03-06-2023, 01:02 PM
I don't see the point of changing cars unless it becomes absolutely necessary. If it does the job, then I keep it. I ran my 1983 Mk2 Polo already24 years old when I bought it, for 15 years and over 250,000 miles until the tinpeckers got it and it was beyond my capabilities to repair it. I have replaced it with a 2006 Panda 4x4 which I expect will see me out. Other vehicles on the fleet are a 1974 Series 3 Landrover Diesel, which I have owned since 1994 and still does a days work when required, most recently towing a horsebox and horse fro a friend, and, of course my Seven.
As far as I am concerned, all of the vehicles I own have long since paid of the carbon debt that they incurred during manufacture and, on the mileage that I now do, contribute a negligible amount to CO2 emissions, compared with, say, a new Tesla. I would imagine that, like Bruce's, our fleet are some of the greenest cars on the planet!
I could never understand the various scrappage schemes (the latest one being for care workers in London introduced by Sadiq Khan!), getting rid of perfectly good vehicles which are now much longer lived that they were in the 50's and 60's, and their original manufacturing carbon debt is spread over a a greater mileage, especially when it incurs a further carbon debt to dispose of them. As in many other fields, there appears to be a distinct lack of 'joined up' thinking on this subject, unless the present policy is driven by the car manufacturing lobby who are only interested in maximising sales of their products whatever the consequences are for the environment.
Or am I just being a cynical old Luddite?
As far as I am concerned, all of the vehicles I own have long since paid of the carbon debt that they incurred during manufacture and, on the mileage that I now do, contribute a negligible amount to CO2 emissions, compared with, say, a new Tesla. I would imagine that, like Bruce's, our fleet are some of the greenest cars on the planet!
I could never understand the various scrappage schemes (the latest one being for care workers in London introduced by Sadiq Khan!), getting rid of perfectly good vehicles which are now much longer lived that they were in the 50's and 60's, and their original manufacturing carbon debt is spread over a a greater mileage, especially when it incurs a further carbon debt to dispose of them. As in many other fields, there appears to be a distinct lack of 'joined up' thinking on this subject, unless the present policy is driven by the car manufacturing lobby who are only interested in maximising sales of their products whatever the consequences are for the environment.
Or am I just being a cynical old Luddite?