The end of the war on the motorist

[Lincsbodger]

One consequence of the car scrappage scheme was to eliminate the £500 second hand car.

Ive always bought secondhand cars, paid about £500, and scrapped them after about two years without spending too much (on none) money on them. There is now no such thing as the £500 car, its now the £1000 car.

As such, as you point out, many people can now no longer afford to buy a car, it was a law that benefited the rich and hit the poor, like a lot of labours increasingly bad legislation.

 

[nickso]

For the car enthusiast its a hammer blow.

You can bet almost all of those will be crushed if they are not exported to be used elsewhere. that means less parts for me to keep my turds on the road, not to mention the cars that are lost in a heritage sense.

 

[joinerjohn]

I did read an article in the press a month ago, about the amount of cars stored under the scrappage scheme. The reporter spent a day on an airfield somewhere in southern England, admiring some of the cars destined for the knackers yard.
Apparently it's very labour intensive to scrap these cars (no pun intended).
They have to drain all fluids from the vehicle. Oil, fuel, battery acid, brake/clutch fluid and coolant. Remove as much plastic and glass as posssible. All before it will even see a crusher.
The costs are quite horrendous when you consider that these cars could still be on the roads in 20 yrs time, with a bit of care.
According to the rules of the scrappage scheme, all of these vehicles have to be scrapped. Some even had valid MOT certificates for up to 9 or 10 months.

 

[nickso]

I did read an article in the press a month ago, about the amount of cars stored under the scrappage scheme. The reporter spent a day on an airfield somewhere in southern England, admiring some of the cars destined for the knackers yard.
Apparently it's very labour intensive to scrap these cars (no pun intended).
They have to drain all fluids from the vehicle. Oil, fuel, battery acid, brake/clutch fluid and coolant. Remove as much plastic and glass as posssible. All before it will even see a crusher.
The costs are quite horrendous when you consider that these cars could still be on the roads in 20 yrs time, with a bit of care.
According to the rules of the scrappage scheme, all of these vehicles have to be scrapped. Some even had valid MOT certificates for up to 9 or 10 months.

thats another one for the list. the rumour is they are trying to remove the ability for scrapyards to allow you to strip your own parts. if they strip it their costs go up and they charge you more. less gets bought and more cars go to the crusher.

 

[Lincsbodger]

Its typical of the sort of illogical madness and lack of common sense that labour became infamous for (and lost the election because of)

 

[Whitespirit66]

Another thing to remember about the madness of the car scrappage scheme, is who the top 3 beneficiaries were;

1) Ford
2) Hyundai
3) Volkswagen

None of these produce cars in The UK, so taxpayers money went to keep foreign car workers in work. Brilliant!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The 'equivalent' car insurance is, IMO, a better deal in France for the same cost.

Take advantage of being in the EU.

You are quite at liberty to insure your car with a French (or any other EU) insurer if they'll have you.

 

[RedHerring2]

There is an agreement with EU insurers that they'll insure any car, regardless of the country of registration, as long as you intend to re-register it in the country of the insurer.

Time is not a defined limit but you can't take the proverbial.

Another difference is that UK insurers pre-define the time that you can take your car abroad, 3 months is typical, otherwise extra notification/payment is required. French insurance (in my experience)has no equivalent.

 

[joinerjohn]

You are quite at liberty to insure your car with a French (or any other EU) insurer if they'll have you.

Yeah Right. I can just see millions of British motorists on the phone to French insurance companies.

" yeah I want to insure my car please !"

"I'm sorry I don't understand zee Engleesh"


"I'm after car insurance!! Insurance for zee Citroen C6"

" Ahh, sacre bleu,, why you not say Monsieur?"

"I did"

"Ohh Ohh Ohh Monsieur, I distinctly erd you say, you are after the French Presidant. "

"No No No! I'm after car insurance."


" Sadly Monsieur, we are on zee public strike today, due to the fact that we do not want aneethiyng to do with zee Breetish. (apart from their moneyz)
Pleeze to try again a week next Sunday."

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There is no need for any agreements, and there are no laws which apply to this situation except those mandating an EU-wide free market.

Note I said "if they'll have you". Maybe there are cosy "gentlemen's agreements", but the bottom line is if a French, or German, or Italian, or Spanish or etc etc etc insurer wishes to sell their product in this country nobody can stop them.

The DVLA did try a few years ago, and lost.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

A load of ignorant b*ll*cks

It's OK John, it isn't compulsory.

People with attitudes like yours are free to not try and buy insurance from companies in countries they would rather ridicule.

 

[RedHerring2]

There is no need for any agreements, and there are no laws which apply to this situation except those mandating an EU-wide free market.

Note I said "if they'll have you". Maybe there are cosy "gentlemen's agreements", but the bottom line is if a French, or German, or Italian, or Spanish or etc etc etc insurer wishes to sell their product in this country nobody can stop them.

The DVLA did try a few years ago, and lost.

I believe you're absolutely correct. They do remind you of the "agreement".
In my experience they will accept you quite happily, and, note my original contribution, you'll usually get a better deal for the same money.

in response to joinerjohn: well, what's appropriate?
In my experience there are a few French insurers speaking perfect english. Try saying "je voudrais assurer ma voiture" to an English insurer.

 

[chainsaw_masochist]

Ignorant b*ll*cks, on this site? The very thought of it.

In my experience there are a few French insurers speaking perfect english.

Oh? In my experience there are no English insurers speaking perfect English.

 

[Shifty22]

So what is the complaint about the scrappage scheme? I used it and now have a very eco car. Also the 'first year duty' banding discourages buying higher-polluting cars.
That was Labour.

How did I know that a tool like yourself would be a tree hugger?

Enjoy driving your slow eco sh*theap

 

[Lincsbodger]

So what is the complaint about the scrappage scheme? I used it and now have a very eco car. Also the 'first year duty' banding discourages buying higher-polluting cars.
That was Labour.

How did I know that a tool like yourself would be a tree hugger?

Enjoy driving your slow eco sh*theap

and because he scrapped an old car, he removed it from the market, and someone at the bottom end of the scale had to do without a £500 car, or had to pay twice as much for a car.

The losers in the scrappage scheme were the poorest members of society, but then, that became the normal states of affairs under the last government.