What zero road tax car?

[therealpigdog]

Am considering changing one of our cars and discovered that as I am in the first year of setting up my business I can put 100% of the cost of a Band A car down as an allowable expense (my understanding pre-checking it out with an accountant, am sure Eric Mc will be along to correct me if I've misunderstood), and can also claim VAT back. This means that I get a 20% saving (VAT) and then a 40% saving (as comes out of pre-tax profit) - fag packet calculations are that a £14k car will cost c£7k.

Commute is about 20 mins on open twisty roads, so prefer something nimble. Doesn't need to be big as we have the derv wagon to cart around the dogs and only allowed to use it for business purposes. Don't care about mpg as they're all going to be good, and similarly insurance is unlikely to break the bank.

So which one would you get if you were in my position?

Brand new fiesta 1.6tdci econetic looks interesting at £7k.

[RicksAlfas]

Does it have to be zero rated every year?
The 320ED is zero rated in it's first year but £20 subsequently.

[GKP]

Something pre 1973?

[therealpigdog]

RicksAlfas said:

Does it have to be zero rated every year?
The 320ED is zero rated in it's first year but £20 subsequently.

not sure [heads of to google].

[therealpigdog]

GKP said:

Something pre 1973?

Just sold my classic - I actually want to get to work everyday rather than sit on the roadside

[stinkysteve]

May be over budget but Honda CR-Z?

[Rawwr]

http://www.nextgreencar.com/

Useful site for you.

[Twincam16]

Saab 9-3 1.9 TTiD 180 is the most powerful in this bracket apparently.

[Caulkhead]

therealpigdog said:

GKP said:

Something pre 1973?

Just sold my classic - I actually want to get to work everyday rather than sit on the roadside

Well that excludes anything French or Italian then. . . . .

<runs for cover>

[va1o]

Where can you get a brand new Fiesta econetic for £7k? I've never seen them that cheap!

Twincam16 said:

Saab 9-3 1.9 TTiD 180 is the most powerful in this bracket apparently.

No its not in the sub 99g £0 road tax bracket, it emits 119g.

[Targarama]

Something to buzz along country lanes in the zero band = Fiat 500 TwinAir.

[boomboompow]

va1o said:

No its not in the sub 99g £0 road tax bracket, it emits 119g.

Weird, I assume twincam had seen the same adverts I have saying it was a zero emissions car... Probably something in the fine print...

[therealpigdog]

Targarama said:

Something to buzz along country lanes in the zero band = Fiat 500 TwinAir.

At £11,5k for a base spec model I reckon that would only cost about £5,5k - that's cheap motoring! I really do hope that my maths and understanding of the tax position is correct.

[geeteeaye]

va1o said:

Where can you get a brand new Fiesta econetic for £7k? I've never seen them that cheap!

That's the price after OP's 'fag packet' calculations.

[Chris71]

Fiat 500 Twinair?

[AnotherClarkey]

Micra DIG-S when it comes out?

[Baffled Spoon]

Porsche 918 Spyder is only 70g/km Co2. Be quite good value if your half price calculations are right

[therealpigdog]

Baffled Spoon said:

Porsche 918 Spyder is only 70g/km Co2. Be quite good value if your half price calculations are right

Unfortunately I don't earn enough money in the higher rate band, so it would dig into the lower rate band giving me only a 20% saving on some of it - I'm just not prepared to do that . Good potential saving for some people though!

[Mr Gear]

Can you get a Volvo C30 DrivE for that money? They are brilliant cars, but expensive compared to the Fiesta, and not any bigger.

[peterperkins]

Does it have to be new? An older band A car perhaps?