Scrappage Scheme !

It already has in the UK. Loads of lovely e21's and e30's traded in against Fiat Punto's, little Hyundia's, Kia's and the like. Chances are the old BMW's would still have been on the road after the new stuff had fallen apart in a few years. I know it may have helped the industry a little but considering the environmental effect manufacturing  all the new cars to replace the older ones the scheme has been a failure.
Perhaps a better idea would have been to give the billions used to bail out the bankers to the manufacturing industry to keep people in jobs and let all the greedy bankers lose their jobs instead. The billions they are now paying themselves in bonuses alone ( tax payers money) could have saved hundreds of thousands of jobs, mine included.

b318isp wrote: I thing it is disgraceful. Its fundamentally incorrect to destroy a perfectly functional car to prop up failing businesses.

The scheme was also introduced to bring more environmentally friendly and also safer cars to the roads which I think is also rubbish.

A 740i doing 5k miles a year is going to emmit a hell of a lot less pollutants than a new Punto doing 20k miles a year. Also if I was going to have a prang I know which car I'd like to be having it in and it ain't the Italian....

b318isp wrote: I'd love to see the business model that thought it could sell elevated numders of cars over many years to justify such investments.

On that note, BMW registered 1405 new cars in by the end of December 2009 against 6952 in the same period of 2007, approx 80% drop, and 5627 in 2008.

Andrew Rolland wrote: A driver of a 12 year old 5er or a 7er isn't going to realistically be able to afford a new 5er or 7er now are they!

While in the main you're right but I know of a few people on close to or over 6 figure salaries who simply have no interest in cars and no major outgoings to prevent them buying a new 5 series say - one drives a '97 Golf and the other a '92 E200 Merc.

On the flip side I know a few who are in way above their heads (still working) with heavily financed top end cars that they're struggling to pay back. All looks rosie on the outside indeed...

b318isp wrote: I also understand that the energy and emissions used in manufacturing a car are considerably more than what it uses over its life time.

I've seen that written in places but I've also seen figures that suggest that the CO2 impact of producing a new car is somewhere in the order of equivalent to 12-15k miles of driving of a moderately high CO2 outputting car, e.g. a 32% VRT category car.

Like many things when it comes to this environmental issue there are lies, damn lies and statistics.

Did you know that more than 70% of all statistics are made up on the spot?!!

The severe downturn in the economy for private sector workers together with the reduced take home pay for public sector workers will in my opinion get more couples to think scrappage. Savage annual road tax for any car older than a 2008 model that has an engine of 1.8 liters or above coupled with crazy quotes for insurance for family members that are starting to drive is no doubt getting people to consider moving up to a new model. I believe that the NCT will be required to be done annually shortly on older models that are of scrappage age. I have spoken to a good friend who has nearly been convinced by a sales man to scrap his beloved E34 and buy a new fiesta. The sales man discussed options with my friend regarding the finance of the new car. Figures were put on the annual fuel savings, annual road tax savings, insurance savings for the 2 young drivers in the household, savings in the cost of NCT preparation by the sales man. These savings would nearly cover the annual repayments on a loan to the value of 50% of the new car value, over 5 years, so the sales man said. The sales man even discussed the possibility of changing from VHI for the families voluntary insurance to Quinn Direct and putting the annual saving towards a downpayment on the new car. In these hard pressed times for car sales men I suppose that they need to do what they got to do to sell sell sell.

 If the Irish economy stays in the doldrums tight family budgets will result in lots of cherished quality models over 10 years old being scrapped for smaller runabouts. Some of us may find it sickening, but forced economics dictate that people may have to put their pride in their pocket and drive something smaller.   

It is total lunacy and complete distortion of the market and all it really represents is a bailout to the SIMI ripoff merchants.

It makes no logical or practical sense, for anyone stupid enough to beleive the whole global warming *cough* "Climate Change" scam this makes no sense to even the most liberal ecowarrior.

It is far better for the environment for someone to massive BMW, Merc, luxobarge doing 15mpg second hand than it is to buy one of these absolute pieces of tin can sh1t from Asia, also far safer etc. Put a  1980's or 1990's 5 or 7 series (maybe even a 3) up against any of these asian crap in a collision and I know where I rather be seated if such a calamity occurred!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo

This is a crime against motoring and it is like torturing a animal!


Edited by netwhizkid

Mike Ryan wrote: I have spoken to a good friend who has nearly been convinced by a sales man to scrap his beloved E34 and buy a new fiesta. The sales man discussed options with my friend regarding the finance of the new car.

I hope you've convinced him otherwise.

Anyhow, the one thing that the salesman wouldn't have mentioned to your friend is the massive depreciation on a new car - the biggest (rarely mentioned) expense in motoring. An E34 has done 95% of its depreciation, more than likely will be bought for cash (hence no repayments/interest) and hence will be far cheaper to run over 3 years than any Fiesta. Yeah fuel consumption may be slightly higher as will your road tax but it'll still work out far cheaper. I've never spent a penny on NCT preparation(and never had an issue passing it) - any E34 can be kept in top shape with it's annual service and a little bit of preventative maintenance. Insurance on these old luxobarges is pretty reasonable too (€325 TPFT, 32yo on a '95 520i). I'd assume that Fully Comp on a new Fiesta will be a fair bit more than that.

Lower insurance for new teen drivers is the only real advantage of a new Fiesta in my book. Then again I wouldn't let a teenager near my new 10 reg'd car anyhow....

Edited by Ballcock

Ben O Brien wrote: Im not sure what the legislation is here but i know in the UK parts can be sold from the scrapped cars so at least some good is coming of it. Its still a crime to see whats actually being crushed. Check this out from one of the UK recycling facilities: http://www.u-pull-it.co.uk/lotDetail.html?lotId=22553209& ; ; ;searchType=HOME Check out some of the other BMW's they have that will be crushed once parts are removed.

If am not mistaken, this one is actually getting a second life, at least the engine...

It will be retrofitted in a e39 5 series.

http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=50136

That's an interresting project.

Edited by Fooljam