, which will hit the car in front etc.
I know that driving schools teach people to drive like this, but why ?

[TSax]

I've got a 12 year old car I've been thinking of replacing for a couple of years. I may use the scrappage scheme, I might not. Certainly without it I wouldn't even consider a brand new car. I'm going to have a look round, see what deals I can get with or without the scrappage on new or newish cars then make a decision. I may decide to hang on to the existing car for a while longer.

I'm very much of the "car as a functional tool", rather than "car as fun" camp. One thing that I hadn't realised until I started looking round was just how much safer new cars are, both in terms of avoiding accidents in the first place (ABS, ECS plus a host of other TLAs) and in reducing injury to occupants if the worst does happen. I know that all the safety features in the world aren't a substitute for good driving, but I can still see their value.

[Arundodonuts]

While I'm in a rant just one more thing
Why doesn't anybody use the handbrake anymore ?

Well I certainly do.

If your at a traffic lights with your car in gear with the clutch pedal depressed and your foot on the brake you will warp your front discs- also if anybody hits you from behind you will be launched forward and hit the car in front, which will hit the car in front etc.
I know that driving schools teach people to drive like this, but why ?

Is that really what they teach these days? That's pathetic. What about hill starts? I remember amazing a couple of American colleagues years ago by doing a hill start without rolling back a bit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

I've got a 12 year old car I've been thinking of replacing for a couple of years. I may use the scrappage scheme, I might not. Certainly without it I wouldn't even consider a brand new car.

Well I think what ianporsche was driving (haha) at, is that dealers may well offer more than £2000 discount if you don't have a trade in. This would render the scheme useless.

I'm very much of the "car as a functional tool", rather than "car as fun" camp. One thing that I hadn't realised until I started looking round was just how much safer new cars are,

Plus more reliable, nicer to drive, etc.

[Babybird2]

While I'm in a rant just one more thing
Why doesn't anybody use the handbrake anymore ? If your at a traffic lights with your car in gear with the clutch pedal depressed and your foot on the brake you will warp your front discs- also if anybody hits you from behind you will be launched forward and hit the car in front, which will hit the car in front etc.
I know that driving schools teach people to drive like this, but why ?

Not all driving instructors teach people to drive like that - mine certainly didn't! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Markey78]

I get frustrated with my partner and her family always holding on the clutch when stopped on hills!

Its alright for them, but its muggins here who has to get dirty and replace them! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[Pixie*Porsche]

People not using their handbrake is my favourite rant (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) if they can't use their handbrake they should be in an automatic at best or not driving at all.

As for staying on topic - new cars being more reliable and nicer to drive, not in my opinion. If you look after and maintain your car accordingly you shouldn't have too much trouble but if you do most jobs are easy DIY jobs on an older car. As for nicer to drive most new ones feel so uncconected to the road, like some sort of space ship.

[Arundodonuts]

As for staying on topic - new cars being more reliable and nicer to drive, not in my opinion. If you look after and maintain your car accordingly you shouldn't have too much trouble but if you do most jobs are easy DIY jobs on an older car.

Well certainly my old cars (especially my Hillman Imp) taught a gret deal about maintenance. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

As for nicer to drive most new ones feel so uncconected to the road, like some sort of space ship.

I'm not convinced - providing you are comparing like with like. Take a 1966 Cortina alongside a present day Focus for instance.

I suppose the most "connected" cars I've ever driven have been rally cars. But I wouldn't take one on holiday. I would take my Passat any day.

[ianporsche]

Maybe (in terms of car scrappage schemes) we should be comparing a 2009 Focus against a 1999 Focus !
I do wonder in these days of leaner burning more efficient engines how fuel efficient cars could be if some of the frippery (eg air con, electric windows, cup holders, excessive soundproofing, multiple airbags) was removed.
My car carries around an air con system weighing in the region of 25 Kg- who needs aircon in a convertible ?

[Pixie*Porsche]

Maybe (in terms of car scrappage schemes) we should be comparing a 2009 Focus against a 1999 Focus !
I do wonder in these days of leaner burning more efficient engines how fuel efficient cars could be if some of the frippery (eg air con, electric windows, cup holders, excessive soundproofing, multiple airbags) was removed.
My car carries around an air con system weighing in the region of 25 Kg- who needs aircon in a convertible ?

The fact is though if the government was so concerned about the environment they would not be encouraging scrapping (i.e. using massive amounts or time and energy) or buy new cars (i.e. using massive amounts of time and energy making them), if people wanted to be rid of older cars that were "uneconimically viable" they would encourage the owner to break them for parts and sell the parts to someone who would use them, helping out others.

No one needs any of it, nor does anyone need other driver aids, the fact the driving public have come to expect it.

As for a/c in convertibles, well when you've got one that constantly steams up, I do think it's a rather good idea (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Boxsters tend to be watertight though, I know mine was (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Arundodonuts]

Maybe (in terms of car scrappage schemes) we should be comparing a 2009 Focus against a 1999 Focus !
I do wonder in these days of leaner burning more efficient engines how fuel efficient cars could be if some of the frippery (eg air con, electric windows, cup holders, excessive soundproofing, multiple airbags) was removed.
My car carries around an air con system weighing in the region of 25 Kg- who needs aircon in a convertible ?

My current 1.8 Passat is much less economical than my Rover 820 2.0 of years ago for precisely that reason. The Rover would return well over 40mpg on a long trip.

Look how quick and economical the Lotus Elise manages to be at the same time. Mind you, I would still take my Passat on holiday.