Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[clan chieftain]

I dont know if it would make much difference. If you want to restore and run a post 73 exemption doesnt come into it. It doesnt bother me. I have got what I want. In your opinion do you think that pre Jan 1st 1973 (depending on chassis number) should be moved backwards or forwards or done away with.
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The Clan Chieftain

[MikeEdwards]

My admittedly biased view is that it should revert to a rolling 25-year exemption. That's old enough for people to not be choosing those vehicles just to get out of paying road tax, and old enough that most show organisers accept them as "classics" without wanting to degenerate into a "what is a classic" thread.

I understand that they would get less revenue, but then again perhaps not. If my car was taxed all year round I might use it on a nice dry winter day, I might take it to some of the off-season shows, and all the time there's an income from fuel duty.

That said, my personal view on road tax is that everyone pays a fiver for a tax disc, admin charge, just to prove the MOT, Insurance angle of things once a year. Then a penny on a litre of fuel, which no-one would notice given the cost of fuel. That deals with road usage, gas guzzlers and pretty much all costs, all in one go. But that's another well-worn subject.

[Rick]

If the rolling cut-off was ever brought back in, I think it should be more than 25yrs and older, more like 35+ at the very least.

RJ
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[clan chieftain]

The same as the MOT then....pre 1960 :roll:Or pay what it cost to tax your car when it was new.
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The Clan Chieftain

[Ellis]

I think it was in November 1994 when the then Chancellor Mr Kenneth Clarke introduced the tax exemption for older vehicles.

I remember "environmentalists" holding their hands up in protest saying that the Chancellor was condoning and encouraging the use of fuel inefficient and the most polluting older vehicles. In fact he was following the EC (that is what it was called then) ruling on making older cars tax exempt.

I believe that there over 300,000 tax exempt vehicles in the UK.
A much larger number than I thought which is why, perhaps, that the rolling 25 year exemption was stopped in 1997 by the New Labour Government has not been restarted.

If it was, then how many 25+ year old vehicles would be on the road?


The only ones I can think of abusing the rules are Land Rovers - S3 and Defender assuming earlier age identities and even Discoverys having S1 and 2 bodies and their identities grafted on to their chassis.

Are there any more you can think of?

Edit. I've just checked now and it appears there are 31 million vehicles in use in the UK so that means that "classics", ie those that are tax exempt represent 1% of the total.

Is that percentage figure significant I wonder?
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[buzzy bee]

Leave it as it is... My Small Collection of Motors are taking the date it is into account.... lol Personally, tax exemption is a big help.
Cheers

Dave

[Bitumen Boy]

Well, if I was looking for another car I'll admit I would certainly be influenced by the tax situation - but what I'd really be looking for is something pre 1965, so I wouldn't have to have seatbelts. It's one less thing for it to fail the MOT on - admittedly this is becoming less of an issue now I could go pre 1960 and have no test at all - but it's also a lot less hassle when running around doing odd errands, and when bundled up in multiple layers when the weather's cold. I seem to feel the cold more these days and am getting to the point where standard belts won't fit around me plus multiple layers of clothing...

[colwyn500]

It is really illogical to have an arbitrary cut-off date for nil-value road fund licence, but there is a cut-off date for most legal matters and we just have to accept that. These dates do change, sometimes for the worse eg. the cut-off date for pension entitlement, but reviews do happen.
I think that the FBHVC should be entrusted to review this matter on a five yearly or so basis and should advise the government based on common sense, current public feeling and number of vehicles of a specific age still being MOT'd annually. That way we would see a sort of rolling entitlement that would be moderated by the views of some wise and well-informed people

[buzzy bee]

[colwyn500]

[buzzy bee]

I was only going on other clubs and associations I have been a part of, I now don't really get involved with any. Though like you say there are a few exceptions, thankfully..

Cheers

Dave

[ChrisD]

I'm with buzzy bee on this one - leave it well alone.

If it was brought back to 25 years, we'd be up to nearly 1988 now and that would encompass a huge number of cars compared to as it stands at pre-1973.

With the current state of the country its amazing the politicians haven't removed it already as it is.

If you're keen to avoid road tax then buy something old enough. I did and use one as a daily driver. It does become a significant saving over the years, especially if you have more than one classic - several thousand saved so far in my case.

Either that or get something modern and tiny!

[Bitumen Boy]

But when did you last see a vehicle from 1988 still on the road? Yes, there will be some, but no great quantity - rust has seen to that.