Originally Posted by
Rhuben
In any case the option exists for many motorists to reduce the burden of taxation by using alternative means should they so wish. If one drives a dirty inefficient monster of a car which gets less than 25 mpg and belches out pollution like a Chinese coal mine then yes you're going to be using more fuel and paying more VED. If however you use a modern efficient petrol or diesel which achieves a high mpg along with very low emissions you wont pay any VED and furthermore you'll be spending less on fuel on account of the increase in efficiency. That's the choice I made, I recently purchased a new car and made the choice to purchase a modern efficient petrol model with low emissions and a very high mpg I am now exempt from VED and my spending on fuel has also decreased significantly compared to my old car which only got 30 mpg. People can change their habits and find a way to make savings however most simply don't want to.
I did that - changed my old pick up truck for a new fuel efficient saloon car that gets twice, some times three times the mileage than the old one. But I do miss the truck. I don't actually know what the vehicle excise licence (to give it it's legal name - road tax disc to most (and me!)) is going to be on the new one, it was paid by the garage. I'm hoping it'll be smaller than the last one!
But I was in the situation where I have a job that pays me enough to do that. I paid for the truck in full when I bought it so the only costs I had monthly were insurance and fuel, now I pay a large amount for the car, then fuel, and insurance. Some people may not be in the position to change an old junker of a Chinese coal mine (made me chuckle that one!) to a more modern vehicle though.