Keith Adams
‘We can save end of life cars,’ says Keith, as he boosts the underdog.
Right now, it feels like we’re about to be inundated with a fresh supply of cars to feed into the system – and I’m determined to make sure that the ones with an interesting story to tell find their way into the right hands. Car dealers and manufacturers are keen to shift metal at almost any cost, and although the ‘S’ word has been bandied around a lot, they view anyone chopping in an old car for scrappage as a liability. But they’re still touting for that business, which could result in us losing access to this rich seam of cars, never to be seen again.
So, if you know anyone considering P/xing their old car, remind them that the garage doesn’t really want it, and that the £1000 or so they’re guaranteed on scrappage could well be chipped off by a little extra haggling. Instead, encourage them to sell privately – post that for sale ad where they can, get the word out, and find the right buyer. Future generations will thank you. If you think I’m exaggerating, consider what we lost forever in the 2008-2010 Scrappage carnage everything from Audi 200s to Toyota Celica GT4S.
Remember also that the past 12 months have been hard for many of us, and there’s now a slew of people giving up driving for good, many of whom still have their cars and want to find a new home for them. After a life of driving, and the joy and independence it brings, as well as the memories car ownership has brought along the way, I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult and upsetting it must be to hand over a set of keys for the very last time, knowing that you’ll never drive again.
So, I implore you – if you know of a friend or relative who is giving up driving, take some time to consider the best place for them to send the car. Because no matter how unexceptional you think it is, I can guarantee you that there will be someone interested in rescuing it and letting it live on to fight another day. Ask me how I know…
Saving a Nissan Primera
Oh yes, because once again, I’ve added yet another car to my ever-changing fleet. This month saw me on a mission to save an unloved and unwanted car from a certain fate at the hands of the local scrapman. Friend and journalistic colleague Mike Duff dropped me a note to say that his uncle was hanging up his driving gloves, and did I know anyone who’d be interested in buying his '92 Nissan Primera. Pictures were sent, and before the conscious me advised against it, I entered some kind of dream-like state and said: ‘I’ll have that… when do you want me to collect it.’
As it happens, I’m pleased I did. I am a really big fan of the original P10-generation Primera, and this makes all kinds of sense. It was a real gamechanger for the company – designed to meet and beat the best of the opposition and engineered for sale in Europe. It combined the best elements of the class-leaders such as the Peugeot 405’s excellent ride and handling, the Cavalier’s user friendliness and the Honda Accord’s build quality. It ended up being better engineered than anything else for the money. But best of all, it was proudly built in Blighty by Nissan’s loyal and skilled workforce in Sunderland. So, another significant car in terms of automotive backstory, even if many would look at it as just another old saloon car.
But this one’s even more interesting. It’s a 2.0LX and has an odd specification – a powerful 2.0-litre engine, but no rev counter. Electric windows and unpainted bumpers. Why? Because it hailed from the short-lived era when Nissan UK and Nissan Motors GB had competing networks, where the former badged its models LS, GS, GSX, and the latter badging them as LX, SLX, SGX. A historical footnote for many, but fascinating for me.
Anyway, this one is a survivor… and it needs to live on. It has just 53,000 miles on the clock, and but two owners’ names on the logbook. It’s in rude health and drove the 100 miles or so back to my place without missing a beat – now it’s a deep clean and four new tyres away from being a potential star of next year’s Festival of The Unexceptional. And to think some scrappy was going to get hold of this little gem for just £75…