VED Band G MB's - who will buy them in UK?

[EGBM]

I know, it's a well-worn touchy subject, and I don't for one minute think it's for the "right" reasons and it'll be restricted to petrol "gas guzzlers" forever, but that's not my jist.

Anyway, I was idly leafing through some CLK info and noticed the CLK 280 Sport *just* manages to edge itself into Band G. The Avantgarde and Elegance don't make it (tyre sizes) and it got me thinking.

Who, today, is going to opt for a Band G MB like the CLK 280 Sport? Is it people who don't go to London (), is it people not afraid of the scaremongering disastrous depreciation (perhaps PCP-ers who set out to have a 3 year last blast and hand it in, having effectively rented the thing)?

And how are MB combatting it, or are they trying to rush-sell the forecourt's lot of Band G behemoths.

I think this sort of car is out of my range, but how many owners of this tye of car are groaning in despair? Or are they at all?

 

[gring]

I have a 280, I would rather not pay the extra taxes, but I dont lose any sleep. Whats a couple of hundred quid when you spend 40k + for a car.

 

[A210AMG]

I agree with above

While no one likes / wants to pay this for tax its not going to stop someone wanting a larger engined car to think...naah I'll give it a miss.

Depreciation is a killer anyway, your only here once so enjoy what you can while you can.

I doubt the local school nr us with Q7's, G-class's, M class's, Porsches quing to drop the smegs off etc will suddenly change to eco cars

 

[Brett]

On a related note - someone who is able to pay £40k for a new car is not going to be put off by paying £40,950 for a new car. The new tax is a farce IMHO. As for VED Band G, it is what I'd expect for something with a 3.0+ engine. You make your choice, you pay your price.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I don't subscribe to being brain-washed by the tree-hugging, CO2 scaremongers in the 1st instance. Just another con.!

As a consequence, I buy what I want to.

Picture it: "Should I buy an £80k car? Oh dear - it will now cost me an extra £950.! I'll get a Prius instead". Not.!!!

 

[jon_harley]

Who, today, is going to opt for a Band G MB like the CLK 280 Sport? Is it people who don't go to London (), is it people not afraid of the scaremongering disastrous depreciation (perhaps PCP-ers who set out to have a 3 year last blast and hand it in, having effectively rented the thing)?

Who's scaremongering? If you can get away with only 50% depreciation in 3 years you are doing very well, and PCP plans are unlikely to do that well since you have to pay for the financing. So a reasonably well spec'd CLK280 Sport is going to lose over £20K in the first 3 years or maybe £7k/year. Who's going to buy them? People who can afford £7k/year on their car before the other running costs.

As other people have said, many people who write £40K cheques aren't going to be that heavily influenced by another few hundred quid tax. I think a more interesting question, is who will buy a second-hand band G car?

 

[hawk20]

I may be alone on this but I think EGBM will be shown to be right on this one. It is not just the VED that will hurt. It was raised to levels that would increase the tax take rather than to levels that would cause people to shun gas guzzlers. But it is one nail in the coffin.

Now add the price of fuel. You can buy an E class that does 15/20 mpg or one that does 40/50 mpg. Double the fuel bill is serious money even to new buyers. But since most large, new cars are company cars in one way or another, the recipient won't worry too much. BUT the secondhand values will be seriously affected and even comapnies care about residuals. Depreciation is the big killer now and will get worse on big engined cars. An E55 a year ago cost with modest extras nearly £70k. Now, a year old it has a part ex value of £35k. Ouch.

Now add the London Kengestion charge of £25 PER DAY. Don't tell me that doesn't hurt. Very significant and it will have a massive effect on secondhand values in London, so the cars will be shifted elsewhere to sell and lousy residuals will ripple out. New buyers -well some of them- may stomach the £25 per day. But the secondhand market won't be anything like so keen. Not with VED and high fuel costs to pay too.

 

[gworilla]

The whole taxation fiasco by this government is just another way to drain more money from already downtrodden motorists.

See the real truths about so called global warming here

http://www.abd.org.uk/env.htm

The amount of CO2 produced by motor vehicles is insignificant in the grand scheme as methane produced naturally by cows has a far greater impact. If you read on of the threads in the above link, you will see that even by taken all motor vehicles off the road will not help with the so called global warming effect.

 

[Splatt]

Our Legislators are out to Kill the large car. It happens slice by slice ( the next cut will be deeper and you won`t have long to wait for it) The screw is being tightened turn by turn . Fuel prices go up. carbon tax goes on the annual licence, carbon tax goes on forecourt sales of cars, driving into London (and soon other towns)towns will incur punative levies. Councils hit residents with parking charges for large cars.
Ok !, they have not got to the point where the large car is priced off the face of the earth yet, but that is where they are going and the pace of attrition is ever increasing.
The problem is that the manufacturers have such ponderous organisation in the process of design , prototype ,tooling approval testing and manufacture it is like doing a 3 point turn in a Supertanker. The market wants smaller , efficient but sophisticated comfortable small cars , the industry is still churning out larger cars with bigger engines which is where they set their course 5 years ago.
The first manufacturer to get to grips with the new market will become the market leader.

