Nissan has extended the government’s £2000 trade-in scheme to eight year old cars when one of the firm’s British made models is bought.
Under government’s recently announced scheme, a car over 10 years old, registered with its current owner for 12 months or more and with a current MOT certificate can be scrapped for a £2000 discount on the purchase of a new car. The discount is made up through £1000 from government and £1000 from the manufacturer.
Nissan is extending the deal to apply to cars eight years or older when a car made at its Sunderland plant is purchased.
Nissan’s UK MD, Paul Willcox, said: “We are disappointed with the Government’s decision only to include cars over 10 years old in the Scrappage Scheme – we were expecting the offer to be available to pre-2001 models.
“That’s why we’ve introduced a £2,000 minimum trade-in for cars aged 8-10 years old for anyone buying one of our British built models.”
The manufacturer is also adding 12 months unemployment cover to its insurance schemes on finance owing to the volatile work market currently besetting the UK.
Nissan said the intention of the move is to protect the interests of the remaining 3,900 workers at its Sunderland plant (1,200 workers there were made redundant in January) and further reinvigorate the UK automotive industry.
Nissan has announced it is to make 20,000 people worldwide redundant this year (8.5% of its workforce) in the face of continually dwindling demand leading to stock-piles of cars and restricted access to credit.
