Government response to petition 'Classic-Cars'

Reading between the lines, if you own a Taxation Class Historic you will probably always be OK, but the 1970s cars that don't qualify might be a long term risk

Time to start pressurising the Government to reset the Historic date, perhaps?

Jim

conservatives brought it in, when it was a rolling 25 year exemption, labour capped it at 1973. Make it a condition you demand of your MP at the next election and vote conservative.

Be nice if you could impose conditions on your MP in exchange for your vote. ;-)

I've got mixed feelings about this. Despite being a classic car owner I've a gut feeling there are more deserving cases for taxation reduction than someone's hobby.

I see it more as a way of papering over the cracks in vehicle taxation. It's totally unfair to charge the same tax regardless of annual mileage, so anyone running several classics averaging low mileages would be unfairly penalised without this concession. It's far from perfect, but IMO, is fairer than no concession at all. And there are plenty of _far_ less deserving cases for tax relief out there.

Yep, like the Dodge Ram 4x4 fitted with the 5.7 V8 Hemi engine! It only attracts £175 in VED as it is classed as a light goods vehicle - yet my Chrysler 300c with the same engine, better mpg and lower emissions, is now £400 in VED for the same 12 month period. How unfair is that?? I just wish they'd scrap VED and put it on fuel - now that would be the fairest solution by far! Badger.

Why restrict it to classic cars? Why not allow anyone to have any number of cars they wish without paying any VED?

What you're basically saying is you want the majority to subsidise your hobby.

But we've been down this route before...

I guess it's fairer for those of us that own more than one or two cars, though I think our fuel is taxed enough already. My Libyan work colleague tells me that fuel is 7p/litre out there. It might also encourage some people to buy more fuel-efficient cars - though that doesn't help me much with my VW & Previa!

Why indeed? That's why I described it as papering over the cracks (OK, make that one particular crack) and not as a solution to all the inadequacies of the VED system. I'd prefer to see VED scrapped entirely and the tax added to fuel, as Badger suggests.

I'm saying nothing of the sort. Removing an unfair tax is not the same as providing a subsidy. Without this concession, it could be argued that VED on low mileage vehicles was actually subsidising high mileage drivers.

I know...

Well no, I was thinking more of the 25 billion pounds that the TUC claim is being avoided every year by companies and wealthy individuals manipulating the tax system, compared to which the VED of a few classic cars would barely even register.

There is a difference, I think - most people with several classics will only ever be using one at a time.

No, he's just asking that he doesn't subsidise other people's car use.

Ian

Indeed. My insurance cover insists on that.

Given that my total mileage is less than 2000 miles a year totalled for two cars, paying full whack for road tax makes it incredibly expensive per mile. If the Government won't dispense with road tax and put the tax on fuel, then I don't see why I should pay punitive amounts compared with the average motorist, just for having "hobby" cars available for when I do choose to use them.

Don't look on it as a subsidy. Consider it a proportional charge.

Jim

The date being 25 Apr 2008, Willy Eckerslyke decided to write:

I entirely agree, but a problem arises if large fuel price differentials exist across national borders, particularly for truckers. Also local councils might want to tax vehicles that are normally parked on the street.

Then by that any high mileage driver should pay a bigger VED than a low mileage one - regardless of the age of the car.

Other thing is that making classics free of VED would encourage many to buy them for the wrong reasons - thus putting up the prices to those who enjoy the hobby.

That is why VED should be scrapped (except for a nominal fee payable by all [1]) and fuel duty raised, the tax will then be a proportional charge for all.

[1] to check for MOT and insurance, although even this is becoming outdates now that the three databases 'talk' to each other.

From what I see, in real life and from what is posted to this group, that already happens, hence this group has had questions about up-rating (engines g/boxes etc) classics rather than on how to preserve and drive within the original capabilities of the original design or rants about the "Historic Vehicle" cut off date...

Those who object to the VED also seem to object to the idea of paying for annual registration too - or even the principle of it even when free, like SORN.

My feeling is that it would be wrong to substantially modify a rare old vehicle. But so called classics are usually neither. And if the mods can be removed thus returning the originality in my book it's ok. Especially with things that effect safety - brakes and tyres etc. Many classics simply don't have the brakes for safe use on motorways.

Early E tpes could not stop well enough when new.

SORN as such would become irrelevant to some extent if the VED is scrapped, those who dislike having to SORN will still insure their vehicles even when off the road, those who flout SORN probably disregard the laws relating to the MOT and insurance and will just carry on taking their (and our) chance...

Define rare, for example the humble Austin A40 - or even worse - the Ford Classic Capri or Prefect (both the 'sit up and beg and the later shape) were regarded as nothing other than 'Old Bangers' when I started in the trade, good ones were all ripe for 'modification' or customising (usually with XJ6 rear axles...) all have became pretty rare in original form...

Especially

Then they shouldn't be used on the motorways!

You should have tried a drum braked 3.4 MkI. Scary. ;-)

To me that's rather more than simple modification. A custom car, really. But fitting discs and a 1275cc engine and gearbox plus a lower ratio final drive to an A40 or Minor makes for a reasonably usable car in modern traffic - and is easily reversible.

Which might mean all they're used for is polishing on a Sunday morning.