Cowen lets €150,000 State car go the way of voting machines

Tipsy Mac

I will start the bidding at €10,000

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has refused to be chauffeured in a new €150,000 Mercedes S-Class because of "the changed financial and economic circumstances".

The State car has since languished unused for over six months in a garda garage, the Sunday Independent can reveal.

In the latest example of Government largesse, the top of the range black Mercedes S350 was procured for his use in June last year, but believing it would send out the wrong signals, he declined to use it.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/cowen-lets-8364150000-state-car-lie-idle-for-fear-of-looking-flashy-1598239.html

Mena

Warped logic. The damn thing has already been purchased so instead of wasting the money why not make use of it or at the very least, sell it.

Yakuza

I'll give him a tenner for it.

mvpr

Whats he rolling instead?

Sleipnir

Because if he did use it, the Indo would be writing that in spite of the economic crisis we're all facing, and thousands of people on the dole, our out-of-touch fat-cat taoiseach is being driven around in luxury merc.

Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

peasant

The really interesting bit of this article is that contrary to his October budget spech, he already knew in June that the brown stuff was going to hit the whirly thing

NiSmO

This post has been deleted.

Terrontress

Can an S350 be "top of the range?" i'd have thought that would be one of the AMG models.

Rowley Birkin QC

mvpr wrote: »

Whats he rolling instead?

They cover him in grease and roll himself and Harney in the direction they need to go. Momentum does the rest.

Terrontress wrote: »

Can an S350 be "top of the range?" i'd have thought that would be one of the AMG models.

Our press has no idea about cars.

Healyc

Terrontress wrote: »

Can an S350 be "top of the range?" i'd have thought that would be one of the AMG models.

Or at least the S500/600 models!

S350 is terrible to drive, should have at least got the S320 CDI

Tipsy Mac

Well with it not being used his current car is ticking up expenses where it could be sold on and there would be some money back, the S350 is likely losing €1k a week in depreciation and if it's left idle for the year will be worth the value of it's skin next year in scrap value.

mumblin deaf ro

Seeing as they get a new one every year, why don't they just lease the cars rather than buying them new?

Guy:Incognito

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Well with it not being used his current car is ticking up expenses where it could be sold on and there would be some money back, .

Sold to who? probably could'nt give it away at the minute.:)

Healyc

Stekelly wrote: »

Sold to who? probably could'nt give it away at the minute.:)

True, we had a beautiful 07 S320 CDI L in work, had every extra and more. We couldnt give the bloody thing away.

So i kept it for a week or two to bring the lads to the pub :D:D:D

miju

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Well with it not being used his current car is ticking up expenses where it could be sold on and there would be some money back, the S350 is likely losing €1k a week in depreciation and if it's left idle for the year will be worth the value of it's skin next year in scrap value.

Have you any idea the kind of mileage the ministerial cars do anyway? i'll give you a hint they'll just get near "scrap value" for it when it's sold anways.

Was wondering how long it would take for this to come out LOL .

Rowley Birkin QC

miju wrote: »

Have you any idea the kind of mileage the ministerial cars do anyway? i'll give you a hint they'll just get near "scrap value" for it when it's sold anways.

Was wondering how long it would take for this to come out LOL .

Where do these cars actually be sold on to when they are done with them?

miju

usually Merlin or Wilson car auctions IIRC

carchaeologist

So typical of this idiotic government that we have.....:mad::rolleyes::p

ninty9er

mumblin deaf ro wrote: »

Seeing as they get a new one every year, why don't they just lease the cars rather than buying them new?

They don't get new ones every year, there are some 06 and possibly some 05/04 cars in the current fleet.

They're technically Garda cars, so I'm surprised some Traffic Corps cops haven't been undercover in it on the M1/M4/M7.

He should use the thing and I'll take the E320 for a fiver:D:D

This has to be tripe...the amount of these things sitting on forecourts is unreal.

The vehicle needs to remain plugged in to a charger as removing it would cause the onboard computer to die rendering the car unusable.

Max_Damage

I reckon they should do an 'insurance job' on it!

Guy:Incognito

Max_Damage wrote: »

I reckon they should do an 'insurance job' on it!

Are they not state insured?

NiSmO

This post has been deleted.

bazz26

NiSmO wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Even Skoda wouldn't claim the Octavia's boot is that big.

alo1587

What the government should do is buy cars off the people that can't get a garage to take them in as a trade in.That way, the government get a car for their ministers (even though it might 'only' be a 97 corolla or something) and the ordinary joe gets to buy a brand new car for cash! New car sales go up, problem solved! If i was in charge, i'd have all the ministers in a fleet of 88 corollas or something.And if they didnt like them, tough ****.

Guy:Incognito

alo1587 wrote: »

What the government should do is buy cars off the people that can't get a garage to take them in as a trade in.That way, the government get a car for their ministers (even though it might 'only' be a 97 corolla or something) and the ordinary joe gets to buy a brand new car for cash! New car sales go up, problem solved! If i was in charge, i'd have all the ministers in a fleet of 88 corollas or something.And if they didnt like them, tough ****.

If you were in charge you'd put yourself in an 88 corrolla?

alo1587

Stekelly wrote: »

If you were in charge you'd put yourself in an 88 corrolla?

Yep, it wouldn't bother me.

Guy:Incognito

alo1587 wrote: »

Yep, it wouldn't bother me.

See theres the problem. You clearly havnt the ambition needed to run the country.:)


I can see it now, you swining up to the set down area of Dublin airport to pick up Gordan Brown from the Ryanair flight you booked him over in your 88 corrolla state car and driving him to a council flat in Dorset street .

He'd find it hard not to take you seriously then.

Gary ITR

alo1587 wrote: »

Yep, it wouldn't bother me.

It'd bother the bejaysis out of me, unless it was an AE30 Corrolla

alo1587

Stekelly wrote: »

See theres the problem. You clearly havnt the ambition needed to run the country.:)


I can see it now, you swining up to the set down area of Dublin airport to pick up Gordan Brown from the Ryanair flight you booked him over in your 88 corrolla state car and driving him to a council flat in Dorset street .

He'd find it hard not to take you seriously then.

Nah, if i was in charge i'd have the 1990 Corolla GLS 1.6 Executive, now thats class:D

VolvoMan

I'd say an old Carina II with velour interior would make a perfectly good state car.

ninty9er

VolvoMan wrote: »

I'd say an old Carina II with velour interior would make a perfectly good state car.

You don't happen to be trying to shift one:pac::pac:

The maths on the Indo's figures...as usual...don't add up. The list price of an S350 is €125k less VAT and VRT and you're talking more like €75k plus Garda fleet modifications and you're talking not more than €90k.