2008 Emmissions Tax Changeover Question?

Dirkster

Hi there,
just looking to see if anyone can clarify something for me. When the change in tax came in june/july of 2008, cars bought from january to then were given the option of switching to the new system. I'm looking to buy a car that didn't switch to the new system at the time (which is considerably cheaper as its a big diesel) and is still on the old tax system of engine cc.

What I'm asking is can I switch it to the new system after buying since its a 2008 pre june/july or has the window closed for switching over systems?

colm_mcm

People weren't given the choice, it automatically defaulted on what was cheaper at the time.(post July 08 rate vs pre July cc rate)

colm_mcm

What model car we talking about here?

PM me the reg if you know it

Dirkster

Hi Colm, sorry about the delay getting back to you. I've PM'd you the registration and type of car. If it could be changed over then I might have a look at it but otherwise I'd leave it go because the difference in tax is massive. It would be strange if it hadn't changed over though wouldn't it?

vickers209

Currently in Ireland there are 2 systems under which road tax is calculated for passenger cars and this is always a source of confusion, hopefully the following with explain the system to you.

All cars older than 2008 have their road tax calculated based on the cars engine cc's. All cars that are 2008 or newer have their road tax calculated based on the cars CO2 emissions. The above is true in 99% of cases.

The CO2 based system came into force in July 2008 meaning new cars registered between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008 initially had their motor tax charged on the basis of the existing engine size (c.c.) system. However, a low CO2 emitting new car registered between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008 had its motor tax switched to the lower CO2 based motor tax rate on first renewal of motor tax post 1 July 2008, when the new CO2 based system commenced. New cars which were registered in the first 6 months of 2008 whose tax would be more under the new CO2 based system continue to pay motortax on the basis of engine size. "

Dirkster

vickers209 wrote: »

Currently in Ireland there are 2 systems under which road tax is calculated for passenger cars and this is always a source of confusion, hopefully the following with explain the system to you.

All cars older than 2008 have their road tax calculated based on the cars engine cc's. All cars that are 2008 or newer have their road tax calculated based on the cars CO2 emissions. The above is true in 99% of cases.

The CO2 based system came into force in July 2008 meaning new cars registered between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008 initially had their motor tax charged on the basis of the existing engine size (c.c.) system. However, a low CO2 emitting new car registered between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008 had its motor tax switched to the lower CO2 based motor tax rate on first renewal of motor tax post 1 July 2008, when the new CO2 based system commenced. New cars which were registered in the first 6 months of 2008 whose tax would be more under the new CO2 based system continue to pay motortax on the basis of engine size. "

Thanks for the reply, I have to say I was sure enough about the system and understood it as you've stated there but the reason I'm asking is that this seems to be an anomaly. I've contacted the seller and he has said that its a 2008 car but is on the old tax system of engine cc's. The anomaly is that the car should've been switched to the new system as there's approximately €500 difference in tax. I'm looking to see does anyone know or have opinion on whether this could be changed over now, if I were to buy the car?

George Dalton

Are you sure there is a difference? A lot of the early 2008 diesels weren't particularly efficient in terms of their CO2 figures. Do you know for definite what the CO2 figure for the car in question is?

Dirkster

George Dalton wrote: »

Are you sure there is a difference? A lot of the early 2008 diesels weren't particularly efficient in terms of their CO2 figures. Do you know for definite what the CO2 figure for the car in question is?

Ya the difference is €481 againest €925. Its 168g/co2 againest a 2204 cc engine.

vickers209

Any chance it was a import before july 08?

Imports

The new CO2 based system will NOT apply to the import - at any time - of pre-2008 cars.

The only circumstances in which an import would be taxed at the emissions rate are:

1. A car registered abroad between 1st January 2008 and 1st July 2008 and imported after 1st July

2. A car registered abroad after 1st July 2008 and subsequently imported.

bazz26

I'm guessing its a Lexus IS220d going by those Co2 figures and tax rates. Seems crazy that it is on the old system being a 2008.

Dirkster

bazz26 wrote: »

I'm guessing its a Lexus IS220d going by those Co2 figures and tax rates. Seems crazy that it is on the old system being a 2008.

Ya it is. So if I'm reading it right, the only way this can really happen is if the car was first registered abroad between January and July of 2008 and brought in more or less straight away (before July 2008)? This seems wrong to me. Could it be that it was registered abroad before July 2008 but brought in after July 2008 and therefore wasn't on the tax system at the changeover so didn't automatically change to the emmissions tax. The first instance of the car showing up on the system was as a pre July 2008 foreign register and therefore stayed on the old system?

It may be a case that it simply wasn't around on the system for the automatic switch? Does anyone know or have an opinion on whether you think there's grounds for it to be switched to the new system in light of this?
I'd make a move on the car if I thought it could but the tax gap is absurd to purchase on the old system. That'll be one impossible car to sell otherwise I'd say.

Dirkster

vickers209 wrote: »

Any chance it was a import before july 08?

Imports

The new CO2 based system will NOT apply to the import - at any time - of pre-2008 cars.

The only circumstances in which an import would be taxed at the emissions rate are:

1. A car registered abroad between 1st January 2008 and 1st July 2008 and imported after 1st July

2. A car registered abroad after 1st July 2008 and subsequently imported.

The car switching to the system would have to be true in this case. What I think are the only possibilities for this car are;

1) It was registered in Ireland from the start in 2008 and therefore should've switched to the new system in July or else started out on it if it was first registered after July (which it can't have if its on the old system)

2) It was imported before July where again it should've switched to the new system as its a 2008

3) It was imported after July 2008 whereby again it should be on the old system.