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Scrappage scheme - words fail me #

Posted by Mark Bundy on June 26, 2009, 5:55 pm
Message modified by board administrator June 26, 2009, 8:17 pm

Just done a full service, wiper blades etc on a
1999 Fiat punto, a peach of a car, regular
customer, serviced and looked after it for years,
you know the scenario.

Customer came in to pay the bill and I commented on what a lovely little car it is with no faults.

Customer then turned round and said 'yeah, I'm
going to scrap it, got a good deal on the scrappage scheme'..... LIke I said, words fail me, after 26 years in this trade I honestly don't know what people want/expect/are doing/are thinking (delete as appropriate)!!!!!

Am I alone or are we all frustrated mechanics nowadays?

Mark Bundy.

Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me !.

Posted by Keith Simpson on June 26, 2009, 7:10 pm, in reply to "Scrappage scheme - words fail me !."

I have been servicing a Cortina 1600E for the past 15 years. It isn't mint but £500 or £600 spent on bodywork would make it very nice. The customer came in two weeks ago to tell me he had taken advantage of the scrappage scheme and bought a new Punto what a waist.

Keith

Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #

Posted by kelly clarke on June 27, 2009, 7:30 am, in reply to "Scrappage scheme - words fail me #"
Kelly Clarke

To me it's a short term fix for the vm's and dealers, but is going to cause hardship further down the line as there are a lot of people who cannot afford a newer car and what about the youngsters looking for a first car what can they afford?

Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #

Posted by Paul Gunstone on June 27, 2009, 9:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #"
Paul Gunstone

We have lost many customers through this rediculous scheme! The other thing that I have also heard (which is also backed up by comments above) is that many dealers are now moaning, as all the customers are purchasing are small cars??? Another poor attempt at bailing out the dealers is going to backfire (how unusual)!
Just my thoughts gents,
Gunner.

Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #

Posted by Keith Simpson on June 28, 2009, 12:32 am, in reply to "Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #"
Keith Simpson

many dealers are now moaning.

My heart bleeds for them. They have had it good for years filling the sales books every month and making big money. They are falling like flies now and serves them right.

Keith

Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #

Posted by Graham Bullock on June 28, 2009, 10:56 pm, in reply to "Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #"
Graham Bullock

Today's Sunday Express Financial paper reports that the £2.3 billion Automotive Assistance Program is a FLOP as not one penny has been paid out to the industry yet, despite the threat of job losses at Jaguar, Land Rover and Vauxhall.

It strikes me as typical of "promising a lot but giving nothing" (or even taking some, as in all the vat and taxes on the sales etc)

Graham

Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #

Posted by John Ritchie on July 2, 2009, 8:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Scrappage scheme - words fail me #"
John Ritchie

good points raised ,
I read car mechanics mag recently where it was pointed out in an article that it's going to be the cars that are well maintained that are going to be scrapped as the customer is most likely going to be able to afford a new one ,meanwhile the "can you keep it as cheap as" customers who's only interaction with a workshop is when their cars fail the mot and want a cheap patch up to get by are still running the un serviced un loved sheds .As pointed out what are the youngsters going to be driving for the 1st car ?

I had one recently when a customer who never gets her car serviced failed it's mot , the repair was under £100 inc mot and on parting she says " i hope i don't have to see you for a while" ...get real i think .Sometimes i think if they can't be bothered looking after their car then why should i bother trying to fix it ... rant over

Regards
JR

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