What's the news?
Volkswagen Ireland has re-introduced its Eco Grant, a scrappage (and it actually is scrappage) scheme that guarantees owners of older models as much as €5,000 trade-in against new, theoretically cleaner, cars.
The offer applies to all current diesel, petrol, or electric Volkswagens that comply with the latest Euro6 emissions regulations. If your car complies with Euro5 emissions regulations, or older (which basically means anything on a 2009 plate or older), then you qualify for the Eco Grant.
The car being traded in must have been registered in the owner's name for at least six months, and all traded-in vehicles will be scrapped, which could theoretically see a drop in overall emissions if newer, cleaner cars take to the road in their stead. The offer applies to new cars ordered between January 1st and February 28th (2019), for registration before the 31st of March of this year.
So, what can you get for your old, polluting, clunker? It depends which new Volkswagen you're interested in. You can get €1,000 off an up!; €1,750 off a Polo; €3,000 off a Golf; €2,000 off a T-Roc; €3,500 off a Tiguan or Tiguan Allspace; €4,000 off a Touran or a Passat; €4,500 off an Arteon; and €5,000 off a Touareg or a Sharan.
There's also €4,000 off the price of the all-electric e-Golf, which Volkswagen says means that, with the existing VRT rebate and SEAI grant, you can claw back as much as €14,000 off the list price of the battery-powered Golf.