With the September plate modification due on Friday, I’ve no question a few of you may be prepared to take the plunge as well as shell out on a new car.
So credit score to Ford for its statement last week of a scrappage scheme. To be honest, we haven’t had much to commend Britain’s top-selling vehicle brand about of late; it had no winners in any way in our new vehicle awards this year. however as a piece of public relations opportunism, the timing of this news was perfect.
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• Ford announces petrol as well as diesel scrappage scheme
In this week’s issue, we describe what the blue oval is proposing (as well as details of the trade-in schemes that other makers have introduced this year). however the gist of Ford’s offer is that you can get £2,000 off a choice of designs in the company’s range, including the exceptional new Fiesta, if you trade in any type of automobile from any type of brand registered before 31 December 2009. This will then be scrapped.
On the deal with of it, everybody wins. Ford is getting plaudits for facilitating the long-term removal of a few of the most polluting automobiles from our roads. Off the back of this, it must assist improve its sales each time of year when rate of interest is very high.
It’s great news for customers, too. Some who were already thinking about swapping will get a discount rate they hadn’t bargained for. as well as others may be lastly lured to chop in their old vehicle for new wheels.
Of course, the truth is that in terms of dealing with the broader problem of air pollution, this is a simple decrease in the ocean. The number of vehicles likely to be scrapped won’t be considerable in the general plan of things; lots of owners who are running pre-2010 bangers won’t have the money to get a new vehicle anyway.
But as a piece of positive PR, it’s long overdue. The market has been as well sluggish to incentivise new products as well as shout about its work on cleaner tech to counter a extremely vocal anti-car lobby. Ford’s step is a begin in redressing the balance, as well as so extremely welcome.

Will Ford’s scrappage plan persuade you to ditch your older car? tell us your thoughts below!