Does road tax influence your purchasing decisions?

[cort1977]

Most of mine don't move much and only get taxed for a few months through the summer so not an issue. Would definitely avoid a high band for a daily beater but otherwise it's not so important to me.

[AxWomble]

I’ve been paying flat rate van tax for a few years, and it’s numbed me to the possibility of ever paying less. Our recently purchased Zafira 1.6 pez is £345 - same as our 2.8, turbo diesel, clag chucking, 3.5 ton motorhome. Work that out. Anything with a half decent sized engine will be £265, and frankly, if you can’t afford that, you can’t afford to drive. The £20/30 bands are a nice gimmick but it wouldn’t surprise me if they disappeared tomorrow. 
 

In 2020, my parents were replacing a 2016 Citigo and I’d convinced them to buy a Yaris. They were looking at 18 plates but I suggested that a pre-2016 would be £20 to tax and cheaper to purchase. No disadvantage to that decision, but again, even if the tax was £160, it wouldn’t change their world one iota. 

[hairnet]

4 minutes ago, cort1977 said:

Most of mine don't get taxed much and only get moved for a few months through the summer so not an issue. 

 

[SiC]

7 minutes ago, AxWomble said:

Anything with a half decent sized engine will be £265, and frankly, if you can’t afford that, you can’t afford to drive.

A lot of the more powerful newer post 2010 stuff is surprisingly low in comparison to pre 2010. I think direct injection helps here as it improves fuel efficiency. Taxed CO² is directly related to fuel consumption. So better fuel consumption, less CO² and thus cheaper tax. Add in hybrid technology where they are even more efficient then it drops lower. Especially if the battery can be recharged and effectively have "zero" CO² out of the tailpipe during those phases of the test cycle. This is why big engines powerful Porsche Panameras can be in £30/etc tax brackets.

E.g. my wife's 2018 Octavia VRS 2.0TSi petrol is 230bhp and £195 p/a tax. My 2005 E90 330i 250bhp and 2009 Z4 2.5 200bhp are £430 and £395 p/a respectively despite being similar power levels. 

 

[AxWomble]

15 minutes ago, SiC said:

A lot of the more powerful newer post 2010 stuff is surprisingly low in comparison to pre 2010. I think direct injection helps here as it improves fuel efficiency. Taxed CO² is directly related to fuel consumption. So better fuel consumption, less CO² and thus cheaper tax. Add in hybrid technology where they are even more efficient then it drops lower. Especially if the battery can be recharged and effectively have "zero" CO² out of the tailpipe during those phases of the test cycle. This is why big engines powerful Porsche Panameras can be in £30/etc tax brackets.

E.g. my wife's 2018 Octavia VRS 2.0TSi petrol is 230bhp and £195 p/a tax. My 2005 E90 330i 250bhp and 2009 Z4 2.5 200bhp are £430 and £395 p/a respectively despite being similar power levels. 

 

Agree - and you can clearly see the big jump between Euro 4/5/6 for petrols. Our 2004 Zafira 1.6 is £345, the MiL’s recently purchased 2013 1.6 is £265. 

[Uncleben]

I'm currently debating whether to sell my current daily for something in a lower tax band, for the last 4 yrs i've been happily using my '99 passat tdi saloon, bought cheap with the intention of it being a reliable, economical an car, which it has been (hello 60 empeegee!) while far from a classic, these old B5's are becoming a rare sight now, and the old pre pd tdi engine will go forever!

However, after recently moving into a rented house and still paying for my ex and kids to live in our nice house (story for another day) I'm having to give the old finances a jiggle, so a couple of quid saved here and there every month will make a difference!  as of april, passat tax will be £375.

Currently considering mk6 golf tdi, newer passat tdi, even a vw up! all £20 a year to tax,  looking to spend 1500 - 2000 max

So my dilemma is, save 34 quid a month on tax and buy newer car (but have possible dpf bills because newer diesel nonsense) or just use the money I would spend on said car taxing the passat for the next 4 -5 yrs? 

And yet the big old LTD is tax free! make it make sense

[grogee]

It's a big turn off for me. I'd do it for wafty V8/V12 niceness but I baulk at paying £360 for the Maestro that will be exempt in 2028 (god willing). 

It's mad that diesels don't attract a premium. I drive one but I'm very conscious that it's far more harmful than equivalent pez especially in built up areas (there are plenty that don't have ULEZ). 

