You think your tax is bad?

[LathamJohnP]

I know this is a mainly UK forum, but since its Christmas season I thought I'd remind you of how lucky you are, relatively.

Based on 2008 Irish budget pronouncements today, the cost of a new VXR8 will be as follows:

List price: £30k (excl. UK VAT)
VAT: 21%
Vehicle registration tax: 36% (top rate for "most polluting cars" )
---
£49k (and change). It sounds even worse in euros.

Road tax will be €2000 (£1440) a year.

So over three years (assuming 50% depreciation) that's a neat £800 a month in depreciation and road tax before fuel, tyres, insurance and servicing

All in, the car will take about €35k a year of gross salary to run.

No wonder the roads here are full of shitboxes. The Greens are in coalition now, so no doubt this won't be the last of the gouging.

On the plus side, I suspect a 535d will fall into the same "most polluting" emissions bracket, so I may as well get 6 litres and a supercharger and be done with it

Enjoy the V8s while you can, Gordon can't be far behind with this "progressive" thinking.

John

[neildockrell]

So enough of the foreplay are you going to buy one or not ?

[LathamJohnP]

neildockrell said:

So enough of the foreplay are you going to buy one or not?

I was so close (even flew to the UK to test at Donington) then I read Benno's thoughts on the matter (something like "you'd be a complete idiot to buy one new" ) and thought I'd wait for a year old one to come along in the right colour.

John

Edited by LathamJohnP on Thursday 6th December 15:10

[neildockrell]

have to agree with you john, i have had an 04 ro now for 4 months, fantasticly bad mannered car, love it, at the age of 52 its given me a new lease of life ! I would love to have considered buying a new one, but, the price difference equated to 10 long haul holidays, perhaps with change. Its also a lot of money you don't have to earn.

Your only problem is living in ireland, move to england, everyone else has !

[LathamJohnP]

I only moved to Ireland from the UK recently, so not time to head back yet

The obscene price of cars here isn't all bad. When I brought my Mini Cooper S over from the UK, I got loads of "deadly car" comments from kids (that's a good thing apparently). In London it never got a second glance.

My last five cars have been bought new. I keep telling myself to buy used, but then the next shiny thing comes along, and I can't resist.

John

[Raggyman]

You could always be on "permanent" holiday there, and drive a UK rego one, or even better get one on Oz plates, OR, you could keep the little buggars busy and have plates from Arabia.. Bet you would have sooooo many glances then, and 999 calls..

[LathamJohnP]

Raggyman said:

You could always be on "permanent" holiday there, and drive a UK rego one

If it was my country, I'd maybe consider it, but I think its a bit rude to move to a country then flagrantly break the law...

...except for speeding, maybe

John

Edited by LathamJohnP on Thursday 6th December 16:02

[stevieturbo]

Raggyman said:

You could always be on "permanent" holiday there, and drive a UK rego one

great in theory....

But the scum are stopping foreign plated cars ( incl UK ) if they seem them on the roads too often, and suspect those people might be living there. If they are convinced, they will impound the car until you prove otherwise.....or pay up as the case may be.
This very issue was brought up on a local forum, by a girl who was working in Dublin during the week, but home ( Northern Ireland ) at weekends. The Gaurds stopped here, and started giving her hassle.

[crisisjez]

We had crew temporary basing in Dublin for years.
It was a good litle number as you could claim a NT code from the tax office.
Eventually it all came to a stop as ALL the crew were eventually dobbed in if they were running Brit cars.

So we all went to Paris instead