Van tax is cheap?

[Donkmeister]

My car costs £200 a year to tax, and averages anything from 35-40+mpg depending on whether it's a run, what the weather is like, how I drive it etc.

Whilst ogling a particularly thirsty Jaguar, I looked up the government website on road tax bands and noticed that vans come under a different set of rules...

Now, the Luton van I hired a while back, that had the aerodynamics of a brick and did 20mpg on diesel despite never taking it above 50mph, looks like it would also cost £200 a year...

Am I misreading this, or are vans really that much cheaper to tax?

I'm only asking out of interest, I don't begrudge it, running a van is a business expense after all and I'm not about to start driving a Luton just to save £75 a year on VED whilst doubling my fuel bill. But if we're really being taxed on our emissions, it seems a bit skewed!

 

[Mursal]

Yes they are cheaper to tax.

The key is to buy an estate Jaguar and convert it into what we call (Ireland) a car derived van. Do you get my drift?

You could even go for a diesel (X type) to get that bit of economy.

The DVLA would probably "spit the dummy out" but it has been done. Allot of the fleet vehicles would be on commercial tax. VAT number essential.

 

[LooPrEvil]

I found out by chance a few days ago that police vehicles, whether liveried or not, are NOT subject to Road Tax.

One rule for them, and another for us. Tut.

Lou.

 

[Burnerman]

Isn't it all to do with emissions? My little Berlingo costs £200 per year (non hdi).
I think hearses are MOT exempt - or they used to be. I suppose thats because you are unlikely to do the main occupant much harm
John

 

[Mursal]

John, we don't use emissions over here until post 2008. anything before is taxed on engine capacity if its private. All light commercials have a flat rate.

Yes the Hearse would be the way to go, because it would be duty free with us (which is approximately 20%) and you claim the VAT back.

VOX the German TV channel have very good (interesting) motoring programs on a Sunday afternoon. One article went through the conversion of an old Hearse into a camper van (lowered). Complete with hardwood flooring. It might catch on?

 

[Belle427]

my 2006 lwb vw tranny is only £120 a year!

 

[Mursal]

my 2006 lwb vw tranny is only £120 a year!

Happy days, and to think you use the same road as the rest of us !!

 

[jetex]

Yes, and my tiny Daihatsu Hi-Jet (Bedford Rascal) is the same rate !!

 

[FriedFreddy]

I've just been to both extremes, just sold my Dodge Ram 'Rumble Bee' sport pick-up (2004 model) - brought it new and imported it myself, did the sva test a PLG and Tax was £190pa - it had a 5.7 litre HEMI V8 (0-60 in 5.6 seconds - not bad for a 2.5 ton truck!) but alas did 9 mpg on a run (4mpg if I ragged it which was most of the time ) - I now have a Kia Picanto (1098cc) - 1st year tax ZERO, 2nd year £25 and 68 mpg to boot (I also only need 1 parking space instead of 4 !)

It was not the actual cost of the petrol (if it cost £6+ a gallon from well to forcourt pump I would hapilly pay it) but when a tankfull went up to over 100 quid in Tax (both duty & vat) enough was enough and she had to go !

 

[HootingOwl]

light goods vehicles have a slightly odd tax banding scheme - users who opt to buy a van with a Euro 5 emission rating pay 125 a year instead of around the 200 mark.
i bought a Euro 4 VW tranny in 2006 when Euro 3 was the standard - so i pay 'Euro 4 LGV' class which is 125 notes. had i bought the same van in 2007 when Euro 4 was the minimum standard, i would be paying the full whack.
in other words, if you buy a van with better than required by law emissions, you get a tax break.

but we get screwed on toll roads - twice as much to go over the severn bridge if you are in a van vs. a car.