4x4's What would you do?

Question

If you have a 4x4 and need to pay £400. for tax, would you keep it or get rid of?

Answer 1

Mr. Brown seems to have forgotten about farmers in Truro or Exeter - or anywhere else where 4x4's - Land Rovers are used for their proper purpose. And what about those massive animal markets in Wales?
Any sweetheart riding down Knightsbridge, or Kensington High Street think it's a giggle, as it'll be just a few pennies out of their massive accounts.
The farmers may have no choice, but the ones who love the name 'Chelsea Tractors' will keep them to show that they can still pay for their running.

Answer 2

As the £400 tax is only for cars registered after 23/03/06 it dosent worry me, in fact I might get an even older more polluting model pre 2001 as currently I will have to pay £210 for a year but for a pre 2001 its only £175.

I'm not a farmer but I do tow horses around and as it involves going in fields where cars aren't too clever I shall continue to use my 4x4 and as I can't afford to have a second car I will also use it to commute to work

Answer 3

Ouch! That's about $900 USD, Lordy! Well, if the truck is worth more than that, and I needed it for bad roads and/or farm work, I'd keep it. If I didn't need it, I'd sell it and pocket the difference between the proceeds and the tax. I do not know if you're speaking of vehicle tax or just income tax, but here in the States, if you owned the vehicle on Jan 1, you pay tax for it for that year, then keep the bill of sale for proof that you do not own it anymore the following year, as well as for proof that you aren't responsible for insuring it anymore.

If it isn't worth that much, then I'd part it out and see how well I could do going that route, you can usually get more parting a vehicle out if it isn't in good/drivable condition.

Answer 4

The pseudo-eco nutters whinge on about 4x4s but nobody says a word against racing cars, rally cars, etc., grinding round and round a track going nowhere and being a complete and utter waste of fuel let alone the pollution they are causing.
I will keep my small 4x4 out of protest, no matter what it costs. I need it anyway as I live in the sticks in the Scottish Highlands.
Better to have a 4WD and be safe than an accident in a 2WD.

Answer 5

Personally i would keep it if it were necessary! I think Gordon Brown has screwed this up. Many people rely on 4x4s for their work/business, why should they be punished for this? I totally agree that these bigshots with their 4x4s driving around cos they think it makes them look cool and respected should be taxed more, they dont need a 4x4, but those who do like farmers shouldnt be punished!

Answer 6

On the day GB announces an increase in tax on 4X4's it is also announced that flights across the Atlantic to the USofA will be opened up even more thus increasing CO2 emissions vastly. The car tax is an envy tax and will not make an iota of difference to the overall CO2 emissions.GB go back to your croft with it's accompanying donkey.

Answer 7

Before you decide what to do if you own a 4x4, you first have to ask yourself why this is happening.
All of the looney greenies will say it's a step in the right direction, but is it?

More probably, this is the government paying lip service to environmental issues in the hope of going some way to appease the greenies and capture a vote or two.

Lets face it, the output from all of the 4x4 vehicles in the uk is a drop in the ocean compared to what industry (here in the uk and abroad) are pumping out.

I worked for many years in the oil and gas industry. My work was offshore Aberdeen on various oil and gas platforms.
At any time of the day or night, you could see many platforms pumping out noxious substances from their flare stacks.
Many are venting off H2S which is a highly lethal gas, contains lots of ingredients which are atmospheric destructive.

Many of them burn off this gas which then turns into SO2. Another highly toxic gas which is far heavier then most and falls straight into the sea spreading it's deadly ingredients far and wide.

Now this doesn't happen on a part time scale, this is ongoing and constant from the vast majority of offshore installations world wide.
The difference between what they are doing and Fred Bloggs driving his 4x4 down the high street is that no one can see the flair stacks on the oil and gas installations so no one cares.

I presently drive a 2800cc diesel 4x4, I use it to tow caravans for a living. I use the 4x4 as it is far safer for both myself and other road users as it is well within recommended towing capabilities required for some of the larger caravans.
I have converted my 4x4 to run on vegetable oil, (for those of you who are not aware, this is the same vegetable oil that you use in your deep fat fryer).

The exhaust outputs from my vehicle are far less than the smallest most efficient car engine in production. Yet I will still be taxed the same as those 4x4's burning diesel or petrol.

All governments are aware of the benefits of running on Vegetable Oil and it's direct and immediate lack of pollution on the environment, yet i still have to send tax to the revenue office for using this highly environmentally friendly fuel. Is this the way that an environmentally friendly government promote their green issues. I think not.

The production of enough corn or rape seed for use in this type of vehicle if used nationwide would create millions of jobs both at home and in third world countries.

The cost of converting Diesel Engines to run on vegetable oil would be less than £200 and believe it or not, the engine runs quieter is more economical and lasts far longer due to the lubricity of the the oil.

So please, dont give in to a government who are trying to appease the Oil companies. Do not get rid of your 4x4's, instead write a letter of complaint to your local MP. Join a 4x4 club and join in with their protests, do something, but do not give up your 4x4.

The rise in tax for 4x4's will have little or no effect on the environment but will raise a large amount of money for the government, to be used for what?

Don't give in, fight it.

The £400 a year works out at £1.10 a day, These vehicles are some of the safest on the road when involved in accidents, is £1.10/day not worth the safety of your family?

Dont give in, fight for the right to choose, do you think the 4x4 drivers in china, russia, japan, or any of the third world countries give a dam, do you think the 4ltr,6ltr,7ltr 4x4 drivers in america would stand for this.
Not on your nelly, and neither should we!

Regards

Answer 8

Do I need it or not?
If you can answer that I can answer you.

Isn't their a 'goods vehicle' or 'working vehicle' licence that would reduce tax if I needed a 4x4?

If I didn't need a 4x4, but needed a 'people carrier' would I be taxed for having it?

If I didn't need either there is nothing that would convince me to buy either. Tax or no tax.
Big car, big price, bad mileage?
I'll take something quick and zippy, with good mileage. 150bhp/150mph

But if I needed one, those Landrover Defenders or Pajero's (Shoguns?) are pretty sweet.
There is another point, do farmers get taxed for Range Rovers but not Defenders? That's the way I would it.

Answer 9

If you are a farmer and need it then keep it. If not get rid of it. Not just because of the tax and the whole 'green' thing but have you seen what happens to a normal sized car when hit by a 4x4?

Answer 10

I have no choice. I need to keep it.

What really riles me is that my modern 4X4 gives out less emissions than the average porsche, yet I will be paying considerably more tax! This government is truelly screwed up.

It is NOT FUEL GUZZLING because it has 4WD. I get 35 MPG out of mine, yet flash tw@ts in sports cars or chavs in suped up rollerscates can't get anywhere near that. They are doing more damage than any modern 4X4.

It is the uneducated sheep following the buzz words that are the problem. Somebody villifies 4X4's, retards fall in line behind them because they are too stupid to go out and get the FACTS about emissions. Stop looking at parts per million and start looking at "parts per million PER MILE" ffs!