(Fri 05 Feb 10)

Vauxhall is about three weeks behind Toyota in introducing a "swappage" scheme to entice customers into its showrooms, but its offer is in some ways even better. It applies only to the Astra range and to most Corsas (though not the S and Exclusiv versions) but the savings amount in each case to at least £3000, or £1000 more than under the Government-backed scrappage system.

Cars traded in under swappage must be UK-registered, taxed and insured, and have a current MOT certificate. They must also be at least seven years old, but "unlike some rival manufacturers" (as Vauxhall coyly puts it) there is no upper age limit. Ownership requirements are also much restrictive than under scrappage: a customer need have owned the car for only 90 days, rather than 12 months as is the case with scrappage, and the owner's husband or wife can trade in the car as long as he or she lives at the same address as her or him.

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