- This topic has 28 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 1 week ago by
.
- Topic
I won’t have chance to call HMRC until Tuesday, so wondered if any of the knowledgeable folk on this forum might be able to answer a couple of questions for me please? I know that there are a number of forum members who run more than one car or have opted out of Motability but still visit here
I am aware that those who are in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of PIP are exempt from paying VED (Road Tax), as we took advantage of that prior to joining Motability.
With all the changes to the Motability scheme, we have decided to revert back to private car ownership and whilst I knew about the ‘luxury vehicle premium’ of £425 Pa (on top of the now standard £195 VED) for 5 years (for cars over £40k) – which I know we would also be exempt from – I hadn’t realised that there was an additional ‘first year’ rate (also known as the ‘showroom tax’).
Am I correct in thinking that we are exempt from that as well, given that it’s effectively still VED? A quick AI search says yes, but I cannot find any specific reference to it. It’s fairly critical as one or two of the cars we are considering have a first year VED rate of £5,490 😰
My second question relates to the exemption restrictions. HMRC guidance says that as a disabled individual you can only have the exemption on one car at a time. I recall forum members stating in the past that they called Motability and surrendered the VED exemption on their Motability car (presumably paying the VED for their Motability car direct to Motability?) so that they could use the VED exemption on a private car. Whilst I’d be happy to do that, I just wondered that because our Motability car and any private car we buy would be ‘permanently and substantially adapted for a full time wheelchair user ’, and thus fully exempt from VAT (my wife has a person hoist to get in and out of the car), would that also mean that the cars themselves become exempt from VED? The reason that I ask is that there might be an overlap period of a few months between taking delivery of a new private car and when we would want to surrender the Motability car.
Apologies for the complex questions but HMRC guidance is always plentiful but rarely answers the most critical questions, or is ambiguous! Thanks in anticipation.
- Replies
@BigDave As you are the only person I know who has a comparable car to the one I’m considering, can I please pick your brains about the best options to get, and any to avoid? Your comment that you have selected different options made me think that there might be options you’d say are essential, others you regretted getting, or regretted not getting! Options I am considering are; – Air suspension (was standard prior to the facelift, but now only std on the 50e). £1200 option on M60i (and £2,000 on the diesels!) – Acoustic Glass & Sun Protection Glass – Comfort Pack (I only really want the heated steering wheel, but it’s not a stand alone option) – Technology Pack (Harman Kardon / HUD / Parking Professional Pack / Augmented Sat Nav) – 21” alloys with run flats (std on M60i) or 22” alloys with std tyres. I’ve had BMWs with run-flats before and had no issue with them (smaller wheels though), but both demonstrators that I’m borrowing have 22” alloys, so I can’t test run flats on the X5. One review (only) of the dozens I’ve watched on the X5 mentioned road noise from the run flats on the 21” wheels I can test all of the above (apart from the 21” alloys) over the two test drives, as the other options are fitted to one or both cars. Ref your tough negotiating, I’ve gone in armed with the current Drive the Deal discounts, including options, which range from £11,250 on the 30d to £16,150 on the M60i. Do you think I should be pushing them further if I decide to get one? Finally, I haven’t properly considered diesel as my wife is against one, but if I like the car and the choice boils down to purely engine choice, there is a slight irritant that the 50e needs Premium Unleaded and the M60i the next one up again (Shell V-Power recommended), neither of which is available at my local village petrol station (I can get them both 5 minutes drive away though). Do you run the 40d on regular diesel and, if so, has that been OK? Sorry for all the questions, but it’s the biggest car buying decision I’ve ever made and the second biggest purchase after a house!
Sorry this has taken a while to reply today. I am supposedly working in the office/weighbridge today but have had 14 lorry loads of spring and winter barley going out and 6 loads of feed inbound so have been more out of the office than in it.
It is also difficult to answer some of your questions as they are quite subjective. You will probably want different things from the vehicle to what I want. For example, I highly rate and use the xOffroad Package, which would probably be of no use to yourself whatsoever.
I am also very function over form. I don’t care a jot about ‘styling cues’ or ‘striking design’ or having large wheels to fit the gaps etc. The vehicle is there to do a job and I don’t care how it looks as long as it does the job I want or need it to.
However generally:
Air Suspension – yes selected. However, how useful you value it is again one of those subjective things. If like me you drive many miles on winding rutted country roads or quite often tow such as a stock trailer with a couple of moving bullocks or sheep inside then it is more or less an essential for comfort if you don’t relish being thrown around in your seat or feeling every bump.
If, on the other hand, you cruise up and down the motorway or smooth ‘A roads’ you are rather paying a lot of for no great benefit. Unless you like to think you are riding on a cushion of air or like to show people it rising and falling.
