ED 30 and R32

[Creepy Coupe]

If you do buy an earlier R32 say pre march 2006 you won't get stung for the full £400 a year road tax, it's ONLY £300 

Not with you on that one CC, its £300 this year then £400 next year for the top band of CO2 emission cars, which the R32 falls into. It has nothing to do with the age of you car, just what you put out the pipe. 

It's my understanding that only cars manufactured on or after March 06 that got clobbered for £400, and all pre that date are £300, have I gotten that wrong?

I'm pretty sure that if you're in the top CO2 band, regardless of age, then its £300 this year then £400 the next. I hope I haven't rained on you parade, so to speak. 

Mine's definitely due fro £400 a year already, as it was manufactured after March 2006, it's just weather or not cars before March 2006 will cop it for £400 next year, or stay £300 as they are at the mo.

[Phil mcavity]

Creepy, your car WILL be taxed at £400 next year, its nothing to do with the cars age WHATSOVER, all cars that admit over 225 Carbon dioxide WILL all be paying the same tax, forget the age thing, makes no difference matie

[farina]

Creepy, your car WILL be taxed at £400 next year, its nothing to do with the cars age WHATSOVER, all cars that admit over 225 Carbon dioxide WILL all be paying the same tax, forget the age thing, makes no difference matie

Band G (the big 300/400 tax band) only comes into effect for cars registered after 23rd march 2006 so it has everything to do with age. For cars registered before that date the max is band F - currently £205/year.

[Phil mcavity]

yes apoligises, have checked it out, and its true, seems abit irish to me, an older car pumping out as much CO2 as a brand spanking new motor?. surely if they wanna save the planet, then they should price owners off the road rather then doing what they have done 

[Hully]

Yes I must eat humble pie, cars registered before March 06 can't be in Band G.  :embarassed: I also read that the CO2 bands don't apply at all for cars registered before March 01. So its complete horse manure, if your cars old and undoubtedly more polluting you don't have to worry about how much CO2 you're producing. God this country is really messed up. 

[Creepy Coupe]

yes apoligises, have checked it out, and its true, seems abit irish to me, an older car pumping out as much CO2 as a brand spanking new motor?. surely if they wanna save the planet, then they should price owners off the road rather then doing what they have done 

And that's my gripe Phil, not so much the amount, but the way they implemented it.Gordon Brown is a complete and utter Crunt IMO 

[farina]

And don't forget pre '73 motors - they must be the worst of all and you don't pay any tax!

[Hully]

And don't forget pre '73 motors - they must be the worst of all and you don't pay any tax!

Its just complete bo**ocks!  Up the revolution! 

[Creepy Coupe]

And don't forget pre '73 motors - they must be the worst of all and you don't pay any tax!

Yep, a bloke I work with runs around in an old Moggy 1000, stinking pile of sh!te , and it's tax exempt 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

The tax issue - in one respect, the new VED bands do reward more environmentally friendly cars, because certain fuel sniffing new motors pay zero VED.  OK, there are anomolies, and yes, the extra £100 a year might seem a little unfair, just because one car was registered one one day, and an identical car was registered a few days earlier/later.

However, you are all missing the bigger picture - and that is fuel duty.  A less environmentally friendly car will consume more fuel, and hence will pay more fuel duty.  So if you do 10k miles a year in a Moggy Minor, and 10k miles a year in say a GTI, I bet the Moggy will be paying more duty overall (fuel duty plus VED) than a GTI. 

The four wheel drive issue - the R32 does not have a permanent full-time four wheel drive system.  It (along with all Haldex sytems, such as all Audi A3 quattros, S3, Golf 4motion, Audi TT) has a part-time system, which is basically a glorified traction control system.  It relies completely and soley on electronics to operate.  When there is no wheel spin from the front axle, then no power is sent to the rear axle.  When used in "anger", a Haldex 4wd system is very un-nerving, especially when accelerating hard on slippery corners - the "grip-slip-grip-slip" sensation actually upsets the handling.  It is a very similar feel to the Mitsubishi Evos, which use electronically controlled diffs.  Under about 95% of the time, even on wet roads - only front wheel drive is utilised!

The R32 handling - the R32 has been proven in many tests to actually handle worse than the standard GTI.  It understeers more, due to the much heavier VR6 engine, which sits ahead of the front axle.  Comfortwise, again, the R32 has a harsher ride than the GTI - this may be fine for rock steady handling down an autobahn at V-max with a heavy cross wind - but in real case scenario "everyday" motoring, the GTI has again been described as the better set-up.  OK, handling and comfort can be very subjective, and personal preference; or bias; will play a huge part!