Council Abandoned Vehicles Fun!

[scrappylad]

Please tell me that is a joke. The Rover had a gearbox fault and the Astra had a wiring fault that no auto electrician could get to the bottom of, right?This isn`t just a shame, this is affecting people`s livelihoods, those two should have been sold to the trade to allow someone to make some money on them, and two people to get themselves a nice car, who gains from their destruction? That actually makes me physically sick just thinking about it.

No known faults with either of these cars - both were drivers - just happen to fall in to Vauxhalls scrapping of 'old bangers' policy they seem to have going on when you buy a new Vauxhall Corsa or Astra Ecoflex. Who the hell would trade in a minted Rover 800 for one of those?But you're so right... the consquences of this misguided idea go way beyond the obvious waste issue.I won't buy another Vauxhall again out of protest.

[Cavcraft]

Meh, I'd just go on eBay Poland, hire a really old Scania car transporter and buy back all the old shite we've been selling to them recently

[AnthonyG]

when you buy a new Vauxhall Corsa or Astra Ecoflex. Who the hell would trade in a minted Rover 800 for one of those?

I would if the headgasket was about to go! - a known problem with the early KV6s in the 800s, the problem seems to been fixed for the 75.BTW It might have been registered in 2000, but they stopped building them in late 1998. Still agree its a waste though.

[Mr Lobster]

That is a terrible waste, sadly part of the throwaway society in which we live.Astra would have been a relatively decent car with a good few years ahead of you would imagine, just seems so very very wasteful, almost criminal really.

[Guest]

An interesting thought is that if more 10 year old cars are crushed, it depletes the stock for people who buy these cars with cash and run them for a few years, i.e. the sort of people who can't, or in most cases, don't want to get a newer car on finance. I would reckon cars around 10 years old probably represent the best overall value for money as the depreciation has happened, but they tend to be decent enough to not need huge sums of money spent on them.As a result of these cars disappearing, the price of the remaining 10 year old cars will go up (supply and demand). Then as more people won't be able to cough up the increased amount of money as a lump sum, they'll be forced into finance through thoroughly dodgy places like Carcraft, who will stitch them up into some ex-fleet shitter paid back over many years at double its worth. The only thing is, these people will know they're being ripped off, but will have little choice but to bend over and take it.Nice work!

[mk2_craig]

Interesting theory. I reckon that the existing huge oversupply of new cars will keep showroom prices down, meaning that older cars continue to become worthless just as quickly. Hence why Vauxhall need gimmicks to shift their modern toss, and why that nice-sounding 800 was deemed worthy of recycling.I too am disgusted but short of setting up a zoo for endangered automotive species, what can you do?

[retrogeezer]

Was offered a 98 'S' Megane Scenic Alize (a/c, twin sunroofs etc) last night for £450ono with 10 months MOT. C/V joint has just started clicking and the blower regulator needs changing. It did have a new cam belt/exhaust tyres etc as well!

[Guest]

Interesting theory. I reckon that the existing huge oversupply of new cars will keep showroom prices down, meaning that older cars continue to become worthless just as quickly. Hence why Vauxhall need gimmicks to shift their modern toss, and why that nice-sounding 800 was deemed worthy of recycling.

This current oversupply is definitely something to consider, it might mean there's a shortage followed by a glut of cars no one wants, unless they start "Ecoflexing" even newer stuff!I guess it's hard to determine what will happen, but maybe if there's a recession it'll knock all this stuff on the head and people won't be able to just get new cars on a whim, even if the Ecoflex scheme continues.

[r.welfare]

Mk4 Astra has a 12yr anti-corrosion guarantee so, while it's a grimmish device, would still be a good source of cheap transport. R800 koop is a good looking car, despite the autodestructive tendencies of the S4 'box and KV6.I wouldn't touch an elderly Scenic with a bargepole mind...Ecoflex/Bluemotion etc stuff tends to have super-pricey, low-rolling-resistance rubber - one wonders what the effect on fuel economy will be when these cars get down to "shite level" and are fitted with Woostunner Ditchfinders by the local KwikFit...

[vicsmith]

So that Mk4 Astra was still in (corrosion) warranty!Good point about the 800 KV6 headgaskets, let`s just say this one had definately gone, eh?

[Guest]

Let's also say that the Astra has been underwater at some point.

[pogweasel]

Mk4 Astra has a 12yr anti-corrosion guarantee so...

O RLY!?I bet that doesn't cover commercials. Mine's breaking out already. 5 years old and the orange cancer is starting, couple of years and the arches will b well frilly.

