I see we are mentioned in the news this morning as losing out in the new car tax rules, is anyone an expert on what it means?

Having looked into this when I bought mine I had thought we were not in the highest tax band as the diesel falls under the 225CO2 emission bracket is this still the case?

Anyone know if the new stop-start system can be retro-fitted yet?

I think they were referring to the freelander 1, as this is the controversial retrospective road tax being applied to cars made between 2001 and 2006. Of course in the future, they are also raising tax rates and introducing new tax bands for cars made from 2006. The FL2 will move into band K and rate will be £300. Also mention the new car supplement (ie. showroom tax) of £550 for the FL2. Phil

Thanks, looks like I don't need to live off bread and water just yet then!

I do feel sorry for owners of older cars who may not be able to afford the change though but it's just another example of Britain gone mad, just another topic for me to get all grumpy old man about....

The Manual Diesel Freelander 2 is rated at 194g/km would be in the new band J. Cost £260 for 2009/10 and £270 for 2010/11

Sadly the Diesel Auto is 224g/km hence band K. Cost £300 for 2009/10 and £310 for 2010/11.


Hopefully the Stop/Start system could be retro fitted. I don't see why it can't be a software update if all it does is stop and start the engine at traffic lights etc, or is there more to it than that.

And of course anyone with a i6 petrol 265g/km Band M and cost £440 for 2009/10 and £455 for 2010/11.

Stop/start systems can often involve a bigger starter motor and or battery so not so simple to retro fit, also adding this later would not alter your V5 so the co2 band would not be altered. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

aha, forgot there were two levels depending on the transmission...now, what to spend the £40 I had budgted away...probably on fuel  Phil

Nah curry and a six pack.....

The system is a Joke

My last car was a Jag X Type Estate - £145 a year to Tax with a claimed combined of 47 mpg but actual was approx 36

I now get 34-37 actual but I am expected to pay £210 rising to £270 a year tax after paying LR offset fee

I feel most sorry for people with older vehicles though - unlike me they were not forewarned when they chose their vehicles.

Also considering the biggest environmental issue is producing new cars people should be encouraged to maintain and keep cars as long as possible - not scrap them and buy new ones

Mrs Avtur has a Daewoo Lanos 1.6 Auto, luckily for us (????) it is a pre 2001 car; but the same car was available for several years and well past the 2001 deadline for VED.

This poxy little 1.6 auto has emissions of 223 gm/km which puts it way up there with the worst poluters. However this car covers 3000 miles per year, so on balance its probably not too bad.

But the present government stratergy would have us believe we should go out and buy a new car with better CO2 figures; for 3000 miles a year that is rubbish.

This government has no idea wht they are doing (sorry that's stating the ***king obvious) but what the heck do we do to stop them ???

The whole thing is purely crazy, the whole govt seem to have gone crazy, Carbon this, carbon that, its killing our home industries chances of competing in the world markets. I bet the Chinese for example are laughing at our stupidity and their luck. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

chicken george wrote:

The whole thing is purely crazy, the whole govt seem to have gone crazy, Carbon this, carbon that, its killing our home industries chances of competing in the world markets. I bet the Chinese for example are laughing at our stupidity and their luck.

It is they (the Chinese) that hold your future in their hands , weather you like it or not It is our own stupid greedy government leaders either in the UK, USA or the rest of Europe, you have to thank for that situation.

After f g up our own environments, the greedy parasites go east and milk us through eastern hands, destroying the eastern environment at the same time as well, which will no doubt lead to a disaster one day.  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

The tax we are being made to pay just for being motorists is appalling. Fuel tax is killing businesses and adding pounds to all household bills because 80-90% of everything we buy is moved by road. On top of that the Government has seen another opportunity to tax the motorist with this so called 'green' tax - absolute b cks, this has nothing to do with ecological issues, it is another way of getting in revenue to try to compensate for their failed economic policies. They've shafted the pensions, sold all the gold so where can they raise money? Ah yes, the easy targets - the motorists. If they really wanted to do something about global warming and emissions then why don't they go after big industrial premises with hugely inefficient air conditioning, heating and fuel inefficient processes? Why? Because that would upset their chums at the CBI, 'making businesses uncompetetive by burdening them with extra expense'.

Of course, vehicles do need to be assessed but in a realistic fashion, taking into account the reality of the situation. Firstly, public transport in this country is, by and large, a joke and it is unrealistic to suggest otherwise. What are our options when councils have actively encouraged the Tesco's of this world to locate to the edge of town? Do they expect us to walk or get the (infrequent) bus service with all our shopping? Secondly, how can they classify all vehicles with the same CO2 emissions as being the same? My mum's 2001 Ford Focus 1.6 auto is in the same bracket as my F2 yet neither of us do anywhere near the mileage of my son's Fiesta which is in a lower tax bracket. Why should we be taxed more to emit less over a 12 month period? Thirdly, people like me buy a 4x4 for a purpose - to tow things. By having a caravan I predominantly holiday in this country and do not go using jets 3 or 4 times a year (plus my dosh is spent in local economies). Just because some people buy them for the school run and the Government has a problem with that doesn't mean that I should be included in that category. Fourthly, how can retrospective taxation be fair? When we bought my mum's car for her, CO2 emissions were not the 'bete noir' of the day, it was just a good car with an automatic box for her (seeing as that is all she can drive). Why should she - at 81 with only a state pension but in good health and independent - be taxed off the road? Think of the implications - it is nothing short of scandalous. I'm fuming

Industry does get shafted too by the 'climate change levy' which is an extra levy on energy bills. To reduce this levy each location has to improve on its carbon emmisions year on year, those failing to show annual improvement have to buy carbon offset on the open market. Last year I had to buy £250 worth of these due to using electricity, oil and propane in my chicken sheds. but surprise surprise it cost that much again in 'account set up fees' and trading costs.
Who gets all the money I wonder? and as with many goods once the govt has bankrupted the UK poultry supply all chicken will be imported from countries who have no carbon regulations at all.

Also when Mrs G was in hospital having Finn most of the windows where open because it was so hot in the wards. Yet the radiators were pumping heat out 24/7. The govt should sort its own carbon out before it point the finger at everyone else. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I imagine it all goes into the 'pot'. If we spent even a fraction of the taxes motorists pay actually on the roads we'd have the best road network in the world.
You just have to grin and bear it. If you can manage to have a bit of fun as well then that's all you can ask for. The F2 certainly helps in that respect. When I drive mine I'm able to blot out all my incandescent rage and sense of injustice!

The angle that got me so mad about all this, was the way the media gullibly headlined the latest road tax changes as "Chancellor goes for 4x4 gas guzzlers" etc,

As you will all know he did nothing of the sort. He zapped the bands below 225grms. So the increase in road tax for us and Mondeo man and many family cars is about 50% next year, while a V8 petrol Range Rover or a Ferrari or Lamborgini is about 10 - 20%. Yeah .... that's fair!  Life is not a dress rehearsal!