Can an Hybrid car (or greener car) be found in the years 2004 / 05

oli26 · 02-09-2009 03:55PM #1

Hi,
I am looking for a familly car and would like to buy greener with lower fuel consumption and lower motor tax.

I know those are available new but I would like to buy in 2004 / 2005 or a little older as those seem to be more into budget.

Were those around at the time?

Any suggestion of make and model would be much appreciated.

We quite like the Renault Scenic as it is spacious for the familly but I am not sure if it is available in hybrid.

Many thanks

Owen · 02-09-2009 03:55PM

If the car is pre 08, there won't be any road tax benefits.

oli26 · 02-09-2009 03:59PM

Thank you for the fast reply

If the car is pre 08, there won't be any road tax benefits.

Can I ask why?

AugustusMaximus · 02-09-2009 03:59PM

Buy a small engined diesel car if good mileage is your aim. Sadly anything old than July 2008 won't get you lower motor tax.

AugustusMaximus · 02-09-2009 04:01PM

oli26 wrote: »

Thank you for the fast reply

Can I ask why?

From July 2008 onwards, the motor tax system moved from being based on the size of the engine towards being based on exhaust emissions.

For instance, the motor tax on practically all diesel cars bought after July 2008 will be lower than for those bought before July 2008.

kasper · 02-09-2009 04:09PM

what if one was imported and first registered in ireland this year would it be on emmisions or the cc of the engine ?

PADRAIC.M · 02-09-2009 04:17PM

an imported toyota prius is about your only option for that year

Mr Benevolent · 02-09-2009 04:21PM

kasper wrote: »

what if one was imported and first registered in ireland this year would it be on emmisions or the cc of the engine ?

If it was an '09 (car first registered in Ireland in '09) then VRT and motor tax would be CO2 based. If the car was registered in another country first in '05 and imported to Ireland in '09 then VRT would be CO2 based and the motor tax would be CC based. Simple.

EPM · 02-09-2009 04:21PM

Have a look at a Civic IMA - 1.3 petrol engine and batteries in the boot. Looks like a normal Civic saloon and comes loaded with extra's too. AFAIK if you brought one in from the UK VRT is only €500 on them too

JHMEG · 02-09-2009 04:31PM

I drive a 2004 Civic IMA. Any specific questions you have fire away, either on here or via PM.

The Prius is also available in those years.

mickdw · 02-09-2009 06:38PM

Hybrid not work the hassle. Get a nice clean diesel and it will be just as efficient.

Saab Ed · 02-09-2009 06:46PM

Try one of these. The Sebring Vanguard Citicar

But seriously... Any good diesel from VW-Audi-Skoda-Seat / Peugeot-Citroen / Renault / Ford / BMW will out perform any hybrid and in the real world probably be far more fuel efficient too. The VW group 1.9 diesel is available in a host of different models and will return 55mpg in normal driving conditions. On top of that the performance isnt hindered. Peugeot - Citroens 2.0 HDi is a similar prospect and they also offer models with 1.4 and 1.6 litre diesels too. When driven easy these return superb mpg figures. Renaults come with a choice of 1.9 and 1.5 litre diesels, again expect superb mpg if not exactly the same level of performance. You dont need to bolt a batterey to your car to save the planet

....infact the opposite has been proven time and time again when all the production steps are factored in. Hybrids in their current guise really only exist to sell fuel efficient cars to the yanks who refuse to buy diesel.

oli26 · 02-09-2009 07:49PM

Thanks for all the advice.

Love the city car Saab Ed, can the back be extended for room for the kids!

I might just look at a fuel efficient car so, I have a 206 HDI van myself and it is true that it is very good on the juice and if hybrid is not as promising as it sounded it could just be the way to go.

JHMEG · 02-09-2009 08:15PM

Just thought I'd chime in here. I get 70 mpg on a long-ish journey. Around town with the auto stop and restart I get in the 50s (which hammers a conventional diesel in fuel economy terms).

I also have the road tax of a 1.3, which is slightly more than half the road tax of a 1.9 diesel.

I also don't have the smell of diesel nor the noise, rattles or vibration.

However, there are one or two downside. I don't get the option to install a tow bar which means no caravans or livestock for me. Plus there is less tax on diesel in Ireland so it's cheaper at the moment, but the next budget could change that.

Final thoughts: Litre for litre diesel contains more stored energy, but in terms of "green", diesel is quite "black" (air polluting), if you are environmetally concerned. But this has been covered here and elsewhere to death.

McSpud · 02-09-2009 10:05PM

Lad at work got a Civic hybrid (saloon) which I believe 05. There seemed to be a far few of them around when he was looking. Not my type of car but good size family & solid spec. Think he paid either 6 or 7k with low value tradein.

Can an Hybrid car (or greener car) be found in the years 2004 / 05

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