Which? report wrongly implicates Vauxhall - says Vauxhall

By Steve Orme on Jul 31, 09 01:03 PM

Friday 11am and I can safely say my step father is spinning in his grave.
Which? the bible of white goods buyers the world over, has been put in the naughty corner by General Motors.
Which? which my late pop would quote even if I was intending to but lugworm for bait, claimed Vauxhall had tweaked prices to compensate for shelling out on scrappage deals.
Oh dear, the words raw and nerve spring to mind.
Here is that telling off - but not in full:

Bill Parfitt, GM UK's Chairman and Managing Director,said: "Vauxhall has wholeheartedly embraced the scrappage scheme, which has boosted the flagging UK market to good effect. We have sold a total of 7,276 cars since the incentive was announced, but we have made no moves whatsoever to compensate for the £1000 contribution we make to the programme.

"It's true that we, along with many other manufacturers, have raised our prices this year, but this was before the scrappage scheme was announced on May 18. In fact, our February 3 increase pre-dated the scrappage scheme by more than three months. The only reasons we have raised prices are a severe weakening of the Pound versus the Euro, and a sharp increase in the cost of raw materials, such as steel."

GM says Which? has been very naughty with its focus being on the Vauxhall Insignia 1.8 SE's 14 per cent price increase since launch.
"The scrappage scheme's appeal is to buyers at the lower end of the market, and the lion's share of Vauxhall sales have therefore gone to its Corsa, Astra and Agila models, with Insignia accounting for a mere three per cent of scrappage trade-ins," said a statement.

Unlike the late, great Billy-boy I don't read Which? I'm not saying I don't find it interesting but I would rather watch the cat moult. So I don't know if any other car companies were in the dock. If they were, expect the screaming to start soon.