[Richard]

It wouldn't be so bad if they would just come clean instead of saying all this is for the benefit of the environment or for safety.

[Albert Ross]

Just turned up on Death Row at work? (Main Vauxhall Dealer) L plate Proton Saloon with huge dent in the boot lid/bumper. Scrap value? £1000!So if I want it, it's a grand. Just because it was traded against an Ecoflex.On the other hand, last month I got, from the very same Death Row, a very pretty Toyota Starlet Sportif 5 door, 98 on the R, in Lilac with MOT till early May, all in for 300 of your Earth pounds, It just doesn't add up does it...................In June, I picked up my current driver, a 1989 Sapphire, for £70....with £40 of fuel in the tank. Yes, from Death Row aswell.

[Split_Pin]

In June, I picked up my current driver, a 1989 Sapphire, for £70....with £40 of fuel in the tank. Yes, from Death Row aswell.

Also I think the 12 Year corrosion 'warranty' on the Astra isnt worth much, all the garage would likely do is give it a quick blowover and hope you dont come back, minimum of outlay for them. Thankfully my MK4 03 plate is ok.I can testify that some Vaux garages just dont give a monkeys uncle.

[pogweasel]

Thinking about it, mine's probably invalidated anyway. I am fairly sure that at some point it has been spanked up the bum, and probably on more than one occasion, mainly on account of the rear hatch having a trim panel on the bottom that doesn't tally with the age/spec of the vehicle. That trim panel doesn't fit properly either as there is a dent under it, and the hatch never closes first shut without slamming it. (Though of course it wouldn't surprise me if all this was down to the inherent piss-poor quality of the product... how many modern cars do you aquire with 70k on the clock and then promptly have to screw a load of self-tappers into the fascia to stop the whole dash rattling like a bastard....)

[chaseracer]

...how many modern cars do you aquire with 70k on the clock and then promptly have to screw a load of self-tappers into the fascia to stop the whole dash rattling like a bastard...

Most of them...?

[r.welfare]

Plus most rust warranties only cover inside-out rust, i.e. big festering f-off holes, whereas most commercials pick up rust from scrapes by the look of them.I pointed it out mainly because it was a technological development that applied to the Mk4 Astra and Golf, and Mk1 Focus - but the replacement models of all these motors have slipped back to 6-8yr anti-corrosion guarantees. And they tell me this is progress?

[andrew e]

Checkout the current Transit if you want rampant rust. Almost as bad as KA's!

[Milford Cubicle]

As bad as M-B Sprinters?

[andrew e]

Worse. Mud dad drop the spare on his sole owner 4 year old one, it looked like the underneath of a Lancia Beta used in a salt mine.

[AnthonyG]

Checkout the current Transit if you want rampant rust. Almost as bad as KA's!

The next gen ones (from 2011) will all come from Turkey - the current UK built ones will seem like Rolls-Royce quality in comparision. RIP Southampton, and no more Ford assembled vehicles in the UK .

[Milford Cubicle]

It's a travesty considering the UK is the biggest market in Europe for Fords. I wonder how many of their customers still consider Ford a 'British' company.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Is the southampton factory closing down then?

[r.welfare]

Bloody hell! I'm surprised at that, as the Southampton factory has a pretty good quality record - amazingly enough.Of course I suppose Tata now own Halewood which turfs out Freelanders and X-Types, so that really is that then.

[pompei]

I remember Fiat's rustproofing guarantee as being "Anti Perforation Warranty" ie there had to be a hole before they'd act - reassuring or what?

[andrew e]

Southampton will be making the chassis cabs instead of the monocoque vans supposedly.

[Cavcraft]

I was always led to believe that 'x amount of years' rust proof warranty was only valid if you had the car serviced ta a main dealer? Load of bollocks of course because main stealer servicing costs over a few years will still be way over what it would cost to have car serviced at independant garage and a quick blow over of any rust spots if neccessary.Incidentally my M4 Astra took a fair old smack up the arse from some little twunt in a Polo a while back now and it's barely marked the bumper at all. Very impressed with the strength of the car tbh.

[the spidery land's eye]

Cllr Margaret Isherwood, Wakefield Council's Deputy Cabinet Member responsible for Community Safety, said: "A triple whammy of cracking down on would be dumpers, quicker clearing up by the council and soaring metal prices are helping to win the battle against unsightly old bangers being left on our streets."

I for one have never done a dump in the street and I certainly have never left a sausage where it could cause a safety risk...

[mouseflakes]

You silly man - you did just made me laugh with your poo jokes!