Is it still worth buying diesel variants?

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Lancee

And be aware that VED is coming for Electric Vehicles ?

🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳about time🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

[Fastpatsilents]

The planned 23 % increase in fuel duty confirmed today in the budget will add another 12p to a litre of petrol and diesel, comes in in March.

Balanced by EVs paying VED from 2025.

So either way we're screwed.

[eagle58]

Originally Posted by Fastpatsilents

The planned 23 % increase in fuel duty confirmed today in the budget will add another 12p to a litre of petrol and diesel, comes in in March.

Balanced by EVs paying VED from 2025.

So either way we're screwed.

VED for EVs should happen in March 2023 too. They use the roads, don't have tax on their fuel and you have to be well-off to buy one so why just punish the poor sods who can't afford to upgrade their cars?

[Tannaton]

I don't get why anyone would consider buying a £35k - £55k EV to save a few hundred quid on VED every year...........

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Fastpatsilents

The planned 23 % increase in fuel duty confirmed today in the budget will add another 12p to a litre of petrol and diesel, comes in in March.

Balanced by EVs paying VED from 2025.

So either way we're screwed.

I didn't think it was confirmed - I think the issue is he didn't mention it at all so the assumption is in the absence of a deferral it will kick in next year. Personally I don't think it will because it will just add significantly to inflation - it's not the right time.

[Lancee]

I am not particulary eloquent but hopefully people will get the drift of what I am about to say. A no doubt contentious (perhaps distorted) perspective follows. For some the red rag is about to wave.

The powers that be "sold" us on the idea of diesel, now many (perhaps now or at one time a majority?) have it they are paying a price.

We are now being "sold" EV's while relatively new technology, therefore at the highest capital cost to us while dangling the cost saving VED and environmental carrot. Eventually "we" will pay a price.

When the majority have EV's, the costs (VED and charging) will rise.
At a given time there MAY be some short term financial saving to the individual, but in the longer term more likely an overall increase ?

I guess the deal breaker is the allegedly beneficial environmental/carbon footprint of the EV. But personally I still think the jury's out on that one.

Government raising of funds has to come from somewhere, the level cannot fall (that just results in more borrowing) and will more likely increase. That's simple housekeeping, there are bills to pay.

What I am trying to say is I guess it all cancels/balances out in the end.
What I don't like is having a perception of sneakily being manipulated.

[SnineT]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

I don't get why anyone would consider buying a £35k - £55k EV to save a few hundred quid on VED every year...........

There are many examples of this throughout marketing and clothing is a prime example, you will have 3 levels, crap, good and good with an expensive label, some people have to have the label and quadruple the cost to buy in the process for the same quality garment without the label. It's the same with the charging, "I saved £800 this year by spending an extra £20k on an EV"

It's herd syndrome basically, be grateful they haven't got inside your head "yet" and made you a direct-able consumer as well, V-Power for the masses

[Fastpatsilents]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

I didn't think it was confirmed - I think the issue is he didn't mention it at all so the assumption is in the absence of a deferral it will kick in next year. Personally I don't think it will because it will just add significantly to inflation - it's not the right time.

It's in the OBR forecasts and without it there's a £5 billion hole in his spreadsheet.

[DaveNP]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

I don't get why anyone would consider buying a £35k - £55k EV to save a few hundred quid on VED every year...........

They say‘look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves’ and if you can make enough simple savings it does add up. But then they also say ‘Penny wise and pound foolish’, no matter how cheap the fuel a new car is always going to have a high cost, both monetarily and environmentally.

But to go back to what I felt was the OP’s original question, even with the cost of diesel around here being £1.90 compared to petrol at £1.60 the mpg differential of mid 40’s for diesel compared to less than 30 for petrol should make a second hand diesel more than 10% cheaper on fuel. But the question of where one wants to go is a significant consideration.

[Wagon Sailor]

It may also be worth looking at the long term availability of the two main fuels. I can imagine petrol being regulated out of common use significantly earlier than diesel. Converting heavy vehicles away from diesel is a slow process. In other words, use the fuel the trucks use.




[PS: we have four cars - all petrol ...]