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Will New Tax Rates Spell The End For The Chelsea Tractor?
The government are taking a hard line on cars with high CO2 emissions by introducing the new taxing system where drivers pay more tax if their vehicle has high emission levels. This is a conscious effort by the government to do their bit to reduce global warming by outlawing the likes of the Chelsea Tractor!
As of the beginning of the 2009 tax year, from April 1st onwards, the higher your emission levels, the more you will be charged for road tax. So will this mark the end of the SUV? Well, probably not and here are some reasons why...
Firstly, BMW in particular are reducing the CO2 emissions of their new range of SUV's, for example, BMW's highest charged SUV, the X5 xDrive48i M Sport, has CO2 emissions of just 286g/km - well below some of its competitors' SUV's. In comparison, a Land Rover Range Rover Sport emits 374g/km; a Porsche Cayenne S lets out 358g/km CO2 and a Mercedes-Benz GL Class 500 emits 317g/km.
Also, if you can afford to buy an SUV, then you have to be able to afford to run it and an extra couple of hundred quid a year on road tax isn't going to be a deciding factor as to whether to buy an SUV or opt for a more eco friendly car. And given the fact that car manufacturers such as BMW are making increasing efforts to design and build motors with more eco friendly engines, fans of SUV's will be even more inclined to continue driving their vehicle of choice.
What may also appeal to prospective buyers of these gas guzzlers is opting for a used SUV rather than one from the showroom, especially when taking into account the fact that new cars depreciate more than ever today.
Also, from April 2010 if you purchase a new car you will be required to pay a different rate of vehicle tax for the first year of registration. For example, if you were to purchase a brand new SUV from April next year, say a BMW X5 xDrive48i M Sport, it would set you back 950 pounds to tax it for the first year of registration. This would drop thereafter to the standard rate of taxation for the vehicle's emission count. But of course this does not apply to second-hand cars.
If you were to opt for a one year old used BMW X5 the price would be considerably cheaper - up to 30 per cent - than a brand new one, plus road tax would cost you more than 50 per cent less, at 455 pounds.
If you were to take this route, a brand specific dealer would be the more viable source to buy from given their expertise and offers of at least 12 month warranty, MOT and deals on servicing. Given my experience, I would always advise prospective buyers to check out their local dealership depending on which make of car they desired because of these reasons alone, but also to give the buyer peace of mind, especially when spending a considerable amount of money on an SUV.
Global warming is, of course, an extremely important issue but love 'em or loathe 'em, despite the government's best attempts, I believe the SUV is here to stay. Hopefully manufacturers can continue to lower those emissions, then everyone will be happy.
About the Author Shaun Parker is a leading car expert with many years of experience in the used car industry. Find out more about quality, used cars at http://www.cooperbmw.co.uk/
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