Car Tax

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Just had the pleasure (yes you read that right) of taxing my Prius today

Got the reminder, went online, renewed it and the disc is winging its way to my home in the next couple of days. No nasty payments to make, just click to renew.

I did notice the reminder form gave the option of 6 or 12 months!!! Who in their right mind would renew for 6 months at £0?

[Seamaster73]

Classic public sector.

[timberwolf]

...of a computer supplied by the private sector ;)

[Jamesbelfast]

Theres a very good reason for such choice. Registered disabled drivers also qualify for zero tax and in many cases their cars will on on lease contract arrangement which may expire before the 6 month period comes around. In some cases the leasing company arranges such but in others it is incumbent on the driver or keeper to do so.:)

[johalareewi]

Normally the 6 month price is the annualprice / 2 + afee so it's unusual to see it as exactly half the annual price.

It will be my turn next month.

[kithmo]

2 chances to win a Fiat punto per year instead of 1 ?

[Costa Del Solway]

I can see what you are saying with disabled drivers and leased cars, but the Prius / Auris is FREE road tax irrespective who drives it. To me it seems a waste of public money to go through the process of renewing a tax disc that has no cost, surely they should issue a disc for the life of the vehicle, clearly marked a FREE.

[clangnuts]

I can see what you are saying with disabled drivers and leased cars, but the Prius / Auris is FREE road tax irrespective who drives it. To me it seems a waste of public money to go through the process of renewing a tax disc that has no cost, surely they should issue a disc for the life of the vehicle, clearly marked a FREE.

When everyone is driving a hybrid, I doubt if the road tax will be free then!

[Grumpy Cabbie]

...of a computer supplied by the private sector ;)

...purchased by the public sector for six times its value because hey it's only public money and there's plenty of that about!

[martswain]

Costa del Solway, whilst tax is zero, you will still need an MOT to be able to get a tax disc after 3 years and the 2 systems are linked.

The system also checks you have a current insurance policy.

I was pleasantly surprised how fast I got my disc after taxing my car on the first possible day allowed in June this year.

[Costa Del Solway]

Costa del Solway, whilst tax is zero, you will still need an MOT to be able to get a tax disc after 3 years and the 2 systems are linked.

The system also checks you have a current insurance policy.

I was pleasantly surprised how fast I got my disc after taxing my car on the first possible day allowed in June this year.

Good point, sorry never looked at the bigger picture.

I have purchased road tax on line before and agree it is a very quick service.

[timberwolf]

When everyone is driving a hybrid, I doubt if the road tax will be free then!

A good point - I guess you got no responses because people hope they can kid themselves that it'll continue forever.

I can't decide whether it will be more hybrids or the introduction of the fully electric car that will become the political scumbags next limited gesture and photo opportunity.

Also not all hybrids fall into the A band(?) for the road fund tax. The previous Prius Gen 2 has something like a 15 or 20 quid fee, and it you were a very unlucky earlier Prius Gen 1 owner before the switch of road fund to some sort of CO2 basis then you would be paying a much larger fee.

Anybody want to predict how much long the 2k London congestion charge exemption will continue for hybrids?

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Not for much longer I believe. I understand that from June next year they'll be changing the rules so that any car over 100g/km is no longer eligible. To me this makes sense. Why have a 4.0 litre Lexus Hybird being OK but a diesel Fiesta isn't. Now the rules are the same for all ultra low emission cars.

It'll destroy the second hand value of all previous Prii though.

[timberwolf]

Thanks, could be interesting. A quick search around and I found the following pages.

To encourage the uptake of cleaner and more CO2 efficient vehicles, the GVD would provide a 100 per cent discount from the Congestion Charge for cars that emit 100g/km of CO2 or less and that meet the Euro 5 standard for air quality.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/15525.aspx

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/air_pollution/l28186_en.htm

[Jan&tone]

When everyone is driving a hybrid, I doubt if the road tax will be free then!

A good point - I guess you got no responses because people hope they can kid themselves that it'll continue forever.

I can't decide whether it will be more hybrids or the introduction of the fully electric car that will become the political scumbags next limited gesture and photo opportunity.

Also not all hybrids fall into the A band(?) for the road fund tax. The previous Prius Gen 2 has something like a 15 or 20 quid fee, and it you were a very unlucky earlier Prius Gen 1 owner before the switch of road fund to some sort of CO2 basis then you would be paying a much larger fee.

Anybody want to predict how much long the 2k London congestion charge exemption will continue for hybrids?

Perfectly valid points here! I've just been to the Isle of Wight, who up till this year had given free offroad parking to vehicles in band A and B road tax.... they stopped it this year 'there are now too many vehicles in these bands'.... so don't hold out much hope for free road tax (on the gen3) and 10 quid on the gen2 for much longer, expect to see in a budget somewhere down the road a 'small' charge for band a and b, which will increase over time as it always does! I'm just surprised that it's still free!!!!

[kithmo]

When everyone is driving a hybrid, I doubt if the road tax will be free then!

That's when they'll decide to abolish VED and put the lost revenue on fuel tax .

[wooski]

Not for much longer I believe. I understand that from June next year they'll be changing the rules so that any car over 100g/km is no longer eligible. To me this makes sense. Why have a 4.0 litre Lexus Hybird being OK but a diesel Fiesta isn't. Now the rules are the same for all ultra low emission cars.

It'll destroy the second hand value of all previous Prii though.

Low CO2 does not equal low emmissions! London is having a real problem with NOX and Particulates and is still highly likely to get a whopping fine from the EU because of it. CO2 is not directly harmful to humans whereas NOX and particulates are.

TFL did propose to lower the Congestion Charge exemption to cars below 100g but many including myself have protested during the consultation. Its madness to allow in small diesals and then ban the G2 Prius. So I hope there will be some change in this. Current hybrids have another 2 years leeway anyway.

