New VW vans scrappage scheme – trade-in an old banger to save an extra £2,000

UPDATE: VW has extended its van scrappage scheme into 2018 – click here for the full updated details on Parkers Vans

Following on from Ford’s announcement in August, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) has launched a scrappage scheme to encourage retail customers to trade-in an old vehicle for a shiny new, lower-emissions van.

The incentive is worth up to £2,000 off a range of new VW vans – all of which meet the latest Euro 6 emissions regulations – in addition to any existing retail offers.

This means that in the case of the 2017 Crafter, the total discount will be up to £4,000: that’s £2,000 scrappage on top of the £2,000 saving already available on this model during September.

However, VW’s rules are a little stricter than Ford’s, so keep reading for full details.

How do I qualify for the VW vans scrappage scheme?

To get the VW vans scrappage scheme discount, you’ll need to comply with the following:

• The vehicle you’re trading in must have been registered before 2010
• That vehicle must also have been registered to you for at least six months (double the 12 weeks Ford requires)
• Qualifying trade-in vehicles should be meet Euro 1-4 emissions regulations (presumably this is to exclude any early Euro 5 registrations)
• You must agree to the trade-in vehicle being scrapped (by which we hope VW means recycled)
• The new van you’re buying must be registered before 31 December 2017
• The discount is available to retail customer only (in other words, not big fleets)

Beyond this it’s worth noting that the trade-in vehicle does not have to be a van – you can trade in an old car and still receive a £2,000 discount off a new Volkswagen commercial vehicle.

How much money will the VW vans scrappage scheme save me?

The amount of VW scrappage discount is actually variable – another difference to the Ford scheme, which gives a fixed £2,000 on all qualifying vans.

That said it’s only the Caddy range that’s restricted to a smaller £1,000 amount (this includes the passenger carrying Caddy Life as well).

Every other qualifying VWCV product receives the full £2k saving – meaning the Transporter (including panel van, window van, kombi and shuttle), Caravelle and Crafter all receive the £2,000 maximum.

As already stated, the scrappage discount applies in addition to any other offers.

Are there any VW vans excluded from the scrappage scheme?

Yes – the scrappage scheme does not apply to the California camper van (sheesh, it would barely make a dent in the retail price of one of those anyway), the range-topping Transporter Sportline trim level and the entire Amarok pickup range.

Ford doesn’t offer a scrappage discount on the Ranger pickup either.

What have Euro 1-4 emissions regulations got to do with it?

As with Ford, VW is spinning the scrappage scheme as an environmental measure – an incentive to trade-in older vehicles in favour of less-polluting brand new models.

Hence the trade-in offer is limited to pre-Euro 5 vehicles and the discount only applies on Euro 6 models. And to be fair, Euro 6 especially does feature significantly more stringent air quality controls – particularly when it comes to nasty NOx emissions.

But let’s not get carried away. None of the manufacturers with scrappage incentives have really explained the environmental impact of building a brand new vehicle versus continuing to carefully maintain one that already exists in the world, and there is little doubt that such measures are also an effort to bolster sales in a flagging post-Brexit vehicle market.

The discount still isn’t to be sniffed at, regardless – so if you’ve got the opportunity to take advantage of some extra money off, it’s worth considering. Just make sure you explore other options as well, and don’t automatically assume that the scrappage deal you’re offered is the very best available.

Find a new VW van for sale near you in the Parkers Vans for sale section – and don’t forget you can search for lease deals on Parkers Vans, too.

Also read:

Van scrappage scheme round-up on Parkers Vans

New Ford scrappage scheme – £2k incentive to scrap your old van

The Parkers Vans guide to the most economical vans

What Euro 6 means for vans and pickups