[ot] Free srapping of cars

[Vortex]

I just saw this:

like a good idea to me. But what about all the Rovers out there?

David

[Dave Plowman (News)]

And probably to 'them' given scrap cars have a value these days.

[John]

If scrap metal is worth so much, why are scrap yards full of old cars?

Re: Manhole covers, copper pipes, etc. - I feel the reporting of such thefts often makes it look attractive: eg: A manhole cover worth £100 was stolen" (this is the replacement cost - not the scrap value.

"Copper conductors stolen from substations - replacement will cost over £5,000"

Such story lines in the papers make it look attractive.

[T i m]

And me, but isn't it a shame (most of) the world has to be motivated by money before it does the right thing? I know when the price of 'mixed light iron' scrap has gone up because the rag_and_bone_men are out again ... ;-)

Well the 13 year old 218SD (1.9) I bought 3 years ago for £100 has just had a new battery[1] and it's only done 185,000 miles so I don't see me needing to re-cycle it for a while (especially at 50 mpg) ;-)

But that is a good point. The thing is I don't feel you see as may 'old' cars on the road like you used to, especially where the manufacturer is no longer about (as you say, except Rover?).

But with the value of scrap as high as it is at the moment I can't see it a problem getting rid of anything (apparently a manhole cover is worth a bit so they've started screwing them down?).

OTOH I spotted a light truck and box trailer parked by the side of the road the other day and it looked like they were re-securing a truck cab roof to their trailer. Except when I went past the next time it had been dumped just down the bank. Maybe it was fiberglass or nicked or summat? ;-(

Did I read / hear some pikeys pulled a 13th century church spire over for 70 quids worth of scrap lightening conductor?

All the best ..

T i m

[1] 60Ah, sealed (with charge 'magic eye'), 3 yr gt'ee, 38 quid?

[tony sayer]

Yes they did as well as power lines aerial cables, cables off railways pity they don't do old cars!...

[Vortex]

My first car was a 1959 Mini, purchased for £100 in 1977 (no seat belts, of course). Being skint, my primary source of spares was scavenging in breakers yards. You know all those safety critical bits like suspension and brake parts...plus of course the MANDATORY rubber switch extensions and small steering wheel.

I sniff a conspiracy. If the manufacturers are taking responsibility for disposal of their products they will be able to cripple the 2nd hand parts business. On reflection though that's probably a good thing.

David

[Robbo]

Can you imagine the forecourts of various dealers being besieged by old bangers for them to get rid of? "Sorry Sir, we just don't do *that* model this week, perhaps you should buy one of our new £200000 supercars instead and then we can dispose of yours, gratis naturally"

[Richard]

Will the manufacturers collect said scrap-able vehicle? At present I've been happy to pay my local authority (Sevenoaks) to collect each of the vehicles I have scrapped while living were we are now. The problem of transporting an uninsured and untaxed vehicle dissapeared in return for £15.

Richard

[joecool2000]

I recently scrapped my old car (J-reg Ford Sierra). I rang someone in the local buy n sell magazine, they came and picked it up AND gave me £30 :)

joecool

[nightjar]

My industrial estate *receives* £30 for every abandoned vehicle the local breaker is permitted to remove. I presume their real value to him is considerably higher.

Colin Bignell

[T i m]

But isn't this the sort of thing we should expect. Like when CPU's and RAM were 'expensive' there was untold damage being done to PC cases and office buildings. Or the damage done to cars for their radios etc. I'm surprised there isn't more theft of fuel considering how expensive it is to fill up these days (not that I often 'fill up' as it's not efficient and 20 quid's worth of diesel gets me over 150 miles). ;-)

I'm aware there has always been the background 'theft' of say copper core cables (contractors over supplying on a job etc) as it's relatively easy to 'fence' such through the scrap yards (and it's no issue to them that 200 quid's worth of new cable only yields 25 quid as 'scrap' ..) ;-(

There is some genuine ry-cycling though, those of us who collect up all the old taps and stopcocks that individually aren't worth much but a bucket load of brass these days .. (re recent thread on scrap prices).

We stopped crushing / scrapping ally cans as a couple of bin bags full wouldn't have covered the fuel cost taking them there (I only go when passing though) but now it might be worth doing so again and not putting them out for the fortnightly recycle collection (after all, we don't seem to get a rebate on our Council tax for it do we)?

All the best ..

T i m

[T i m]

Sounds like the not so old 'old days' ;-)

I was lucky (then) as my (had from new) A plate Sierra estate was taken away at no cost either way a couple of years ago.

Mind you, with the engine / transmission removed[1] it would have been a bit light on the weighbridge but the 'estate' was filled with all the scrap metal from my mates garage so that should have made it worth their while.

All the best ..

T i m

[1] To transplant into the kitcar .. someday .. ;-(

[meow2222]

no such thing as free. If it costs mfrs to dispose of them that cost will just be added to new car prices. Ie we will pay. As ever.

NT

[HLAH]

Should have kept the rear axle as well maybe, they are quite sort after I believe for Lotus7 type kit cars.

H

[T i m]

Damn ;-(

Isn't that always the way though, but when you actually have these things you can't seem to give them away. Like the small Victorian cast iron fire surrounds I took out of this place (I think there is still one in the front bedroom) couldn't give em away, even to a fire surround re-cycler / shop place?

I did retain as much of it as might be of use to anyone .. even had the wheels on two nuts finger tight and had them off as soon as the Hiab got it airborne .. so if you know anyone is in need of

4x(5?) reasonable (Goodyear?) 175/70-13's (from memory) tyres on Ford 4 stud rwd rims .... (if they are the same pcd as a MKII Escort I could use them while I get the kitcar rims tidied up)?

All the best ..

T i m

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You're out of date. Old cars do have a scrap value. I believe you can thank the Chinese for this.

[Doki]

Scrap's worth money these days because the price of steel's risen. You can get about £30 collected round my way.

[Huge]

Quite. You can roughly tell the value of scrap steel by counting the number of cars abandoned in laybys. A few years ago, the value was negative and they were all over the place. Then the Chinese started hoovering up scrap like there was no tomorrow and they all vanished. Now we're back to the halcyon days wher you can get someone to take it away and pay *you*, rather than the other way round!

Of course, if the Government interfere, they're bound to start re-appearing, just like all the scrap fridges in ditches round here.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Tends to be EU regs about 'dangerous' fluids etc. Which is what killed a number of scrap yards.

The government *should* interfere and force free collection of unwanted fridges, etc. Same as other household rubbish. Councils have been able to get away with deciding what they will and won't collect for too long. I seem to have to make a trip to the council tip at least once a month - and Wandsworth are better than some. Gawd knows how those without a car or who live a long way from a tip manage.

[Steve Firth]

Although we do have a certain level fo fridge dumping, it's TV sets that seem to make up most of the roadside dumping. What I don't understand is why people drive 12 miles out into the country to dump a TV set when they could drop it off at a local tip for free.

I stopped someone from dumping TV sets in my garden a couple of years back and asked him where, roughly he had come from. If he was telling the truth (unlikely) he lived within walking distance of the local "amenity site".