4 x £400!!

I've got an MGB GT. Owned for 12 years or so now.
1.8 engine, over-drive and full sexy black leather interior.

The bodywork is showing her age, but she's still structurally sound and mechanically bombproof - well, seemingly as she's just had my spakhanded attempts at maintainence to keep her going... which she does!

I SORNed her about 6 years ago - I really needed a bigger car for various reasons (and ironically had a 4x4 for 4 of those 6 years) but I'm considering getting her back on the road again.
I've been a poor owner and done sod all to her in that time - including actually starting the engine... but last week I just charged up the battery, turned the key and badda bing, she started first time. I love that car!

I had a new unleaded cylinder head fitted shortly after I bought her, which was about the time LRP petrol was going to rear it's ugly head. Whether it's due to that or not - but I've never had a problem passing the emmisions part of her MOT. Even though if she was pre-'76 the test is just a visual one with no measurements taken.
The only time she did fail on that was when I'd forgotton to balance the carbs before hand. 10 minutes with a screwdriver later, in for the re-test and out with a pass.

It's a pity that there isn't a fairer way of taxing vehicles in proportion to road usage as well as enviromental impact. But as usual it's down to how the money is collected and where it then goes.
I read somewhere a while ago about a yearly subscription style charge; part of your MOT and is rated against the recorded milage each year. With the amount of investment in technology that has recently happened with regards to MOT testing stations - perhaps this is one that is more feasable now that when first mooted.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

This is (no offence Triumphumphumph, just using your sentiments as an example) a rather sad relfection on the general populations views. The law (taxes) is not an instrument to be used by people to attack people who do things they don't like. A shame that's the way its going

Oh I'm just a mischief maker. It stirs the debate...

Though I do have dislike for the larger 4x4's for a number of reasons such as 12mpg when we know oil is a limited resource. It isn't just the owners that have disregard it is manufacturers who can produce such vehicles much better. I would have less objection if they were for occasional fun/use but when its nipping to shops school and the like I just think its selfish - I admit I'm no angel before I get shot down

This is such a daft way of tackling the gas-guzzling issue.

Can someone please enlighten me....What harm has 4WD done?? Should rear wheel drives pay more than front wheel drives? That'll anger the beemer drivers on the forum, lol!

I'm not going to be able to afford to run my car (Galant VR-4) soon, the way things are going. So if/when sell it, i get something smaller and what happens to it......someone else goes around in it, someone with more money to afford the fuel, tax, insurance etc.
This is not actually addressing the issue at all, is it!

The knock on effect being I might lose my job! I go to work at 6.30am and because i commute on a road not deemed a trunk route the council refuse to grit it pre-8am. Without the 4wd on the car i'm going to have problems more often. I know because I've crashed twice in bad conditions on the way to work, before i got the Galant.

HAAAARRRUMPH!!!!

Originally Posted by Samnooshka

Not all of them are driven by idiots you know We got one because it's easier to have one with the dog. With all of lupo's rigging equipment and the fact that the rally's are held in the middle of the woods, it's so much easier having a 4x4 than any other car. More comfy for him too especially if we are thinking about getting another Malamute to have my team.

I agree with sam I use mine for transporting my sons minimoto's to track days and also tow a large trailer with the club equipment in!

It's victimisation they should use the rail network more and get all of the HGVs off our roads!!

Originally Posted by DanDare

Stick the tax on fuel, so the more miles you do the more tax you pay.
And tax dodgers cannot escape it.

But obviously they won't get as much money then. Then we find out it ain't diddly squat about the environment just more of an excuse to charge people lucky enough to afford a 4x4.

Sounds good unless you like in a small village in Norfolk or Suffolk, 1 bus a week on market day, trains stopped running in 1963 and no local jobs. Your car is the only means of transport.

PS the pikeys would just nick the fuel anyway

chris

Oh come on peeps its time we all realised the seriousness of the issue. It isn't just cars, its transport in general, its housing and factories, the way we live and so on. Cars make the headlines because we are (rightly so perhaps) passionate about travel and how we do it.

There is a huge drive to make housing much more efficient and sustainable with BREEAM standards harsher regualtions that are well overdue. Overdue because we don't like change. There always has to be a hurdle to jump before change settles in.

We can all say I want to do this and that, its my right and so on and I'm as guilty as the next but at some point we have to grow up do something. We can deny vehciles cause pollution or have an effect on our environment. We can deny there is a finite resource but there is.

I love cars and bikes and have two of each. I like gadgets and domestic appliances and so on. I've been down sizing (or getting more efficient cars) each time I change and I use them less. I ride the bike less but enjoy it more. When I was younger I would ride and drive almost contstantly cos I just loved it - but I can't know.

Time to adapt and change folks - denial is for wimps

[Viney]

Originally Posted by haggis

This is such a daft way of tackling the gas-guzzling issue.

Can someone please enlighten me....What harm has 4WD done?? Should rear wheel drives pay more than front wheel drives? That'll anger the beemer drivers on the forum, lol!

I'm not going to be able to afford to run my car (Galant VR-4) soon, the way things are going. So if/when sell it, i get something smaller and what happens to it......someone else goes around in it, someone with more money to afford the fuel, tax, insurance etc.
This is not actually addressing the issue at all, is it!

The knock on effect being I might lose my job! I go to work at 6.30am and because i commute on a road not deemed a trunk route the council refuse to grit it pre-8am. Without the 4wd on the car i'm going to have problems more often. I know because I've crashed twice in bad conditions on the way to work, before i got the Galant.

HAAAARRRUMPH!!!!

Its not JUST 4x4's. Its any car that emits more than 225 g/km of CO gas. Its just that most 4x4's seem to fit this level and also bad publicity by the press. They get things in thier heads and then mis quote. I could just see them taxing a Panda 4x4 for £400...!! It'll be people carriers next.

If it is soley 4x4's they want to tax, then stop the importation of them.

we dont need big 4x4 jeeps in this country............. probaly about 5% only get used properly ..........as we have tarmacked roads for the school run & the weekly BIG shop

Originally Posted by hovi5

we dont need big 4x4 jeeps in this country............. probaly about 5% only get used properly ..........as we have tarmacked roads for the school run & the weekly BIG shop

You don't need motorbikes too, you know?