Albatross

[masterb]

I was reading the paper last night and what i read has given me nightmares all night.

Allegedly come the dreaded budget day, Gas guzzlers are going to end up paying 400 quid a year road tax!!!

It seems to me that our cars will fall into this category, even the thrifty and green 3.6 owners like me.


So now i am on the verge of a nervous one.

If i/we get stung 400 quid that makes the cost of running this car prohibited, and more so if like me you only use your car as a second car.
I mean i only use the cat, evenings and weekends 2 or3 times a week max.

If this happens the market for these cars will fall through the floor!
Because no one will want to run or but one.
So It's looking to me like i may have bought a very costly albatross last year.
I am just off for a good sob, pop a few more antidepressants and drain another bottle of gin!
Why me lord?

[att]

I was reading the paper last night and what i read has given me nightmares all night.

Allegedly come the dreaded budget day, Gas guzzlers are going to end up paying 400 quid a year road tax!!!

It seems to me that our cars will fall into this category, even the thrifty and green 3.6 owners like me.


So now i am on the verge of a nervous one.

If i/we get stung 400 quid that makes the cost of running this car prohibited, and more so if like me you only use your car as a second car.
I mean i only use the cat, evenings and weekends 2 or3 times a week max.

If this happens the market for these cars will fall through the floor!
Because no one will want to run or but one.
So It's looking to me like i may have bought a very costly albatross last year.
I am just off for a good sob, pop a few more antidepressants and drain another bottle of gin!
Why me lord?

-I suspect it will only be forced on new purchases, not existing registered, in which case it may actually make them a more attractive proposition, who knows With this current Govt. anything is possible.

[poprivet]

Well whatever the tax or fuel might, or might not cost the only certain thing is that in say, five years time it will be far more then now.

So the best thing is to enjoy it now while its still cheap
Get the map out and start planning routes!
Pop

[dhdove]

Pop
I'm with you 100%.

I doubt any Budget Road Fund License increases for gas guzzlers will affect us unduly..... (famous last words ) as to date they have only been applied to post 2001 (2003?) cars for which "official" EU emissions and consumption figures are available. Otherwise you could ask them to prove what your car does to the gallon and it's Carbon Footprint.........which hopefully is at least size 12 in steel toe-caps.

Expect a hike in line and above inflation though

So..........Use it whilst you still can................... (afford it!).

My (mainly non-urban driving) fuel consumption has increased a little lately, now getting about 23.5 mpg, but the plugs are two years old and they have done 30,000 miles plus - time for a new set at the Spring service I think

mrb39
Stiff upper lip to the front and centre please

Best Wishes

DH Dove

[ptjs1]

So far, none of the recent emission type legislation has affected any car built before 2001. As mentioned, only cars built after that date have defined emission levels. In the same way, converting an older car to LPG does not enable one to claim reduced emission tax benefits.

So be grateful that you're driving an XJS and laugh at the taxes on new gas-guzzlers!!

(although I think the govt principle is flawed, as so-called gas-guzzlers are already paying increased tax thru' the tax levied on fuel, aren't they?)

Paul

[Brakebuster]

hey,

if the cost goes up, just think of all those jealous people looking at you in your gas guzzler, and a stylish one at that

BB

[masterb]

Hello all,
Well lets play a game, spot the pessimist and spot the opptimists!
That's right! I'm the pessimist.
Well I hope your all right with your outlooks and comments, because when i heard that one about the increased tax i was really cheesed off.

I mean i have wanted an XJ for ages, and when i finally got one , they try to tax me off the road, ruin the value of my car etc etc.
Oh no! that's not right! that's not fair! two fingers to mr darling and mr brown!


If this did happen though i could imagine the prices of xjs's to fall like a sack of
fertiliser.
And a lot more would be consigned to the scrap yard in the sky, very sad indeed.
So lets hope the opptimist are right, long live the XJS and rule Britania.