 

[hawk20]

Wise words Splatt. And I think the A and the B class are the first really inovative steps forwqrd in car design since the original mini. The A has the room of an E class and the B class has the legroom front and rear and bootspace of an S class. Yet both offer class leading safety even if crashed head-on into larger cars (the main problem with smaller cars IMO). Mercedes say that in a head on crash of an A class with an E class, the occupants of the A class have just as much chnace of survival. Remarkable.

 

[Splatt]

And I think the A and the B class are the first really inovative steps forwqrd in car design since the original mini. The A has the room of an E class and the B class has the legroom front and rear and bootspace of an S class. Yet both offer class leading safety even if crashed head-on into larger cars (the main problem with smaller cars IMO). Mercedes say that in a head on crash of an A class with an E class, the occupants of the A class have just as much chnace of survival. Remarkable.

Much of the A & B model safety comes from the innovative sandwich floor construction and the ability to accomodate heavy frontal impact by making the engine and gearbox deflect under the floorplan. As it happens I have just got back after spending some time at the Supermarket. In their reading room I browsed Car Mag and saw the article on the BMW "Z" hybrid sports car being developed. They are approaching the impact thing differently so that the height such as the MB A class is avoided but the interesting thing they are talking 200bhp with a CO2 ave. of less than !30 g/km

 

[hawk20]

I particularly like the high driving position of the A and B. Bit like a 4x4 without all the disapproving looks.

 

[NewMB]

I have a 280, I would rather not pay the extra taxes, but I dont lose any sleep. Whats a couple of hundred quid when you spend 40k + for a car.

Agree too 100%!

 

[jon_harley]

I particularly like the high driving position of the A and B. Bit like a 4x4 without all the disapproving looks.

The high driving position is really an innovation by Renault (from the Espace). As is the hatchback (introduced to the world by the Renault 4). Both of them came after the original Mini but are truly innovative. Renault invented the MPV, and that's definitely what the B-class is a refinement of.

 

[rf065]

I have a 280, I would rather not pay the extra taxes, but I dont lose any sleep. Whats a couple of hundred quid when you spend 40k + for a car.

The way taxes are increasing every year, will only make your car less appealing to the second hand market. One day your £40,000 car may be hard to even give away when you want to change. Increasing taxes every year does not help anybody.

Russ

 

[A210AMG]

I do agree with above.

It Will kill re sale for big engined cars a few years on..

I bought a ML350 (3.7 ptrol V6 last year) I knew it would lose a lot, I factor that in. Good thing buing secong hand someone else has already taken a huge hit.

As long as I keep my car in good condition and serviced it will sell, I still look at what old pre facelifted ones are going for in the ML320 and ML430 engines.

I'm not worried, as If I swap for another big but they too are going down.

Its the price to change at the end of the day not what its worth.

 

[hawk20]

The high driving position is really an innovation by Renault (from the Espace). As is the hatchback (introduced to the world by the Renault 4). Both of them came after the original Mini but are truly innovative. Renault invented the MPV, and that's definitely what the B-class is a refinement of.

High driving goes back pre second world war when all were high. The Range Rover I guess in modern times.

But that is not the innovation with the A and B. It is the sandwich floor, engine location etc which gives E class space and E class safety in a Golf sized car. Brilliant. Tried the Espace several times over the years but not enough legroom in the front for me.

The A and B are not MPVs IMO. They are just hatchbacks like a Golf or Focus, but much roomier and safer. And a Mercedes of course.

 

[EGBM]

Hi all, some great thought provoking posts, sorry I've been away and missed joining in (after starting the thread, doh!).

So perhaps it'll be the bargain hunter who'll pick up a superb car for a pittance after the perception of it being a planet killer has reduced its value to around £4.50. This may move what has previosly been thought of as a prestige market down the pecking order. Let some poor unfortunate finance the depreciation for a few years then step in and whisk away a real bargain.

Interesting times ahead, but I suspect once the chancellor sees the dash to diesel he'll be after those Band F oil burners, you bet.

Personally I go into these things and buy exactly what I want with my eyes open - you're not here long enough to endlessly prevaricate. Get it while you can, and ENJOY!

 

[hawk20]

Anyway, I was idly leafing through some CLK info and noticed the CLK 280 Sport *just* manages to edge itself into Band G. The Avantgarde and Elegance don't make it (tyre sizes) and it got me thinking.

Who, today, is going to opt for a Band G MB like the CLK 280 Sport? Is it people who don't go to London (), is it people not afraid of the scaremongering disastrous depreciation (perhaps PCP-ers who set out to have a 3 year last blast and hand it in, having effectively rented the thing)?

This was your original posting. Now you say buy what you like. Enjoy etc. What has changed/ Won the lottery?

Wouldn't it be lovely if everyone could afford just to buy what they like and enjoy?

 

[EGBM]

Ah no not won the lottery, the original post was hypothetical - I'm not in the market for a 280 etc personally (well, not at the moment, maybe when they're worth £4.50). I do buy what I like, but it doesn't have to be the wrong side of 20 grand.

I'm one of the people who can't afford whatever they want and enjoy it, doesn't stop me speculating.

Sorry for any misunderstanding.