True CO2 Emissions Figure

[Seeker_UK]

I got the V5 through for the CLK320 today and was somewhat confused by the CO2 emissions figure.

On the V5, it quotes CO2 emissions as 262 g/km.

Parkers and (more importantly) the handbook quote emissions as 250 g/km.

The difference made is a tax band when the govt does b*mf**k us with the increases to VED.

So why is my V5 different? Do they take into account the 18" wheel option?

What does your V5 for an A209 CLK320 Elegance say?

Can I get DVLA to change this figure if it is 250?

 

[rf065]

I think they have different ratings for each wheel size.

Russ

 

[discoking]

I got the V5 through for the CLK320 today and was somewhat confused by the CO2 emissions figure.

On the V5, it quotes CO2 emissions as 262 g/km.

Parkers and (more importantly) the handbook quote emissions as 250 g/km.

The difference made is a tax band when the govt does b*mf**k us with the increases to VED.

So why is my V5 different? Do they take into account the 18" wheel option?

What does your V5 for an A209 CLK320 Elegance say?

Can I get DVLA to change this figure if it is 250?

Is it an auto? The difference between manual and automatic emmisions from same car are staggering.

 

[Seeker_UK]

Is it an auto? The difference between manual and automatic emmisions from same car are staggering.

It's a tiptronic auto.

 

[discoking]

It's a tiptronic auto.

I can check tomorrow at work what the C02 ratings are for a manual and auto version of your car but as general rule(I aint seen anything break it yet) automatics are always 1,2 sometimes 3 bands higher than a manual.

Strange you bring this up because I had an 03 Astra 1.6 auto go out today and it was 215g/km and in the highest bracket for pre 2006 cars whereas
a manual is iirc only around 150g/kg.Same with a 53 1.3 Suzuki Wagon R auto,it was in the 2nd highest bracket compared to a manual in the 2nd lowest.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Is it an auto? The difference between manual and automatic emmisions from same car are staggering.

But are they credible? If so, you would expect to see proportional differences in fuel consumption, and I think with clever gearing and smart gearboxes that is minimal in practice. I do hate it when groups like HMRC "deem" something to be the case. It is seldom to our advantage.

 

[discoking]

But are they credible? If so, you would expect to see proportional differences in fuel consumption, and I think with clever gearing and smart gearboxes that is minimal in practice. I do hate it when groups like HMRC "deem" something to be the case. It is seldom to our advantage.

My father,brother and me always scratch our head at the disparities between auto's and manuals all the time and unfortunately I'm no engineer and have no idea why the difference is so great...but it is so ho hum.

 

[rf065]

My father,brother and me always scratch our head at the disparities between auto's and manuals all the time and unfortunately I'm no engineer and have no idea why the difference is so great...but it is so ho hum.

Because autos are inefficient compared to manuals.
For example, at 30mph mine sits in 4th gear, the tiptronic will not let me change to 5th at that speed. In a manual I would sit in 5th at 30mph and save fuel.

Russ

 

[discoking]

Because autos are inefficient compared to manuals.
For example, at 30mph mine sits in 4th gear, the tiptronic will not let me change to 5th at that speed. In a manual I would sit in 5th at 30mph and save fuel.

Russ

That then implies that the C02 rating is based on cars doing 30mph over a 100km journey? I have never bothered to find out how it's worked out,don't care tbh but I would have thought the c02 rating is constant no matter what speed or gear the car is travelling.

Actually is not worked out when idling? As in like the MOT? just a guess really,maybe you could Wiki it for us?

 

[rf065]

Can't see any reason an auto would give a different reading to a manual at idle.
Measuring it at idle would not take the difference in wheel/tyre widths into consideration either which alter the readings.

Russ

 

[mastereng]

You might find the following website useful to work out the CO2 figure for the particular variant of your car:

http://www.smmt.co.uk/co2/co2search.cfm

The trouble with CO2 for new cars is that manufacturers tweak the engine/gearing etc of the car to "lower" its CO2. In other words they spec the car to get the lowest result in the Government test. This often means unnecessarily high gearing, skinnier tyres etc with the end result of a much less driveable vehicle and probably little or no difference on CO2 in the real world.

Returning to your VED and car log book, I would assume it has a CO2 figure relating to its original condition when new and any changes before it left the showroom won't have been picked up. My A Class Classic diesel is 137 CO2 and in original spec it has steel wheels. I got the wheels upgraded to alloys as fitted to the Elegance version which I think means CO2 at 140 (certainly higher than the steel wheels) but my V5 stays at 137.

 

[Rory]

Wheels often move the car a group - Ford got into trouble when they put 18" wheels on a rep special vesrion of Mondeo and moved it up a group (means more company car tax).

I recall reading when the £25 congestion charge was in the offing that MB dealers in London where telling people to take S320CDI's (I think) on standard wheels and add 18" as a retrofit because, ridiculously, that doesn't change the official figure.

 

[BarnDoor]

Wheels often move the car a group - Ford got into trouble when they put 18" wheels on a rep special vesrion of Mondeo and moved it up a group (means more company car tax).

I recall reading when the £25 congestion charge was in the offing that MB dealers in London where telling people to take S320CDI's (I think) on standard wheels and add 18" as a retrofit because, ridiculously, that doesn't change the official figure.

My E320CDI sport (with 18" alloys as standard) has a CO2 figure of 202 compared to 194 for the Avantgarde.

 

[recycledjuvenile]

In an avensis the difference between the gearbox is staggering.
The CLK320 ,i do not think is available with a manual

 

[Micman]

Yes wheel size can make a difference to the final emission figure for the car (but not always). If you look at any of the 'eco' cars - the Toyota Prius etc, none of them have any optional wheels available.

Obviously the difference between manual and auto is normally huge too.

I've noticed a few occassions where figures quoted on Parkers, or in car mags is actually different from the log book.

The only way to be certain is to double check the log book before you buy the vehicle to be certain as it is the log book that determines the road tax band!

As you say you can easily be caught out and find your car is going to be in a totally different road tax band to what you planned.

 

[discoking]

The CLK320 ,i do not think is available with a manual

Silly me,I only realised when I came into work today that you can't get the 320 in manual.

Reading through the Mercs in Glass's the C02 ratings for MB are all over the place.Ratings vary but cheapest are elegance trim --> avantgarde --> sport.

Pre 2005 petrol cars have lower manual ratings than auto's,post 2005 petrol cars have the same rating manual or auto.

Diesels have the biggest disparity between manual and auto and trim level.

And lastly some SLK's,namely 230's dont have a fixed rating,they get 225-235 g/km.

But as to why your 320 has a higher rating than listed is beyond me,I can understand why wheels may make a difference but if they were put on after it was sold it shouldn't have changed the C02 rating because if that was the case the Gov would want all cars retested if you cahnged the wheel size...me thinks anyway.

 

[Seeker_UK]

The car was ordered with the 18s from new so that probably accounts for it.