Scrappage carnage detailed
New document reveals all models scrapped under the 2009 scheme - read and weep
You can look at the list yourself (click on Download CSV to see the whole thing) and decide which ones would have made more for the owner had they done the sensible thing and sold them on the open market. The BMW 2002? Audi Quattro 20V? Morgan 4/4 Convertible? The playing field is pretty level in that all cars scrapped had to have a current MoT so were in theory roadworthy.
It's hard to fathom how enthusiasts could have made the decision to destroy what they must have loved at some point (all cars had to have been owned by the person doing the scrapping for at least a year).
Doing some quick sums on the Excel document showed 101 Porsches bit the dust, split between 944s and 924s, but also three 928s. A Triumph Dolomite Sprint was scrapped, as were nine Triumph Spitfires and quite a few MG Midgets. It's sad how cars that will be loved one day in the future were culled - a whopping 45 Jaguar XJSs hit the 'heap for example, out of 731 Jaguars in total. It's also sad how it hastened the demise of cars that weren't really loved, but you want to see every now and then. Cars like the Skoda 130, the Peugeot 505 GTI family, the Mitsubishi Tredia (okay, maybe not that).
But there were also cars that were or would have become bonafide classics, like the Honda Integra R, Ford Capri 3000 Ghia, Lancia Delta HF, Lancia Beta Spyder, Fiat X1/9 (11 of them!) and the Mercedes 560 SEC.
A warning before you go searching the document: the inputting of names was atrocious. BIS blames the manufacturers for this, for which read the dealers. How many ways can a junior salesman spell Citroen? Let's count: Cireon, Citeon, Citoeon, Citreon, Citron, Cittoen. Some spellings raised an eyebrow - Ford Fista Encore, anyone?
The scrappage scheme was important in that it did pull the country's car industry out of a horrendous pit - sales in November 2008 dived 36 per cent compared to the previous November. Scappage scheme cars accounted for around fifth of all cars sold in that 10-month period, which cost the government £400 million. As expected, scrappers mainly went for budget cars - the biggest winner was Hyundai, which shifted 47,000 cars under the scheme, 26,000 of which were the i10 city car.
Tough to learn, especially when you see a TVR S2 on the list of cars that died to make that happen.
Not to mention the possibility of selling the cars to developing countries and upgrading their gun platforms from Toyota Hilux pickups.
Imagine the prestige of having an XJS with a 50cal machine gun and some bloke sticking out of the sunroof, boots off in order not to scuff the leather or chopping the back off a 928 to make a V8 pick up.
We see the PH-worthy names and like to think they were worth saving, but in reality most would probably have been rusty, poorly-maintained junk, or been accident damaged or MOT fails but still within the terms of the scrappage scheme.
Did the scrapped cars actually have to be independently verified? Could the dealer and punter be in cahoots and strip a rare car for spares first and just send the shell for scrap - therefore earning double-bubble for the car.
We see the PH-worthy names and like to think they were worth saving, but in reality most would probably have been rusty, poorly-maintained junk, or been accident damaged or MOT fails but still within the terms of the scrappage scheme.
We had a few people turn up with cars that some people would consider to be classics.
Those that worth more than the scrappage allowance were taken in as normal part exchanges and sold on.
There were some absolute horrors that, despite being MOT'd, really only were worth scrapping.
Did the scrapped cars actually have to be independently verified? Could the dealer and punter be in cahoots and strip a rare car for spares first and just send the shell for scrap - therefore earning double-bubble for the car.
I dont think they had to have a current MOT - they could be towed into the garage.. I'm not sure about arriving with a pile of bent scrap on trailer and claiming it was an M5 would qualify.
I'm sure someone handy with spanners looking for a project would be happy with a restoration 4/4 for £3-5K - throw£10K in and there's still a bit of profit margin if that concerned them.
If they were that good, someone would have spent the £2001 or more to save them IMHO.
A lot of people are not interested in selling car privately and always do trade-ins, so their cars never get advertised here and the other websites.
Did the scrapped cars actually have to be independently verified? Could the dealer and punter be in cahoots and strip a rare car for spares first and just send the shell for scrap - therefore earning double-bubble for the car.
I dont think they had to have a current MOT - they could be towed into the garage.. I'm not sure about arriving with a pile of bent scrap on trailer and claiming it was an M5 would qualify.
Sold the Panda three years later for £3,200
Edit: Link to archived DirectGov page explaining the rules
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