Tax Free

[Evoman]

https://submissions.epetitions.direct.g ... tions/2622

This is a e-petition for a rolling 25 years tax exemption. We should all make the effort to sign as it wont be long before all our cars are 25 years old. However sinical you are that it will happen, you don't have much to loose by signing and it greatly increases the chance of it happening, worth a try.

"he who dares"

[Speedy88]

No no no no no.

I like to commute to work in my car. I like it modified. I don't want to pay stupid money for the privalage to keep those rights (because it will still be "taxed" as a normal car if I want to do that. Tax for old cars NOT registered as classics will go up)

I urge everyone not to sign this - despite the fact that it's going to happen in the next 15 years we shouldn't embrace it sooner. It's like saying, shoot me in the leg now rather than later.

[Evoman]

Are you sure thats the case?

[Speedy88]

Unfortunatly yes. This has been discussed over on RR more than once at great length which covers all vehicles of similar age to us and the conclusions were drawn that it was generally a bad idea where we'd all end up worse. I know it appears good dude but it's really not. Remember that any law change = more rules.

[Hell Driver]

So anything modified will be MORE tax? I thought anything pre '73 was free modified or not? Maybe newer rule will close this loophole, ie stop you getting getting an old car, make it better/as good as a modern car and get free tax. (not a cheap option to fully restore and modify a classic but in the long run could pay it's self back).

It's true, as time goes on rules become more stringent and close loopholes. (loopholes for the rich are left open however, I wonder why!)

Depending on how many cars you have either solution could be better:

I have 2 which will be standard and one modified. If I got 2 tax free I actually might be able to afford to have all 3 running even if I have to pay more than expected for the 3rd. For example, at the moment the 340 and 360 will cost £430 for the year. A modified 343 if I'm right will be £215, so a total of £645 for all 3. As long as the modified 343 is less than £645 and I get the others free then I'd be better off. Once the 440 got to the qualifying age that would be free too! (Unmodified).

By the way I don't even tax the 2 I use on the road for 12 months, the 340 is 12months but I cash in the 360 at the end of summer, it's untaxed now and I'll tax it 1st June (when it's M.O.T. is done). It's just too expensive, which is stupid when ypu look at how many (few) miles I do. 4000 in total. So what if they give out more CO2, it's still far less than a smart car that does 20,000 miles (maybe )

Owners of 1 modified 'classic' will of course be rightly well p*ssed off with changes if they create a with bigger tax.

[Evoman]

Theres no mention of having to register the car as a classic in order to get the free tax, its just that after 25 years it would be. this petition is just for a rolling one not to also have old cars registered as classic

[Chris_C]

The things Speedy talks of are only assumption, if you have every thing in once lump ("Classic Cars") it becomes easy to bring in rules such as "classic cars can only drive xxx miles in a year" or "classic cars can only be standard show worthy examples" etc etc.

FWIW, I have no idea what the government would do, nor do I think do they. Just remember, that the rolling 25 year exemption before was only in force for 18months before it was canned. As ever, it's just a case of be careful what you wish for.

[macplaxton]

Just remember, that the rolling 25 year exemption before was only in force for 18months before it was canned.

That's cod! It was around for double or a bit more than that. Look up the old budget statements. It's either in the 1993 or 1994 one, when Ken Clarke was Chancellor. Fixing the 1973 date was in Brown's first budget which would be 1997.

Annual motor taxes are quite cheap in the UK.

[Speedy88]

Annual motor taxes are quite cheap in the UK.

Agreed, possibly the cheapest in europe?

[Chris_C]

Just remember, that the rolling 25 year exemption before was only in force for 18months before it was canned.

That's cod! It was around for double or a bit more than that. Look up the old budget statements. It's either in the 1993 or 1994 one, when Ken Clarke was Chancellor. Fixing the 1973 date was in Brown's first budget which would be 1997.

Annual motor taxes are quite cheap in the UK.

Three or four years is pretty much the same as 18months.... engineering tolerance

Agreed its cheap compared to all the other costs of running a car too.

[Speedy88]

I can only think it's because much of our infrastructure relies on cars here. Other countries can charge more because they'll make money off the public transport and people won't really complain too much... unless you're french. The government wants us to drive, and will charge us as much as the average family can afford

At least I THINK that's how it works in this country, others differ.

[macplaxton]

The problem at the time was that of unintended consequence. In the early 90s, the government was looking at something like a continous tax or similar (can't remember exactly). This would have caught out classic cars that weren't used much. Anyway, the concession was granted as the numbers were relatively low - around 60,000 vehicles. By the time the rolling exemption was halted, the number of vehicles getting a freebie had ballooned to around 320,000. I don't know what then figure of eligible vehicles would be now, if you still had a 25 year rolling cut-off, but I suspect it would be rather a big minority.

If any rolling scheme were reintroduced, it would probably mean the end of the freebie for those currently on it and a lower than normal concessionary rate introduced. It would probably end up on a 30 year cutoff too.

[volvosneverdie]

I can only think it's because much of our infrastructure relies on cars here. Other countries can charge more because they'll make money off the public transport and people won't really complain too much...

Finland

[classicswede]

I can't see them going back on the tax free status for pre 73 cars.

I suspect that if the cut off was to become a rolling cut off it would be at least for cars over 30+ years.

As Andy has already pointed out the vast majority of classics are not taxed for 12 months anyway. Most are only taked for 6 months during summer months. When you look at the lost revenue from road tax that reduces the lost revenue down a lot. Don't forget you will still be putting fuel in.

Road tax for 1 car the diffence between £100 and £500 a year is minimal in the big picture of running a car but when you have a collection of cars 5 X £500 is just crazy.

Reducing road tax or making it free for older car would be good for the economy and promote spending. There was a big improvment noted in the classic car market (spares etc) with the introduction of the original 25 year sceam. Its probably just what is needed now to boost spending.

[Speedy88]

I can only think it's because much of our infrastructure relies on cars here. Other countries can charge more because they'll make money off the public transport and people won't really complain too much...

Finland

Whatever. They're weird up there