Car Tax

[Tom8]

When I bought my e-class E220 there was no tax in year one and I was told £30 a year thereafter. 1st tax bill has come through and it is £130? Can tax bands change mid year? I thought it would be fixed as per when we bought it?

[Truckosaurus]

Tom8 said:

... I was told £30 a year thereafter....

I think that was where you went wrong.

Adding options can increase the CO2/KM value of the car and put it into a different tax band - you have to check the exact V5 doc for the car and see what it is rated at, rather than assuming a generic value for the model.

[Lowtimer]

What is the CO2 number on your v5?

[Tom8]

Thanks for the replies I'll have to dig out docs. The car was in the showroom with a board up highlighting tax bands for the exact car which is the one I bought so would assume this applied.

[HumbleJim]

Not always, manufacturers tweek things, sometimes part way through a model yr.

[GoneAnon]

And in the budget pretty much every year, the Chancellor of whichever party drops the thresholds and increases the prices for the VED.

[Jim AK]

[quote=Tom8]When I bought my e-class E220 there was no tax in year one and I was told £30 a year thereafter. 1st tax bill has come through and it is £130? Can tax bands change mid year? I thought it would be fixed as per when we bought it?[/quote

Lucky you.

My 2011 E220 CDi is £180!!

[Fox-]

GoneAnon said:

And in the budget pretty much every year, the Chancellor of whichever party drops the thresholds

No, he doesn't. And if he did, it isn't retrospective.

Whats happened here is the salesman got it wrong.

[GoneAnon]

Fox- said:

No, he doesn't. And if he did, it isn't retrospective.

Whats happened here is the salesman got it wrong.

Fair-ish point - I was focused on my BiK which went up again this year because the thresolds dropped again.

But the retrospective bit HAS been done - just ask all the people with "gas guzzlers" like 2.0 Mondeo and Galaxy that got hit with the big retrospective increase just a few years ago.

[IATM]

BLoody hell! its what a difference - £30 pounds to £130 pounds. that is an outrage.
Not sure if you can afford the car anymore.

Sell it ASAP - cut your loses and get a VW lupo that will certainly be much cheaper on road tax in the long run!

[Fox-]

GoneAnon said:

But the retrospective bit HAS been done - just ask all the people with "gas guzzlers" like 2.0 Mondeo and Galaxy that got hit with the big retrospective increase just a few years ago.

It was u-turned before it was implemented and as a result all pre March 26th 2006 cars are capped at Band K. There was no retrospective rise.

[ralphrj]

Only the E220 SE saloon model on standard wheels would qualify for £30 annual VED. If it is an AMG Sport model,has optional wheels or is an estate then the higher rates apply.

[SturdyHSV]

Fox- said:

It was u-turned before it was implemented and as a result all pre March 26th 2006 cars are capped at Band K. There was no retrospective rise.

As such, buy the biggest, nastiest pre 2006 motor you can =D

At £285 for 384g/km, I'm 'only' paying 74p a gram

[t400ble]

I honestly couldn't care how much car tax is

Its the cheapest part of motoring!

[panholio]

IATM said:

BLoody hell! its what a difference - £30 pounds to £130 pounds. that is an outrage.
Not sure if you can afford the car anymore.

Sell it ASAP - cut your loses and get a VW lupo that will certainly be much cheaper on road tax in the long run!

Classic c*ntish PH comment.

If you bought a car on the understanding that it was £30 a year in tax and it turns out to be £130 then you are likely to have some opinion on the matter. I appreciate that for a powerfully built company director £100 is nothing, you probably spend that on your breakfast each morning, but for the rest of us mere mortals £100 is £100.

My advice OP is NEVER rely on a salesman for any kind of car based figures. They haven't got a clue, they've probably only been selling that brand for 10 minutes. I tend to nod and check things out myself.

[SturdyHSV]

panholio said:

you probably spend that on your breakfast each morning

You mean you don't?!

Allow me to assist good sir http://www.mumsnet.com/

[backwoodsman]

IATM said:

BLoody hell! its what a difference - £30 pounds to £130 pounds. that is an outrage.
Not sure if you can afford the car anymore.

Sell it ASAP - cut your loses and get a VW lupo that will certainly be much cheaper on road tax in the long run!

I find it sad, that I know people that would do just that.

[CraigyMc]

Tom8 said:

Thanks for the replies I'll have to dig out docs. The car was in the showroom with a board up highlighting tax bands for the exact car which is the one I bought so would assume this applied.

As others have noted, the CO2 varies with wheel choice.
I'd also chip into the mix that it varies by what transmission you bought too, because that also affects the CO2 figure on certain cars, including yours.

Example (current model W212 E class) -

E220CDI 17" alloy wheels (225 / 50 tyres), Manual gearbox - 120gCO2/km - CO2 Band C, First Year VED is £0,   subsequent years £30  VED (12 months)
E220CDI 18" alloy wheels (265 / 35 tyres), Manual gearbox - 129gCO2/km - CO2 Band D, First Year VED is £0,   subsequent years £110 VED (12 months)
E220CDI 18" alloy wheels (265 / 35 tyres), Auto gearbox   - 131gCO2/km - CO2 Band E, First Year VED is £130, subsequent years £130 VED (12 months)
E220CDI 19" alloy wheels (275 / 30 tyres), Manual gearbox - 129gCO2/km - CO2 Band D, First Year VED is £0,   subsequent years £110 VED (12 months)
E220CDI 19" alloy wheels (275 / 30 tyres), Auto gearbox   - 131gCO2/km - CO2 Band E, First Year VED is £130, subsequent years £130 VED (12 months)

[bakerstreet]

Just sounds like the OP didn't read the exact details of the car he's bought. Simples

[ukbabz]

SturdyHSV said:

As such, buy the biggest, nastiest pre 2006 motor you can =D

At £285 for 384g/km, I'm 'only' paying 74p a gram

You could just walk that 1km and save yourself £285..