UK scrappage scheme sees Hyundai i10 as a new favourtie
May 22, 2009 by Matt Brogan
The UK scrappage scheme has kicked off in earnest for Hyundai’s i10 model proving that the move to smaller vehicles is indeed a popular consideration for people wanting to take advantage of the chance to receive a large government funding discount off the price of a new car.
But while this is hardly exciting news, what is of interest is the list of some of the cars people are sending to the scrap heap to make way for their new set of wheels.
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.
One dealer was amazed to see a Jaguar XJ-S being sent to the tip in exchange for a new i10, while another crushed an XJ6 to make way for a new i20.
BMWs, Audis and Mercedes-Benz cars were all common inclusions across the Hyundai tally sheet (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!
“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,” said Tony Whitehorn, Hyundai UK’s managing director. “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.”
Do you think the scrappage scheme would work here in Australia? Leave a comment now.
Print it: 
While in the eyes of fairness, buyers should be able to choose what they want, but if the Government is tipping all of this money out, shouldn’t they make it apply to only Australian built cars? By the time a scheme would be put in place, Australians will have their choice of small, medium and large cars as well as an SUV and light commercials – Focus/Cruze, Camry, Falcon/Commodore/Aurion and Territory.
Whether you really wanted a new Holden, Ford or Toyota or not, the scheme would make the cars more attractive (on the basis of pricing alone) and provide a shot in the arm for our manufacturing industry.
Er, Andrew, what’s this got to do with Australia?
Notice the ‘UK’ in the title?
Pawlie-boy, did you read the question at the end of the story – oops!
On the topic I think it’s a crock. All that will happen is that the manufacturesrs will wind back the discounts, so the cost of the car will be the same and we ALL pay.
There has apparently been evidence of this in other places where a scheme has been introduced.
I really with Hyundai Aus would replace the getz with the i10! it’s a great little car
Pawlie-boy, a scrappage scheme is currently on the table for possible introduction by the Australian government in the near future.
And Andrew does make a good point, keep that money in country!
I agree with Andrew in that if it were to be introduced here, it should only apply to aussie built vehicles.
But in saying that I agree with Bret in that it would be a pointless incentive.
It would only inflate prices or remove discounts (same in effect). The homeowners grant is a prime example of this sort of “Bonus” incentive inflating prices.
Also I see it as only bringing tomorrows sales forward to today. This will affect the natural buying pattern.
Nobody is thinking of tomorrow, only living for today.
The example above in the UK sounds like a Kerbside cleanup.
Also reminds of Zupps old jingle “any old iron”
If Hyundai had that much success in the U.K then i am surprised they don’t advertise a similar incentive for other contrary’s that have not or wont adopt the scrappage program.
I think, like any idea – it will suit some people and help them out financially, other’s may abuse the system or find flaw etc.
Hey, if people are daft enough to scrap a beautiful Jaguar, or even an MX5 for a base model hyundai, then that’s their decision. Personally, I wouldn’t swap my flat-tyred pushbike or a set of roller-blades for anything Korean.
Ever notice the Hyundai supporters lack of grammatical cohesion?
Where in the entire article does it reference any source stating that the i10 is the new favourite car in the UK? No-where, so whats with the heading? This is a common occurrance on Hyundai/Kia articles, they always come off as pure PR pieces on CarAdvice.
Secondly, an Australian scrappage system would not work in the long term, because as mentioned in many of the same articles on caradvice, all it’ll do is pull future sales forward at great expense to the government. So that you get a spike in sales this year, but in two years time car sales plummet again because you’ve disrupted the near constant replacement cycle which is what feeds new car sales. And the energy consumed in creating a new car usually means prematurely retiring a car to the scrapheap and buying a new one is worse for the environment than continuing to use your old car. So the environmental benefit is not there either.
I don’t see the advantage in Australia as the cheap cars that would really benefit in sales from the plan are all imported.
But applying only to locally built cars seems unlikely, and unfair to importers too.
Because of this I think the plan should not come to Australia.
Quote “Ever notice the Hyundai supporters lack of grammatical cohesion?
hahaha is that what your English teacher says you lack in Lexusboy,{thought I would correct your spelling}cause you obviously didnt read what you wrote did you .
How are the English lessons going ! Hiding behind another identity ,spoto you !
my opinion of these things is that first, rudd won’t pay for it since he doesn’t have any more money anyway
2ndly it would only help if you bought a falcon, camry or commodore which isn’t what customers want anyway
in the example of the Hyundai i10… you buy pay an incentive to buy a Korean named car that’s made in India?
I don’t see a lot of flow on effect there except to the smarmy sales git at the Hyundai dealer.
The German example is that it seemed to favour the Romanian car industry and the Renault Logan… same deal… you German cashback is incentivising a French company and Romanian workers?
I assume your goal is to help Australian industry?
It would not work as well here.
Car depreciation is very high in the UK. They drive mostly European cars which fall to bits after 7 or 8 years and are essentially worthless.
In Australia an 8 years old Corolla or Mazda 323 is still a great reliable car and worth good money.
Dear Mr Rudd please don’t introduce this scheme here in the Great Southern Land.
Yes I know our total dept to GDP ratio is still better than the rest of the developed world at the moment but please don’t squander anymore cash handouts on such a scheme as most of it will go to the GDPs of Korea and Japan and the like I fear.
hey who is calling themselves sam? thats my name. I might have to change……
Sorry Sam
There are hidden benefits. Eg, even the Tata Nano, (the U$2500 car) uses made in Germany Bosch fuel injectors and its body panels are made of Japanese and Korean steel.
That’s why Kevin Rudd’s obsession with making CARS is so wrong, instead we can make some COMPONENTS here in Victoria and then export them to a car factory in Thailand…
There is a factory in Sydney which makes the steering columns for two Formula 1 teams for crying out loud!
Go Korea
Give me a packet of poo and I will buy and drive it. The longer you say something is true the more people believe it.
I can’t belive that after a week there’s still a typo in the title.
An interesting approach, but i’m surprised the poms introduced it – I was there recently and I was stretching my eye to see any car that was older than 9 years, and from what I’ve seen, the car dealers were giving out massive discounts left-right and centre!
As for trade-ins, that reminds me of a local Hyundai dealership here in New Zealand where I had an interest in buying a Ford Falcon AU wagon that had been traded in on a Getz! As it is, I can never imagine that particular Hyundai dealership ever being part of a scrappage scheme – there were cars from the 1980s on the forecourt for sale beside the new ones!