[Tayne]

33 minutes ago, Uncleben said:

I'm currently debating whether to sell my current daily for something in a lower tax band, for the last 4 yrs i've been happily using my '99 passat tdi saloon, bought cheap with the intention of it being a reliable, economical an car, which it has been (hello 60 empeegee!) while far from a classic, these old B5's are becoming a rare sight now, and the old pre pd tdi engine will go forever!

However, after recently moving into a rented house and still paying for my ex and kids to live in our nice house (story for another day) I'm having to give the old finances a jiggle, so a couple of quid saved here and there every month will make a difference!  as of april, passat tax will be £375.

Currently considering mk6 golf tdi, newer passat tdi, even a vw up! all £20 a year to tax,  looking to spend 1500 - 2000 max

So my dilemma is, save 34 quid a month on tax and buy newer car (but have possible dpf bills because newer diesel nonsense) or just use the money I would spend on said car taxing the passat for the next 4 -5 yrs? 

And yet the big old LTD is tax free! make it make sense

If the Passat isn’t mechanically needy, keep it.

[Datsuncog]

It's a factor in any decision for me, but not necessarily a red line.

Looked at this V6 4x4 Superb last year, in the top band for tax:

While I didn't exactly relish the thought of stumping up £725 in tax each year (or whatever it was at that time), I'm still paying the guts of £400 regardless just to keep a basic petrol car road legal, so it's not a deal-breaker.

Had the Superb felt like the right car for us, I'd have had it - but ultimately it just didn't gel with either of us, despite being a lovely big thing in its own right.

The tax was a factor, sure, but not the last word in the matter.

I'm still kinda surprised that so many 2010s diesels didn't get their cheapo £20 rates hoicked in the last round of tax changes, given that we now know that the emissions figures pushed by many manufacturers leant heavily into the realms of fantasy. Seemed like an easy and relatively uncontroversial way to boost tax take, by just bringing them broadly into line with most other cars on the road.

[MrBig]

It totally depends on the car and the application. 

If I'm buying something fairly common and there are options to avoid the £760 band then I would do where feasible. If I'm buying a my dream American V8, then it wouldn't factor in the decision. 

I can totally get the point about spending a grand on an old Galaxy (with a Y!!) or a slightly crusty X-type and not wanting to pay that much VED.

[beko1987]

It does for me. I can take £220 a year ok, especially paying by month. I'd not want to pay anymore though, especially for the small miles I do each year and the types of disposable car I buy and run

A £25 a year to tax car would be fine but their all modern or smoll or a liability derv/pez engine 😢 I expect the value difference between them would balance out the long term cost anyway.

[MAF260]

My Saab is £735 per year to tax which I knew at the time of buying it. As I only use it for 5 months of the year at most it costs me less than half that and to me is worthwhile. I have a daily and a toy which both attract the +£40k premium, so I guess I wasn't influenced against buying them because of the VED rates.

[stuboy]

im grinning just with 2 at £430

[Honey Badger]

£795 for my Honda Legend, I don't give it a moment's thought really. 

I'm currently doing about 3000 miles a year.

[bangernomics]

Depends on the smile per mile factor. Porridge not a chance am I paying £100’s when my annual mileage is below 6000. I currently spend more on tax than fuel a year. I would actively dodge 700+ nonsense.

[Spiny Norman]

In principle I refuse to pay this shitshow of a government £700+ a year for the privilege of driving on what passes for roads round here. Everything I've had in the past few years has been in the £400-odd bracket which is bad enough.


 

[sierraman]

16 hours ago, Uncleben said:

I'm currently debating whether to sell my current daily for something in a lower tax band, for the last 4 yrs i've been happily using my '99 passat tdi saloon, bought cheap with the intention of it being a reliable, economical an car, which it has been (hello 60 empeegee!) while far from a classic, these old B5's are becoming a rare sight now, and the old pre pd tdi engine will go forever!

However, after recently moving into a rented house and still paying for my ex and kids to live in our nice house (story for another day) I'm having to give the old finances a jiggle, so a couple of quid saved here and there every month will make a difference!  as of april, passat tax will be £375.

Currently considering mk6 golf tdi, newer passat tdi, even a vw up! all £20 a year to tax,  looking to spend 1500 - 2000 max

So my dilemma is, save 34 quid a month on tax and buy newer car (but have possible dpf bills because newer diesel nonsense) or just use the money I would spend on said car taxing the passat for the next 4 -5 yrs? 

