Does the annual RFL price determine the car you'll buy?

[rjfp1962]

I've recently got rid of my MX-5, replacing it with a 2016 Mini Cooper 1.5 Automatic.

The reason, in part, is my ageing feet with occasional gout, and a bunion on my left one!

But I couldn't ignore the Mini being £20 a year compared to the MX-5 being £200 next time round!

Just might be an age issue all round TBH!

I do like the Mini though

Over to you.....

[DP1]

I've been think about a second car and looking at Porsche 996 and 997s. The difference in RFL is influencing my thinking I must admit.

As a pensioner now I've not got as much fun money as I used to have.

[coubpro]

DP1 said:

I've been think about a second car and looking at Porsche 996 and 997s. The difference in RFL is influencing my thinking I must admit.

As a pensioner now I've not got as much fun money as I used to have - so I’m looking at the practical side a lot more these days a bit like with WordPress security really, where spending a little time on prevention can save you a lot of money and hassle later.

As a second car, the 996 still makes a lot of sense value-wise, but I can see how the ongoing costs might push you towards being more selective.

Edited by coubpro on Friday 22 May 11:33

[brillomaster]

Absolutely. My current weekend car is specifically a 2005 boxster, because i dont want to pay £750 or whatever it would have been for a 2006. And ill be avoiding any car from 2006-2008 or so in the super high band.

And my next daily will be specifically a 2015 or 2016 car, because I want to pay the low band £35 a year not the £190 flat rate a year for a 2017 onwards.

Gotta play the system.

[TrevorHill]

No it’s just one of those things, you’re a long time dead.

brillomaster said:

Gotta play the system.

I’ve been told, by a medical professional, that a blue badge has its advantages.

[grumbledoak]

No. It's no deterrent. Just another greenwashed revenue raiser. No doubt by design.

It is only a significant sum for year one when buying new. Even in the top bands it is less than the depreciation you can expect.

[Gad-Westy]

Just another cost in the melting pot of overall running cost for me. Could tip the balance one way or the other but the RFL specifically probably wouldn't be a show stopper on it's own.

[Trevor555]

brillomaster said:

And my next daily will be specifically a 2015 or 2016 car, because I want to pay the low band £35 a year not the £190 flat rate a year for a 2017 onwards.

Gotta play the system.

Just bought a Seat Ibiza FR estate 2016 with £35 tax, for fishing duties, and dumping in Southampton when we're cruising.

No stop start, no bings & dongs, no AEB, a proper key, a proper handbrake.

Bliss.

I bet the government don't leave the low tax bands for long though.

[Dog Biscuit]

There's lots of cars I've looked at and then seen the >£700 RFL and duly fked them off.

Anything more that about £250 can FRO

[njw1]

My car is in band M so, err, no....

[itcaptainslow]

I’d struggle with the mental barrier of buying something in the £760 odd top bracket, unless it was properly special.

[MikeM6]

No, tax will never stop me enjoying the cars I want. Life is too short for that!

[_Rodders_]

I avoid the top rate.

[Lester H]

Yes. If I were a rich man I wouldn’t care. However, in the real world for non-exotic cars, around £300 is max. And for runarounds, second/ third cars the cut off point is 2017. The tax saved allows you to pick up a nice low mileage example.

[Macneil]

I've just bought a car that falls into the "luxury" bracket for a few years yet. I'd been trying to avoid it but I really liked the car, and I really enjoy using it, so I'll just suck it up.

I think it'll be harder to avoid as time goes on, it's really frustrating to see nice cars at say £41k when really yuo'd expect the threshhold to rise each year, like income tax used to.

[Doesitdrive]

Lester H said:

Yes. If I were a rich man I wouldn t care. However, in the real world for non-exotic cars, around £300 is max. And for runarounds, second/ third cars the cut off point is 2017. The tax saved allows you to pick up a nice low mileage example.

Therein lies the reason for older cars in short supply, they have daily shrinking numbers, and prices are mental.

It is where the market is right now, as this thread is showing lol.

[dreamcracker]

I refuse to buy any vehicle with annual tax over £700.
My daily commute vehicle is 20 years old and VED £445 which will do me until retirement in 2 or 3 years time. Have owned it for 10 years.

[brillomaster]

If you dont play the game then you're just wasting money.

2017 bmw 120d + 2016 range rover = £990 road tax.
2016 bmw 120d + 2017 range rover = £235 road tax.

Of course if your pcp deal is already £700 a month its of little consequence, but for those who buy cars outright, its a decent chunk of change.

[Doofus]

It doesn't affect my buying, but I did SORN two cars on March 28th, and then retax them on 31st to get eleven months at £450-odd rather than the £700+ they rose to on Apil 1st.

[Mr Tidy]

It obviously doesn't seem to be a factor for me as I paid £760 in February for my fun car and £430 in March for my daily driver.

But it seems absurd for someone who is retired and does less than 10,000 miles a year to have to pay that much, it's a price I'll reluctantly pay to have what I want.