Road Tax Loophole?

[stewbie55]

Just coming up to renewing my road tax and a thought occurred to me...

The LCR is in band F (£205 for 12 months), with it's CO2 rated at 211g/km. The mega-expensive band G (£300 for 12 months) kicks in at 225g/km so we only just scrape in as things stand based on a standard car

Now I got thinking about modified cars and increased fuel consumption

Although my Fuel consumption is OK if I don't boot it I very much doubt it would fall in Band F if mine were the test vehicle. As far as I'm aware there is no obligation on the car owner to inform the DVLA of any mods that might affect CO2 emissions?? Have I spotted a loophole?

 

[m0rk]

not really. emissions are calculated on 'new' cars not your car

 

[Cupraloon]

Umm, I wouldn't say it too loudly, in case someone, who can change things like this is watching or next budget time we'll get different car (stealth tax) tax for modded cars.....

Stop laughing now, this lot will think of anything to rip ever more money from our pockets... so it could happen

 

[BCM]

As said, tested on new cars, but they could quite easily change it as emmisions are done at MOT, and you ave to produce that for tax, so could easily be tax relevent to your actuall car!

 

[Snappy Larry]

There is some confusion here between emmisions as measured at an mot & fuel consumption.
The MOT measures Carbon Monoxide & hydrocarbons & cars have to meet a minimum requirement measured at idle, the tax bands are a measure of Carbon Dioxide per kilometre effectively a measure of good old MPG.
This is measured as m0rk stated on new cars when type approved & is done these days on a rolling road [previously measured with a fuel flow meter].
They would have to do a full rolling road session at every mot test station to implement on a per car basis.
There is however nothing stopping the goverment moving the high rate down a band or two & fleecing us all a bit more.

Consider what would happen if we all scrapped our "gas guzzlers" tomorow & bought zero rated vehicles, do you think they would put the tax up on these, faced with zero revenue flow?

 

[BCM]

Thanks for the info! School Day on a Sunday!

 

[stewbie55]

There is some confusion here between emmisions as measured at an mot & fuel consumption.
The MOT measures Carbon Monoxide & hydrocarbons & cars have to meet a minimum requirement measured at idle, the tax bands are a measure of Carbon Dioxide per kilometre effectively a measure of good old MPG.
This is measured as m0rk stated on new cars when type approved & is done these days on a rolling road [previously measured with a fuel flow meter].
They would have to do a full rolling road session at every mot test station to implement on a per car basis.
There is however nothing stopping the goverment moving the high rate down a band or two & fleecing us all a bit more.

Consider what would happen if we all scrapped our "gas gusslers" tomorow & bought zero rated vehicles, do you think they would put the tax up on these, faced with zero revenue flow?

Yeah, that's how I thought they did it.

IIRC they only introduced the higher band this year and we are uncomfortably close to it. Seems a bit odd as the lower bands are only £20 or so difference then it suddenly jumps by £95 to the highest band. It also means something like a 2litre Jag (239g/km) is taxed the same as a 4.4litre Range Rover (389g/km).

I predict in a few years time big turbo conversions for the Toyata Prius will be popular

 

[mrcoyote]

You think the LCR's bad? My "old" Focus ST was rated at 224g/km.

 

[Freewheelin']

Evo's are 334kg/km....any registered after March 2006 are in the Chelsea tractor band G

 

[Snappy Larry]

Yeah, probably more aerodynamic, same thing as the Mini CooperS which is in a lower band than the Pug 207 gti & they both have the same engine!

 

[james_tiger_woo]

I predict in a few years time big turbo conversions for the Toyata Prius will be popular

Now THAT I'd like to see