[dhdove]

pjts
Aaah!.........the Government's principles are flawed - I've been wracking my brains for the last ten years trying to put my finger on it!!!! - thanks for that NOW I understand why we're in this unholy mess (I had previously thought they were just a bunch of hypocritical robbing Bas@@@ds)

mrb39
Cheer up, think of all those lovely cheap XJS's for sale As a general rule, always try to use max rpm whenever possible and smile innocently as the customer with the Prius at the next pump watches in horror at your total clocking past eighty quid

Regards

DH Dove

[masterb]

Hmmph
I think perhaps Dove didn't graduate in economics
My main worry is me losing a load of value on my car, seeing i didn't buy it particularly cheap.
So the last thing i would want, is another luverly cheap XJS bargain.
Besides i have already run out of room on my drive.

Here's my latest thought/ question.
Can you fit a 2 ltr cortina engine in an xjs? i seem to remember it was rear wheel drive!
Or maybe a manta gte 1.8 also rear wheeldrive.
I think i have seen the future.

[Brakebuster]

mrb89.....


can i ask a question.....

did you buy your jaguar to make money in the future ,

or

did you buy it to enjoy it

i chose the latter, accepting the current and future costs to keep the car i wanted

BB

[masterb]

Bit of both really in a rare bout of optimism.

I have to admit that when i was weighing up weather i could justify to myself,
if i could buy a XJS.
I considered that if i bought the right car, kept it in good condition or/and improved it.
That i would hopefully make money, on what surely should be a sought after and appreciating classic.
Or I was equally happy that if i owned one for a while/long term that i would not loose money on what i had spent buying the car

P.s. hope no one takes some of my posts to seriously, as i do like a bit of fun.
And that Certainly goes for Mr Dove, i cant resist a leg pull.

[dhdove]

mrb 39

"P.s. hope no one takes some of my posts to seriously, as i do like a bit of fun.
And that Certainly goes for Mr Dove, i cant resist a leg pull. "



Sorry to be a thicko, am I missing something?

DH Dove

[masterb]

Whoo hoo!
At least i think, have i got it right and we have got away with this budget?
I was certainly worried that we were going to be stung! twice once with road tax and then a big loss on resale value.
What a relief! I can keep my car and dont have to worried that i was about to loose a load of money.

Dh dove, re my post. i had put another post previous saying.

"I think perhaps Dove didn't graduate in economics
My main worry is me losing a load of value on my car, seeing i didn't buy it particularly cheap.
So the last thing i would want, is another luverly cheap XJS bargain."

Meaning:

I was'nt to keen on buying another car cheaply due to the possible tax hike, if i had already taken a bath on the one i have.
Hope that makes things clearer.

P.s. glad i dont have to start driving a prius or swapping my engine to a cortina one.

[dhdove]

mrb39

Glad you kept the faith.......I think the irony of my post re cheap XJS's etc was, perhaps, misplaced. Sorry.

Having driven XJS's including V12's for about fifteen years I try to take petrol increases and threats from the Government in power about gas guzzlers with a pinch of salt. Otherwise we'd all be biting our fingernails down to the knuckles.

Nothing is more certain than fuel prices will increase and tax on "big" cars will follow........However there is certainly an argument about new "small" cars and their depreciation that offsets the running of an XJS to a degree. Though I think you may be a tad optimistic if you think your "investment" will appreciate in the near future.
(See Pop Rivet's "signature"!)

Who cares, just enjoy the experience in the sure and certain knowledge that within our lifetimes it will probably be either illegal or restricted to the 21st Century equivalent of the London to Brighton Rally.

Best Wishes

DH Dove

PS You are quite right - BA Hons. Geography.

[poprivet]

An interesting thread. It made me think about comparisons with the current Jaguar equivalent of the XJS.

Check out for yourselves the road fund licence, insurance, fuel consumption, servicing costs and depreciation of a brand new XK.

I think you will find that the XJS, although having some age, is still a very affordable motor for its class.
What a pity though that they wern't made prior to 1973, otherwise you could have had one with a free road fund licence.
Pop