There a great bargains to be had under the Goverment's new scrappage scheme. PADDY COMYNoffers a guide to some of the best deals available
THE scrappage scheme for cars of 10 years or older started on January 1st. It gives a €1,500 cut in Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) on the purchase of cars from Band A or B with CO2 emissions of less than 140g/km when a suitable car is traded in against it.
Similar schemes have worked well in other countries such as the UK and Germany. In Europe new car sales rose by 26.6 per cent in November, compared to a drop of 25.8 per cent in the same month last year.
The scheme has some conditions but most are straightforward. The car must have been registered in the State – in the name of the registered owner of the new car – for at least 18 months before the scrappage date and must be over 10 years old.
The car must be scrapped within 60 days of the new car being registered or 60 days before the date of the new car being registered. The car being scrapped must have a valid NCT certificate or one that has expired no more than 90 days before the scrappage date. Cars that fail an NCT in the six months before scrappage can also apply.
The car must have been insured for road use for at least 12 of 18 months before the scrappage date. Cars imported from the UK privately must have been registered for at least 18 months before scrappage.
It must have been registered in your name for at least 18 months. This also applies to spouses. If a wife is the registered owner of a 10-year-old car, only she can get the discount against a new car and must register the new one in her name.
All cars must be scrapped at an End of Life Vehicles Authorised Treatment Facility and the dealer will do this for you if you authorise them to.