There is another arguement that those naughty 3.5 litre and 5 litre Lexus hybrids are far better than their executive equivilents. And they still put out less NOX etc than a Polo bluemotion diesal.

[Gav 18]

In Sheffield, the green parking scheme (free parking in the city centre) only applies to cars that do not run solely on petrol or diesel. So your bluemotion, econetic and ecoflex cars etc are all excluded. Any electric, hybrid or LPG is eligible.

I suspect this may be the way the CC and/or VED goes in the future too.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Not for much longer I believe. I understand that from June next year they'll be changing the rules so that any car over 100g/km is no longer eligible. To me this makes sense. Why have a 4.0 litre Lexus Hybird being OK but a diesel Fiesta isn't. Now the rules are the same for all ultra low emission cars.

It'll destroy the second hand value of all previous Prii though.

Low CO2 does not equal low emmissions! London is having a real problem with NOX and Particulates and is still highly likely to get a whopping fine from the EU because of it. CO2 is not directly harmful to humans whereas NOX and particulates are.

TFL did propose to lower the Congestion Charge exemption to cars below 100g but many including myself have protested during the consultation. Its madness to allow in small diesals and then ban the G2 Prius. So I hope there will be some change in this. Current hybrids have another 2 years leeway anyway.

There is another arguement that those naughty 3.5 litre and 5 litre Lexus hybrids are far better than their executive equivilents. And they still put out less NOX etc than a Polo bluemotion diesal.

This is interesting as I too am not a fan of NOx or PM10s. Perhaps Boris should be really brave and make the congestion zone apply to cars with ultra low NOx emissions AND CO2 under 100g/km as well as EV's.

To be honest, the real problem is the good old London Taxi which is a thirsty smelly old thing - apart from maybe the really latest cleaner version. Yeah I know they've retro fitted the old ones, but diesel is still diesel and when mated to an auto box blasting round town at 24 mpg isn't going to do any favours.

Trouble is the design of the vehicle doesn't leave much room for improvement such as LPG (loss of even more luggage room). Perhaps an LPG only cab would be better, but then you will need to encourage it to offset the extra expense of maintenance. The licencing of the new Mercedes London Cab is a good start as these are much cleaner and a better all round vehicle, but most of the public and all the toursists love the traditional London Cab.

Also, clean up the buses! Yeah some of the newer ones are much better, but what about insisting on LPG for the inner city center?

Harrogate council have started mubbling about raised NOx levels in certain areas, yet our local buses are over 10 years old and very very smelly. Easy, hassle the bus company to get new ones, but councils have a love affair with buses and bus companies can't do any wrong.

Better stop here - I tend to get on my soap box about emissions

[Jolly English Gentleman]

When everyone is driving a hybrid, I doubt if the road tax will be free then!

Also not all hybrids fall into the A band(?) for the road fund tax. The previous Prius Gen 2 has something like a 15 or 20 quid fee, and it you were a very unlucky earlier Prius Gen 1 owner before the switch of road fund to some sort of CO2 basis then you would be paying a much larger fee.

Yes the 2nd gen has a CO2 rating of 104 and falls into band B (£20) but reduced to £10 because of the alternative fuel status for 2010/11. I normally do my tax online but might go to the Post Office this time just to see the looks of envy when I hand over my tenner. :D

[Grumpy Cabbie]

When everyone is driving a hybrid, I doubt if the road tax will be free then!

Also not all hybrids fall into the A band(?) for the road fund tax. The previous Prius Gen 2 has something like a 15 or 20 quid fee, and it you were a very unlucky earlier Prius Gen 1 owner before the switch of road fund to some sort of CO2 basis then you would be paying a much larger fee.

Yes the 2nd gen has a CO2 rating of 104 and falls into band B (£20) but reduced to £10 because of the alternative fuel status for 2010/11. I normally do my tax online but might go to the Post Office this time just to see the looks of envy when I hand over my tenner. :D

Oh I like it! That was such a missed opportunity. Imagine their faces if the tax was free

[Jan&tone]

When everyone is driving a hybrid, I doubt if the road tax will be free then!

Also not all hybrids fall into the A band(?) for the road fund tax. The previous Prius Gen 2 has something like a 15 or 20 quid fee, and it you were a very unlucky earlier Prius Gen 1 owner before the switch of road fund to some sort of CO2 basis then you would be paying a much larger fee.

Yes the 2nd gen has a CO2 rating of 104 and falls into band B (£20) but reduced to £10 because of the alternative fuel status for 2010/11. I normally do my tax online but might go to the Post Office this time just to see the looks of envy when I hand over my tenner. :D

Oh I like it! That was such a missed opportunity. Imagine their faces if the tax was free

I'm actually quite surprised that the post office doesn't charge a £5.00 handling fee for issuing a 'free' rfl for a Prius! Not like them to do something for nothing!!!

[johalareewi]

They will give you a proof of posting certificate free if you have already put stamps on the envelope. They might grumble a bit as they do it tho.

[dwilson]

Yes the 2nd gen has a CO2 rating of 104 and falls into band B (£20) but reduced to £10 because of the alternative fuel status for 2010/11. I normally do my tax online but might go to the Post Office this time just to see the looks of envy when I hand over my tenner. :D

The £10 is certainly very welcome after the £405 for my previous car

[clangnuts]

When hybrid cars are the most common, I don't think they will abolish the VED and put it on fuel. These cars won't use enough fuel for that.

Mark my words. In 20 years time the VED will be as expensive as ever for all cars. Perhaps the gas guzzling museum pieces will be exempt by then, simply because there's so few of them left, and petrol will be at such a premium that 20mpg will equate to £30 per mile!