Political parties' policies on classic car tax exemption

[the fury]

Does anyone know what the main parties intend to do with the tax exempt status of pre-73 cars? As you may know, when the tories brought it in it was a rolling date but then labour cut it off at 1972. Has anyone read the manifestos deeply enough to know if there would be any change if we were to have a change of governing party?

Edited by the fury on Tuesday 27th April 14:47

[BMWChris]

Given that all 3 have all agreed that there will need to be big cuts in spending and, at the least, refuse to rule out tax increases then I can't see anything other than status quo.

[restoman]

Nice as the 'free' road tax is for us car enthusiasts, there are somewhat more important things to consider when deciding how to vote don't you think?

[MX7]

I've just seen a copy of Classic Car Weekly, and there is speculation that the Tories might re-introduce the tax exempt status.

Edited by MX7 on Wednesday 28th April 18:10

[RedexR]

restoman said:

Nice as the 'free' road tax is for us car enthusiasts, there are somewhat more important things to consider when deciding how to vote don't you think?

I agree totally , it won't affect the way I vote whatsoever , however I think the logical thing for any government to do is roll the class back a year every year instead of the fixed pre 73 thing.

[DickyC]

There is a concealed risk facing classic car ownership that doesn't seem to have been raised. By not paying car tax you have no political voice. As soon as the government, in any form, decides to ban old cars, they can. What's to stop them? Who's to stop them?

[A911DOM]

DickyC said:

There is a concealed risk facing classic car ownership that doesn't seem to have been raised. By not paying car tax you have no political voice. As soon as the government, in any form, decides to ban old cars, they can. What's to stop them? Who's to stop them?

Britain used to be about its heritage and its values, I cant honestly imagine that any government would be stupid enough to BAN old cars, there is no advantage to be gained by doing so. Apart from anything else, they know that we know that producing new cars is far less economically accpetable than maintaining the ones that already exist.

No, it shouldnt influence your voting decision full stop, but if someone is giving indication that they actually have a modicum of intelligence and sympathy towards something that you are passionate about, it might be enough to swing the vote in an otherwise pretty standard set of potential policies.

[//j17]

A911DOM said:

...I cant honestly imagine that any government would be stupid enough to BAN old cars, there is no advantage to be gained by doing so.

And what exactly was the advantage gained by the scrappage payments - other than to prop-up new car sales because car manufacture/sales are a major employment sector. We still have a sizable car industry in the UK, all be it wearing the badges of Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Jaguar, Mini, Land Rover, Vauxhall, Ford (engines/gearboxes), BMW (1-series engines), etc - and that's before you get on to all the support industries supplying parts to those manufacturers.

So what's the advantage? More income from road tax/sales tax and making a large block of voters a little happier and a little more likely to vote for party X.

[mph]

restoman said:

Nice as the 'free' road tax is for us car enthusiasts, there are somewhat more important things to consider when deciding how to vote don't you think?

No.

None of the three main parties adequately address the issues I consider important so I may as well vote for free car tax !

[A911DOM]

//j17 said:

A911DOM said:

...I cant honestly imagine that any government would be stupid enough to BAN old cars, there is no advantage to be gained by doing so.

And what exactly was the advantage gained by the scrappage payments - other than to prop-up new car sales because car manufacture/sales are a major employment sector. We still have a sizable car industry in the UK, all be it wearing the badges of Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Jaguar, Mini, Land Rover, Vauxhall, Ford (engines/gearboxes), BMW (1-series engines), etc - and that's before you get on to all the support industries supplying parts to those manufacturers.

So what's the advantage? More income from road tax/sales tax and making a large block of voters a little happier and a little more likely to vote for party X.

I completely agree - and for those who had a banger to trade in for a nice spanking new Kia pride - good luck to them, but apart from a limited few who obviously had no emotional attachment to their classic car (the cars that perhaps this forum may consider classic/collectable/of interest etc) I dont think we lost a massive proportion of the type of cars most would prefer to preserve.

