There was a very nice Metro driving around in my town, one owner, an old lady, low milage. There was not a spec of rust on it and it pottered quite happily around. I had set my eyes on it as a future donor car. Last summer I had a chat with the old lady about it.
This morning I met her in her Metro again at the supermarket. Still going strong I see I said. Well yes she said, but since it's now 20 years old I've traded it in against a Peugeot 107. With the cash for a wreck system it was a good deal. Now I am waiting for my new car to arrive.
I shed a few tears. Somehow I felt connected to this little ugly car. Its splendid engine will now be destroyed instead of being used by me or going into a Mini. I'll contact the garage to see if it can be saved. But usually these cars are destroyed else the garage doesn't get its fee from the government. RIP little Metro. Another victim of our fast consumer economy where cars loaded with character are traded with dead soulless pieces of metal and plastic.