And yet the big old LTD is tax free! make it make sense

Don’t. The chances of the £1,500 car throwing up a bill that is 5 years worth of road tax is quite significant. If the car you’ve got works I’d weather it. 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Neighbours bought a 3 litre derv Ssanyong Rodius many years back and ran it for a decade. For the last six years, it's sat on their drive, unused. When I looked up the RFL, it comes in at a chunky £735 annually. That's almost five grand over the last six years. 

I'm not surprised they replaced it with a cheap RFL Peugeot. 

[UltraWomble]

Like any question, the answer is "it depends"

It depends on my finances, what Im using the car for, how much other aspects of it are likely to cost me to run and so on.
 

Do I go out of my way to find something cheap?
No.

Would I be put off by a £300/year tax? 
No

Would I be put off by a £700/year tax?
Possibly, it all depends on the car. 

Would I buy a new car with a £6000 first year tax? Would I fork like. But I expect the people buying these dont have to worry about that £6K.

[Anglevan]

I'm not bothered, it's more about does it fit my needs. I have a few vehicles, one is tax exempt (63 years old) the rest mostly fit in the old tax band less than 1549cc. The dearest is my 45 v6 at £360, it will likely only be taxed for 6 months. I tend to mix an match the fleet through the year to get the best from them so rarely are all taxed at anyone time.  

[sierraman]

If it’s the car you’ve got already then it’s probably worth weathering if it’s causing you no trouble and you like it. It does make something like a Mondeo V6 automatic straight to EMR fodder though. I’d imagine selling one now would be nigh on impossible. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

Nothing here (other than the van) does more than a few thousand miles a year.
Bini is the £20 special (1400 miles last year) and the other two are about £760 between the two of them.  Rolling those up into a single car in the highest bracket could, therefore, be a possibility that domestic management would entertain except that (1) she'd not give the SLK lightly and (2) better the devil you know mechanically?

Off to peruse the Low Cost High Liability thread again  

[cbowditch]

As a serial car collector, having several cars in the OMGHM tax bracket is a NO from me. I try to buy cars either before 2006 or from 2017 onwards to avoid the silly tax bracket

[Verysleepyboy]

I guess it all depends on what you are buying the car for and how high up the "scratching the itch" list it has got.

I was looking for a replacement for my Mk1 TT V6 last year (2004 so £430 ish tax) as a bit of fun weekend toy that I can take up the 1/4 mile. 

What kept coming up and piquing my interest was a selection of Audi S6 monsters with either the 5.0 V10 lumps - tempting prices and potentially a lot of fun until they grenade but all in the £760 tax bracket which did temper my enthusiasm a bit.

Ended up with a Porsche 944 - no where near as quick, but it scratches an itch I have had for a while and has the bonus of being free road tax!!

I'll come back to the S6 Avant another day......

[DaveDorson]

My L322 is in the silly bracket and I went into it eyes wide open, so no not really.   

Did some other stuff suddenly creep into that bracket recently or something?, I pay everything monthly and just avoid paying attention unless it's something I own or am looking to own tbh.

But no, it doesn't really impact me too much, if I want a particular car and the cost of running is a bit high, then that's the cost of owning it and I accept and suck it up usually.

Life is a bit miserable driving stuff you don't want to drive.

[GeordieInExile]

My C6 was in the silly band but fortunately the other bills were so consistent and unreasonable that it made the road tax look like quite good value by comparison.

[DaveDorson]

31 minutes ago, GeordieInExile said:

My C6 was in the silly band but fortunately the other bills were so consistent and unreasonable that it made the road tax look like quite good value by comparison.

what you need is a ropey and rusty old tdv8 range rover l322.

 

[sutty2006]

In short, YES. 
 

I really want an L322 with the TDv8 engine but they are post 2006 which puts them into the £OMFGHOWMUCH tax band. 
 

now. My current 02 plate disco is £450ish ….. it was about £375 when I bought it. Considering I don’t do huge mileage, why should I pay 800 a year for doing sod all mileage? I actively avoid those expensive tax cars because I don’t want to line the pockets of the incompetent government etc etc. I’d happily pay per mile, swings n roundabouts etc 

[willswitchengage]

I've posted a bazillion times on here about how the UK VED system has made no sense for twenty years and is simply an utterly stupid and regressive policy.

When I bought my Legacy last year it was a choice between two identical cars, only the one I bought was a year old and therefore pre-2001 so the VED was half of what the 2002 model I found on eBay would have cost.

[Knotty Ash Towers]

Would a system based on engine size make more sense?

Upto 1000cc = £100 per year 

Upto 2000cc = £200 per year 

etc, etc.