Im merely speculating - and have no doubt that any government will pretty much slit one throat to feed the warm blood to another failing part of the economy. Theres not been any longterm thinking from the government for a long time - But I still believe it would remove far too much from their coffers to ban 'old' cars.

How does it work in China? presumably a lot of people dont have cars or cant afford them at their income level. So the cars are only allowed to exist for 3 years or 5 years of whatever, then they're happy to rape the dwindling supplies to create another one rather than maintain what they've got??? Does it work? whats the balance of pollution and economic impact?

[Trommel]

A911DOM said:

I cant honestly imagine that any government would be stupid enough to BAN old cars, there is no advantage to be gained by doing so.

The EU do not like unsafe, polluting old cars.

[williamp]

Personally I;ve always felt a bit of a cheat- queueing up at the post office for my free road etx on my Aston martin, when the person next to me bought a post 2001 car and is paying money they probably cannot afford.

[JacksHereR]

williamp said:

Personally I;ve always felt a bit of a cheat- queueing up at the post office for my free road etx on my Aston martin, when the person next to me bought a post 2001 car and is paying money they probably cannot afford.

why put yourself through it? if your MOT is registered and youre the registered keeper, you can get the road tax online and receive it in the post

[RedexR]

DickyC said:

As soon as the government, in any form, decides to ban old cars, they can. What's to stop them? Who's to stop them?

About 20'000 of us who will bring London to a standstill with an impromptu classic convoy if they even think about it.

Edited by RedexR on Thursday 29th April 19:17

[williamp]

RedexR said:

DickyC said:

As soon as the government, in any form, decides to ban old cars, they can. What's to stop them? Who's to stop them?

About 20'000 of us who will bring London to a standstill with an impromptu classic convoy if they even think about it.

Edited by RedexR on Thursday 29th April 19:17

What like the 1 million people who marched to prevent war??

Besides, there are anto terror laws to stop you, you know...

[LS6wetdream]

Britain used to be about its heritage and its values, I cant honestly imagine that any government would be stupid enough to BAN old cars, there is no advantage to be gained by doing so. Apart from anything else, they know that we know that producing new cars is far less economically accpetable than maintaining the ones that already exist.

No, it shouldnt influence your voting decision full stop, but if someone is giving indication that they actually have a modicum of intelligence and sympathy towards something that you are passionate about, it might be enough to swing the vote in an otherwise pretty standard set of potential policies.
[/quote]

It will be lobbying by the SMMT to any party that will kill/ban old cars, they'd love it if all cars over 10 years where baned.

I would quite happily vote tory or any other party who would start the free tax rolling again, it would save me over £400 per year and i already get free tax on 1 car as it is, its a vote winner in my house

[Jalopnik]

Trommel said:

A911DOM said:

I cant honestly imagine that any government would be stupid enough to BAN old cars, there is no advantage to be gained by doing so.

The EU do not like unsafe, polluting old cars.

Precisely. The government doesn't need to ban old cars, they'd just make it increasingly difficult to be able to use one.

The "free" road tax was the worst thing ever for the classic car movement. It segregates us from mainstream motoring and therefore makes us vunerable to the sort of restrictions imposed by other EU countries on their classic owners (limited annual mileages - having to file route plans with the authorities before allowing use - etc, etc). The FBHVC also shafted us by declaring that the average classic covers no more than 1500Km (not miles) a year.

I'd rather pay road tax and not be told when and where I can use my car!

Edited by Jalopnik on Friday 30th April 00:24

[GC8]

Trommel said:

A911DOM said:

I cant honestly imagine that any government would be stupid enough to BAN old cars, there is no advantage to be gained by doing so.

The EU do not like unsafe, polluting old cars.

Exactly! Look East: thats where the real threat will lie. Is it really unfeasible that a European style 'book historic journeys in advance' system is foisted upon us here?

[Loose_Cannon]

Jalopnik said:

Trommel said:

[I'd rather pay road tax and not be told when and where I can use my car!

Exactly. Some very shortsighted people out there