However, if you are thinking of keeping the vehicle beyond warranty length, when, and that is most likely when not if, the air suspension breaks, it is very expensive to fix (on my current X6 it has been the biggest cause of it going back into the dealership – 3 times I think it is, with its electronic control panel, reservoir/pump and air lines being replaced twice plus all the cushions – all under warranty I am pleased to say). But the techs all seem to agree it is a recurring pain to work on.
Acoustic/Sun glass – Difficult one this, with me being partly deaf I don’t really notice the acoustics. Again a personal thing but when my brother in law has borrowed the car he loves it.
Tech pack for me is a definite no go. The parking thing is a gimmick – if you can parallel park conventionally, forget it. When towing, even the enhanced parking one can’t cope with a blind side reverse despite its claims!
HUD – well, what you have never had, you never miss is my view.
Sat-Nav – I have never used the onboard one. If I need one I prefer Waze via the Apple Car Play.
HK Audio – is rather wasted on me. However I am told the Bowers Wilkin upgrade is better if you have quote ‘a tuned ear’. My bu$$ered hearing certainly isn’t so attuned!
Wheels/tyres. I am not one for big wheels. On the new X6 I have stuck with the standard 20 inch with run flats which are fine on the current one. Also, I have a complete set of Michelin Alpins on identical wheels (coming off the current X6 today) which I swap on the car between winter/summer.
As for what discount you might get, it is difficult again, Although we priced elsewhere, the dealership we used has an affinity offer with the local NFU branch and that was the starting point of negotiation, (which incidentally was slightly lower than the sort of figure you suggested), not the end. Plus buying in multiple helped drive it on, albeit the base offer could just have been beaten if we had taken out BMW finance but this was always an outright cash sale (well, it will be three building society counter cheques), Just haggle hard, down to the very last penny, then haggle again. Plus know exactly what you want down to the last optional extra. Also, deal with the organ grinder, not an everyday sales gadgy. Even try the ‘I think I will leave it’ trick and stand up as if to go!
As for diesel, well we all generally fill from the farm’s Derv supply which is basically Shell’s base B7 to which we add the detergent/additive pack (1.5 litres per 1,000 litres) and at this time of year the anti-wax additive (1 litre per 1,000 litres) and flush around the fuel system before dispense. Never had any problems using it in my Land Rover, Isuzu, BMW or Ineos vehicles.
If I need to refuel away from the farm, I generally use standard diesel at a UK fuels station to draw on our bunkerage at Exelby’s or via the NFU 5p off per litre card.
Hope I haven’t missed anything.
Dave
Thanks @BigDave I am extremely grateful for you taking the time to provide such a comprehensive reply. It’s all really helpful info although, as you rightly predict, our usage is very different!
The Air Suspension feedback is extremely interesting. It’s standard on the 50e (which I’m testing this week) but thankfully the M60i that I’m testing doesn’t have it as an optional extra, so I can see what the difference is like, as both have 22” wheels with standard tyres. There were several reasons that I fancied it. Firstly, I’m concerned that the M-Sport (and in particular M60i) suspension may be too firm. Secondly, all the reviews I’ve watched rave about it. Finally (and most importantly) as I have to hoist my wife in and out of the car (something that we can’t test) and I have to lift her wheelchair in and out of the boot, I figured that the ability to lower the car might be useful and make life a little easier.
As for the wheels, like you I’ve tended to steer away from huge wheels (20” is the biggest I’ve had) due to the greater risk of kerbing them, but the review comment about tyre noise with the run flats concerned me and to avoid them you have to jump to 22”. Annoyingly, neither test car has run flats but, as mentioned, I’ve had them on quite a few BMWs previously and never had an issue with them.
Unfortunately, as for the tech pack, our last two cars had Head-up display, and so I would miss it. I also regretted not getting Harmon Kardon on my last 2 BMWs. I agree that the extra parking stuff is superfluous. The Bowers & Wilkins system is an extra £3.5k over the Harman Kardon, which I’m just not prepared to pay, especially as a lot of my in car listening isn’t actually music!
Once again, sincere thanks. I’ve watched every review going and the 2 x 48 hour test drives will hopefully nail most of this for me, but first hand owner experience is always invaluable.
Glos Guy. As i left Scheme end of September 25, after many years with late wife and myself. I also did all the research into exemption of VED etc. As you say a major purchase and not to be taken lightly. Have a great time and enjoy every day.
Cars On Motability
2009 Citroen C4 Grand Picasso
2012 Vauxhall Antara
2013 Skoda Superb Estate
2016 Seat Alhambra
2020 Seat Tarraco
2021 Ford Kuga
2024 Nissan X-Trail left in Sep 25
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.