My T-5R dilemma

[Timmilne]

I live inside the expanded ULEZ zone in London, and so now every day I use the Gul T-5R is going to cost £12.50

I've had the car 15 months and done 15k miles in that time, so it really does get used — until now. That said, it's only on 136K and I'm only the second owner.

I've just had the MOT done and while it passed, there was an advisory about blue smoke to remind me I need to get the valve guides done. Along with a small spot of rust on the tailgate and fixing the heated seats, there's not much left to do on it.

But, my ULEZ dilemma is now biting. I have a ULEZ and summer-friendly Abarth Spider, but it's inevitable that the Volvo is only going to get used when there's stuff to lug around — and that might mean not very often. I don't mind the Spider, but grinding round winter London traffic in a manual isn't my preference.

If I don't use the Volvo very much, it's hard to justify keeping it. Assuming it needs to be an estate, what are the alternatives?

Something ULEZ-friendly — but, what?

A cheaper 850 that wouldn't matter if it sat around not being used very much?

Convert the T-5R to electric?

It's a pity — ULEZ has upset what was the perfect two car option — both got used equally and each complimented the other; part of the fun was always switching between the two.

[amazondean]

One way out is to buy a car that is now 40 years old. It will be exempt. You obviously would prefer to drive something more interesting than modern crap and not too bothered about fuel costs, so that would be the way i would go!!

[JohnM 855 T5R]

Hi Tim,

That is a complete and utter pain in the a**e! I hadn't given a thought to the ULEZ as I never drive in London.

Well, I guess if you get the guides done, the heated seats and the rust spot, as it's a gul with just 136K and 2 owners its going to fetch good money even though its an auto - but that's hardly the point!

I can offer no suggestions - only commiserations. Do you have relatives or friends outside the ULEZ where you can keep it and use it on high days and holidays for pleasure runs? Or is selling your only real option. I hope you are joking about conversion to electric. The conversion cost would be uneconomic anyway and I'd be crying. Moving house and job out of the ULEZ would be less traumatic!

Now, do I want 2 Guls in my garage?

John

[RollingThunder]

This is one of the things that infuriates me! The most effective solution would be to put LPG on the T-5R - these whiteblocks run superbly on LPG and run exceptionally cleanly. Donut tank in the spare wheel well and no loss of boot space either.

But no, its still seen as a dirty carbon fuel, so an easy, effective solution is ignored.

I would also be looking at a 40 year old car to use as a daily, but there is a huge risk, in that it only takes one zealot on a bicycle to get into a position of power to determine that these should also become liable under ULEZ (and the equivalent regional zones that are popping up everywhere). So I'd be a bit cautious about jumping that way.

The other issue with these older cars is that those that have survived are genuinely collectible in the main - and therefore expensive. Ford Escort, Capri, Granada, VW Golf MkI, Mercedes W123, Volvo Amazon, 240, SAAB 900, Vauxhall Carlton, etc. All are commanding pretty strong prices nowadays unless they're rust buckets.

Which means that we're being pushed into buying a boring eco-box, which will promote the demand for new cars, which in turn makes the world even more polluted as it takes so many natural resources and power to build them! (And if electric, where exactly is that power coming from?!)

Hydrogen is the latest saviour, but again the cleanest way to produce hydrogen is through electrically splitting atoms - which consumes more power than it generates. The other methods either release C02 into the atmosphere (aren't we trying to reduce that?), or else we bury it, so that its another generation's problem. Wonderful.

Yes, I have quite a strong view on this sorry. Its more political than common sense IMHO

[Timmilne]

Thanks for all the kind words of support.

It's dawning on me what a pain this is — obviously, the ULEZ expansion was notified long in advance, but I'd not realised quite how it would affect my decision-making about when to use the car. I had naively thought I'd just pay the charge, but it's not something I can ignore so easily. Especially, as I really enjoy the Volvo in London as it's relatively small and nimble and relaxing to drive in traffic.

I don't think I could face driving a 40 year old classic every day — though the T-5R is far from modern, I don't think I've got the stomach for something so archaic.

[cyclogenesis]

My T5 runs on LPG and I have had a long running battle with the DfT via my MP about the lack of recognition, whereas a dirty diesel will be considered cleaner. I think it is a real missed opportunity for the government as part of a carbon neutral strategy but lets not kid ourselves, as today's news shows, it is the lobbyists that dictate Government policy and they include the car producers who do not want us to modify old cars to cleaner technology, they want us to buy new ones and so does the exchequer as they get the tax. The same reason we were sold the lie of clean diesel.

[s1monc]

Thats how I came by my Gul, the guy lived London and sold both of his Guls due to the charges that were coming in.
If I lived in London I’m pretty sure I’d use an electric car for daily stuff. Can’t be much fun driving around London.
I hope you find an alternative or manage to keep the T-5R somehow.

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by Timmilne

I live inside the expanded ULEZ zone in London, .

Campaign to completely remove the insane ULEZ legislation and jail the instigators.
Then no problem driving large custard-coloured cars in that there london.

[400-ascona]

Does the installation of LPG help with ULEZ?

[cyclogenesis]

No it doesn't even though these cars are cleaner than many of those listed as exempt. If I lived in London I would have written to the Mayors office. I live in Portsmouth and they have just instigated a ULEZ for Taxis, lorries and buses and I have already asked what their future plans are for private cars and if LPG will be exempt. The reply was so far that it only applies to taxis buses and lorries. Most pollution in the city comes from the diesel spewing ferries and liners.