To be scared of diesel or not?

bobflunkit

The wife is looking at buying a second hand golf gtd and I’ve just done a little research and I’m unclear of what the future holds for diesel cars and the subsequent vehicle tax.

Is it something to be scared of or just aware of?

I’m aware that the tax on all cars is increasing, but is it going to turn the car into something that’ll be nearly worthless in time to come.

Clueless

IronGiant

This...
But it depends on what you want your car for, a petrol alternative may be almost as suitable and perhaps a better bet?

bobflunkit

Ideally I’m trying to talk her into a gti instead of a gtd but she’s having none of it. She used to have a mk2 gti, many years ago which she loved. She was 50 recently and I’m trying to get her to live a little but she got her sensible head on at the moment, she thinks. The gtd does turn out to be a couple of years newer than a similarly price gti,but all she’s seeing is figures and stats not smiles per hour.

IronGiant

Check out the mpg in real life, and the road fund licence... Imagine what will happen if if the diesel hits a £500 road fund bracket, which I am on

bobflunkit

I’m trying that at this exact moment. As we all know what vw mpg figures are really like. At least with the gti it’d sound like something’s really happening under the bonnet.

mjn

I think it depends on where you live these days. Anywhere near a city / busy town and i’d avoid diesel. More and more places have or will be introducing diesel charges for driving and parking near highly populated places.

blackrod

I don't think the Govt are going to change the tax rate on used cars, might be wrong though.

EndlessWaves

Don't worry about it. CO2 is at least as much of a concern as diesel particulates, and petrols are worse there.

If there are large future tax hikes, they're likely to be applied to all internal combustion engines to encourage adoption of battery and fuel cell vehicles.

ChrisKz

Cant see the Government banning diesels .. They cannot just take them away .. Too much scaremongering for sheep . I have had diesels for 18 years and never would go back to petrol

bobflunkit

Well, the deal has been done.

Picking up golf gtd next Saturday. She’s a happy girl.

Thanks for all your input.