Help finding new work/family car w/towing, 40k budget

CharlesParnell

Replacing a 2015 1.6D Kia Rio as I need a bigger work vehicle (I'm in construction). I'd buy commercial but need 5 seats for the kids. Need braked towing capacity of about 2000kg+

Is there any value out there? 40k is my budget plus maybe 7k trade-in for the Rio? I believe the 5-seater Landcruiser loophole has been closed now and I can't tax/insure it as a commercial any more?

bazz26

Are you self employed or an employee? If you have a VAT number or it's bought through your company then you should be able to tax and insure a 5 seater 4x4 as a commercial. Land Rover did the Discovery as a 5 seater business class commercial vehicle as did BMW with the X5 and Audi with the Q7. You could also look at pickups like the Ford Ranger or VW Amarok that can tow upto 3500kg from searching online. However if your not registered for VAT then your biggest challenge will be with taxing and insuring anything suitable as a commercial. If they have to taxed privately then they get taxed on engine capacity rather than co2. Insurance companies are also very difficult around insuring commercial vehicles under a private policy. Most of them don't want to do it.

CharlesParnell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119607182#Comment_119607182

Yes employee and VAT-registered. Problem with going that route is that as soon as I jump into it to get milk on a sunday morning I'm not using it solely for business purposes and am driving illegally. It should be taxed as a private car I don't think there's any way around it?

MakersMark

2017 + Navara crewcab.

Much more suv like than the Ranger or Hilux.

I'm very happy with mine.

36mpg real world.

MakersMark

No one is going to stop you driving to get milk, or with kids in the car either.

Nor is a VAT necessary to tax commercially.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119608125#Comment_119608125

If your VAT registered and using it in conjunction with your work then I don't think there will be a problem. I think some motor tax offices use to look for a VAT number and ask you to sign a declaration that it's not being used for private use but they can hardly do that if it's taxed online, plus you see alot of crewcab pickups around and I don't think drivers are being pulled over and checked if they are on the job or going to the shop for a litre of milk. I think it's another one of these rules that's rarely enforced.

CharlesParnell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119608160#Comment_119608160

What about if you crash with the kids in the car? Will the insurance company pay out?

MakersMark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119608990#Comment_119608990

Yes.

bigroad

Mercedes e class estate or Audi a 8 quattro.

AMKC

Get a 5 seater VW Transporter van or a Transit if you want the inferior van.

Problem solved or just but a small van and a small car.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119608990#Comment_119608990

Commercial insurance usually covers social use too. Even if your tax disc technically doesn’t allow it.

Driving a commercial vehicle for social use is not enforced what so ever. You just sign a declaration the first time you tax it and that is all.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119609710#Comment_119609710

A small van or small car doesn't have a 2000kg+ towing capacity.

CharlesParnell

Hyundai SantaFe?

WildWater

I’m in a not to dissimilar position except that my towing need is entirely leisure based. Some SantaFe’s are 2000kg others 2500Kg. See the link below.

http://www.towingcapacity.co.uk/car-make-model/hyundai/hyundai-santa/

eusap

For those saying social use of a commercial is not enforced, yes it is at those joint agency checkpoints many a person has been fined and asked to change the tax class of a vehicle within x days