NEWS

DEALERS are missing out on loads of hot scrappage leads, claims automotive service provider HPI. The company has a bank of leads that could potentially lead to sales under the scrappage scheme – but confusion means they’re not being snapped up. HPI automotive director Daniel Burgess has told Car Dealer that dealers have been slow [...]

SCRAPPAGE may be reaching its final months, but this is not stopping car makers releasing special deals. Kia is the latest brand with a headline offer – a cee’d 1.4 for £7995. This deal comprises a total saving of £3900; the massive extra incentive from Kia comes despite the cee’d range recently receiving a key [...]

DRIVE a snotter of a scrapper, said Hyundai, and raise cash for WOMAC. Sounded pretty good to us, we reckoned. After all, isn’t Bangers4BEN all about driving old cars over zany distances, and raising cash for charity? This would thus be good practice. One Rover Maestro was thus duly delivered. Complete with exposed primer, smell [...]

NISSAN has increased production of the Micra at its Sunderland plant by a huge 40 percent. The firm says this big rise is entirely down to the scrappage scheme. It is aided by Nissan enhancing the scheme, with its ‘extended Trade-in offer’. This sees cars aged 8-10 years eligible for the £2000 new car scrap [...]

SCRAPPAGE has been called into doubt by one industry title, which asks if consumers really have benefitted. Used Car Expert acknowledges the scheme has been good for car makers and dealers. Indeed, car markets where scrappage has been in place have seen double-figure new car sales increases. This is a big contrast to those where [...]

SMALLER independent car dealers are to see longer term business benefits from the scrappage scheme. The RMI’s Independent Garage Association division said the priority now should be on ensuring they are equipped to capitalise on this. Jonas Zambakides, IGA Chairman explained how. It’s all about ‘access to technical information. ‘The revitalisation of the new car [...]

SCRAPPAGE is not only boosting car sales, but it is also meeting a green aim of cutting CO2, says the SMMT. Registrations from May to September numbered 181,092, with cars forming over 178k of this total. This number is, of course, distinct to scrappage orders, which currently stands significantly higher. SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt [...]

SCRAPPAGE is leading to big gains for one enterprising firm – the cartakeback.com authorised collective. The need for the Certificate of Destruction issued by the firm’s 300-strong Authorised Treatment Facilities is seeing it benefit from the scrappage scheme. But car dealers are in on this bounty, too. So far, the network has paid out over [...]

‘SHORT sighted’ is the Environmental Transport Association’s view of the scrap extension. Yes, it admitted, cars bought under the initiative emit a quarter less CO2 than the scrapped ones. But, it reckons, that CO2 reduction actually ends up costing the Government £370 per tonne of CO2. Whereas the actual environmental cost of CO2 is generally [...]

SMMT chief Paul Everitt has exclusively spoken to Car Dealer Magazine, outlining why scrappage is right. Extending it was the only thing to do, he says. ‘The scrappage incentive scheme has been an integral tool in helping to kick-start the UK motor industry. Until July 2009, the new car market endured 15 months of consecutive [...]

SCRAPPAGE hasn’t just received a funds boost – the scope of the scheme has also been extended by Lord Mandelson. Now, owners of cars registered on or before 29 February 2000 – V-reg – will be eligible for the scheme. This six-month extension of the age limit reflects the longer period the scheme is to [...]

THE scrappage scheme has been extended – with the government today putting in another £100m. Business secretary Lord Mandelson, announcing the move, said: ‘The sector has been strongly affected by the recession, but the scrappage scheme has delivered a boost to manufacturers and the supply chain. ‘We have listened to the concerns of manufacturers and [...]

EXTENDING scrap is a great move – but there could be still more good news on the horizon, reckons one industry exec. Finance and Leasing Association chief Paul Harrison said the scrappage decision is to be welcomed. But, he added, the Government is also in talks with the EU over in Brussels RIGHT NOW, on [...]

CAR makers have praised the Government’s decision to extend the scrappage scheme by 100,000 cars. Nissan has been a key proponent of the scheme – and has responded to Lord Mandelson’s announcement with its own extension. The firm’s ‘Trade-In’ offer, which sees scrappage extended to cars aged 8-10 years, will also be carried through with [...]

SMMT data just released shows that car production in the UK remains down – but by a lesser extent. The figures for August show a 31.5 percent decline over 2008. This sounds bad – but it’s a big improvement on the fall of 44.6 percent year-to-date. And it’s all thanks to the new car scrappage [...]

LTI CEO John Russell is the latest UK chief to call upon the Government for an extension to the scrappage scheme. His plea comes as figures show that 1 in 5 London Taxi sales have been down to scrappage recently. ‘LTI Vehicles is an excellent example of the success of the Government’s scrappage scheme and [...]

BUSINESS minister Ian Lucas today spoke, to say Government is doing ‘all it can to support the car industry’… … but he made NO mention of any extension to the scrappage scheme. Meaning a funds boost is unlikely? In the inconclusive statement, Lucas referred to the current £300m scrappage scheme, admitting that ‘I have heard [...]

MERCEDES UK MD Dermot Kelly has added his name to the list calling for a scrap extension… …But there’s a twist! Not only would the Mercedes UK chief like to see the scrappage scheme continued but he’d also like to see it revised to be fairer on all manufacturers. ‘Our preference would be for it [...]

PRICE rises and VAT increases have signaled yet another call for an extension to the scrappage scheme. What Car? says scrappage must be continued, as ‘car buyers face sizeable price increases over the coming months.’ Already, new car prices have risen by nearly 10 percent in 2009, says the title. Used car prices are up [...]

NISSAN UK managing director Paul Wilcox has added his name to the list calling for a scrap extension. Speaking exclusively to Car Dealer Magazine, the MD hit out at the Government for the lack of information on the end of the scheme. He says Nissan estimates the scheme will end by mid to late November [...]