In zo goed als alle landen die België omringen, werd er onlangs een schrootpremie ingevoerd. De verkoopscijfers van nieuwe auto’s stijgen.

In Duitsland is het bijvoorbeeld zo dat de €2.500 die mensen voor hun oude wagen krijgen, hen effecief ook aanzet om een nieuwe wagen te kopen. Op die manier geraakt de auto-industrie normaalgezien net iets gemakkelijker uit de moeilijke economische situatie. Opel bijvoorbeeld, kon na het invoeren van de schrootpremie enkele dagen economische werkloosheid terug afvoeren en de productie in verschillende fabrieken zelfs verhogen. De Insignia is dus duidelijk een echte verkooptopper.

Hyundai beweert zelfs dat in het VK iedereen zijn Mercedes, BMW, Audi en Jaguar massaal van de hand doet, en in de plaats een Hyundai i10 koopt, zo getuige onderstaand persbericht. Hyundai vertelt onder andere welke wagens er allemaal worden ingeruild voor een Hyundai. Sommigen zullen ongetwijfeld van een geluk spreken dat er in België dus geen slooppremie komt, want op die manier heeft niemand een excuus om toch in een Hyundai te stappen!

JAGS, MERCS AND EVEN A MORRIS MINOR MEET THE CRUSHER – TO BE SWAPPED FOR HYUNDAI i10S!

• Dealers surprised at selection of cars traded in under scrappage
• Old cars towed in after breaking down on the way to showroom
• Enquiries flood in as public make most of government scheme

Car dealers like to think they have seen it all, but even veterans of the industry have raised an eyebrow at the stories coming out of Hyundai dealerships this week as scrappage ‘goes live’.

It’s no surprise that customers have been flocking to showrooms wanting a new Hyundai under the government-sponsored scheme, but some of the cars they are trading in have come as a bit of a shock. One dealer was amazed to see a Jaguar XJ-S being sent to the scrapper in exchange for a new i10, while another crushed an XJ6 to make way for an i20. BMWs, Audis and Mercedes cars and vans were relatively common sights on their way to the automotive knacker’s yard (34, 22 and 32 respectively) as were Mazda MX-5s (six in total), MGFs (seven) and several Saabs.

The oldest car to be traded in this week was a 1966 Austin 1100, closely followed by a Morris Minor, which was just two years younger. Both were said to be ‘basket cases’ and not worthy of restoration, although the scrappage rules will allow some of the parts to be used again to keep other classics on the road. An MG Midget, MGB GT, Nissan 300ZX and even a Fiat X1/9 also appear on the list.

The most common car to be traded in is the Nissan Micra, with over 200 owners now signed up to swap into a new Hyundai. Next most popular is the Ford Escort with 126 on their way from Hyundai dealers to the crusher.

Many of the buyers have also used the scrappage scheme to get shot of old cars which have major mechanical faults but still have a current MoT and are therefore eligible. Rovers with head gasket problems are the most common cars turning up at Hyundai dealers on the end of a tow rope, while one 94 year-old Ashford man was late picking up his i10 because a wheel had fallen off his Citroen on the way to the showroom!

Tony Whitehorn, Hyundai UK’s managing director, said: “Our experience shows the scrappage scheme has really caught the imagination of the car buying public. For many it is an opportunity to buy their first ever new car, and is enormously exciting. Some people look a little embarrassed when they turn up at a showroom with an old car which is literally falling to pieces but we’re happy to take anything as long as it meets the government’s criteria. Other buyers have taken the decision to wave goodbye to cars which have been in the family for a generation, but their sadness soon disappears when they get into their new Hyundai.”