This is why the Scrappage Scheme was such a beneficial concept.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by mss

I think it's reasonable to assume that those who traded these cars in actually made sound financial judgments as opposed to the bystanders who comment on and question everything that others do but go quiet when it comes to spending the money.

I see that there were Jaguar XJS's in the video. It would probably cost around £30k to £50k to turn an old, rotted, XJS V12 into a classic that will last and will be worth keeping as a classic. As a result, I suspect that most people would not see more than £1k value in such rotted bits of metal.

Equally, I don't believe that 2015 Mercedes would be sitting on that field unless there were very good reasons for them being there.

Those who think that what happened to these cars was a travesty, should go out and buy up old cars of their liking and start the restorations. There are still a lot of them about for a couple of £k each for sale.

The fact that people got rid of old rot boxes actually had nothing to do with the EU, the politicians or the media. The owners simply did not see any value in keeping them.

Originally Posted by Moonshine Mark

Have to agree, yes there are some nice old cars here but not many of them look in particularly good condition.

I have an MG TF in the garage that is in need of a shed load of work, it's probably worth less than £1k and I will fix it up because I am mad, if I was more sensible I would grab £2k out of a dealer's hand any day of the week

I think its a case of the classic car enthusiast VS the modern day commuter.

All these new generation modern living families want a big shiny new motor sat on their drive, must be newer, bigger and better than their neighbours. The scrappage scheme was the ideal opportunity to grab £2000+ for their old outdated motor, these people look at owning a vehicle in a completely different way to the car enthusiast.

Take the wife and I for example... both of us love the old outdated motors, but I wanted the wife to have a nice shiny new motor, so I went out and brought her one outright (no silly finance scheme). It never entered my head that I would trade in any of my MG's, this is because they are my enjoyment, my hobby...

To some people watching that video is sacrilege to see all those legendary cars just sitting there waiting to be crushed, its has nothing to do with money.

[Moonshine Mark]

Originally Posted by Dallas

To some people watching that video is sacrilege to see all those legendary cars just sitting there waiting to be crushed, its has nothing to do with money.

Well as I said my TF is worth less than £1k and I am spending the time to fix it up so it certainly isn't all about money for me, I am already £500 down in parts and I've lost count how many man hours

Unfortunately not everyone is in as fortunate position. And I think the point being made was that some others are quick to judge however aren't putting their hands in their pockets to save the cars

[Southside]

Just to clarify a few things. The site is RAF thurleigh, one of I think two? Sites that were used to store all the scrappage scheme cars back in 2009. At the time the airfield was full with scrappage scheme cars, but as said most have been slowly cleared over the last nine years. Every time another explorer video pops up on YouTube there seams to be less and less cars left and these are the last few.

The site is now used by BCA hence all the newer cars stored in the background.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by Moonshine Mark

Well as I said my TF is worth less than £1k and I am spending the time to fix it up so it certainly isn't all about money for me, I am already £500 down in parts and I've lost count how many man hours

Unfortunately not everyone is in as fortunate position. And I think the point being made was that some others are quick to judge however aren't putting their hands in their pockets to save the cars

Yes I totally understand... My 22 year old MGF is going in to have new sills which is costing me a small fortune, plus it also needs a belt change...

We only live once.

[SCP440]

In 2009 I paid £450 for an V12 XJS with 12 months MOT, I drove it around for 9 months and got £1k for it on Ebay, all I did to it was put petrol and a set of spark plugs in it. At the time you could buy a good MGB GT for less than £1k so I can see why these cars ended up in scrappage deals.

Who would ever think people would pay the money Allegros and Capris are fetching now?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-AL...YAAOSwXudbFn9Y

[MSS]

Originally Posted by Dallas

I think its a case of the classic car enthusiast VS the modern day commuter.

..................
To some people watching that video is sacrilege to see all those legendary cars just sitting there waiting to be crushed, its has nothing to do with money.

I am not sure I agree. It is only about the value that an individual places on the cars with reference to his/her interests and aspirations.

If you look at my "Pre-emptive Maintenance" thread about our CDT and the threads about my 18-year old Omega and the work done to make it last, you would note that I do indulge myself in "restoration" to an extent.

Also, my home is a 550 year old medieval hall with Oak frame/plaster infill construction. We spent over 10 years having it meticulously restored. So I do understand about enthusiasm but it always is only about personal value.

Where I feel the OP's thinking is misplaced is that he constantly links peoples' behaviours and values to the EU, politics and the media. They are a total irrelevance IMO.

[coab]

Wasnt the first scrappage scheme introduced to help the car manufactureres who were on their backsides due to the financial crisis in 2007?
Look at it this way, the old car is sitting outside and was origionally going to be a project. Finances dictate its not going to be done for a long time and you really need a new car. Thousands of people took advantage of the scheme getting rid of projects and hobbies that were never going to get finished and at the time very few people had the spare cash to buy it from them for the figures offered at garages.
Im sure some people have no interest in old rusty damp cars that have been passed to them from relatives and saw the scheme as a perfect way to get rid and buy a modern bland but totally reliable eurobox.
As MSS said these cars need thousands spending on them, many are never going to be daily runners and will sit outside and the decay will slowly set in again. A shame but in reality not everyone has thousands waiting to be spent on them, a decent garage to store them and the know how to keep them in tip top condition.

[EastPete]

I know a few classic car enthusiasts who foam at the mouth at the thought of even fairly mundane 70s,80 or 90s 'classics' being scrapped. However very few of them have the funds or will power to restore them if they do rescue them.There is property up the road from me where the occupant has various 'rescued' cars sitting in the garden, all rotting away merrily with little evidence of any restoration work being done.

I get saddened by the sight of older cars begin consigned to the scrapheap, but I also have experience of the blood, sweat and tears (and cash) that goes into restoring an older car, so practicality and realism have to take over sometimes.

Pete

[topman]

Originally Posted by EastPete

I know a few classic car enthusiasts who foam at the mouth at the thought of even fairly mundane 70s,80 or 90s 'classics' being scrapped. However very few of them have the funds or will power to restore them if they do rescue them.There is property up the road from me where the occupant has various 'rescued' cars sitting in the garden, all rotting away merrily with little evidence of any restoration work being done.

I get saddened by the sight of older cars begin consigned to the scrapheap, but I also have experience of the blood, sweat and tears (and cash) that goes into restoring an older car, so practicality and realism have to take over sometimes.

Pete

Reminds of a chap who lived down the road from me at my old house, he had about 10 cars in various states of disrepair. None ever seemed to be getting restored, they just sat there and rotted away. In fairness it was an eyesore. Not long after I found he'd died they vanished, presumably all scrapped.


A story I remember, I'm sure it was on PH, was about a Scottish chap that had tens of cars in a field that he'd collected. His wife hated them and how much time and money had been spent on them. Similarly when he died, the first thing she had done was scrap the lot regardless of condition.

I guess the moral is if you want some stuff to stay in the family after you've gone, don't irritate/obsess about it while you're still alive!

[BigBen]

Someone like that on one of my regular delivery routes...



A Schimitar, Ciroen BX, Rover P6 and some old Merc's... one of which is a 1973 W115. Such a shame to see them rotting away on someone's drive.