Sell diesel now?

[Ben93]

I am heavily debating whether to sell my diesel now for a grand or so and getting a petrol car euro 4 at least.  I cannot afford a newer car or afford to pay 20 pound a day to drive my current one in the UK. 

I really can only spend around 2k plus whatever I sell my corolla for.  

Now am I rushing to sell to much or should I be concered as a quick google brings up that local councils will have experience the power to put a charge on for diesels in towns as well as city's etc.  Could go for a nice road trip to the sweet sound of 60 plus pound just in charges quite easily then?  

It's really worrying me now as I cannot afford a new car and even a cheap ones going to financially mess me up.  

I am unsure of what to do and I do not want to finance a car or lease one I'd rather pay out right as if I ever lost my job or was unable to work then I'd be royally stuffed. 

So thoughts? Sell up now or hold onto it and hope that the country doesn't squash even more money out of the poorest of people.  I live about 20 miles outside of central London (kent)  so have a feeling local council will love using us as cash generators.  

[FROSTYBALLS]

Difficult!

The value of diesel cars is already being adversely affected, whereas the values of petrols are supposedly quite strong.

Petrol and diesel vehicles which don't meet Euro4 standards will be affected by London's toxin charge from 23/10/17.

Clean Air Zones to be introduced by 2020 in some cities (Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham, and Southampton) supposedly won't target private cars. As far as I'm aware these are the only Clean Air Zones being considered.

The Chancellor is considering additional taxation for diesel cars - to be announced in the Autumn Statement (November).

Whatever you do - change now or wait til November - is possibly going to carry a financial risk of greater expenditure or loss of value.

 

 

 

 

[Heidfirst]

1 hour ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Clean Air Zones to be introduced by 2020 in some cities (Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham, and Southampton) supposedly won't target private cars. As far as I'm aware these are the only Clean Air Zones being considered.

Glasgow & Edinburgh also likely to get - & possibly before 2020.

[Ben93]

From what I've seen diesels have to be euro6 petrol can be euro 4. Makes sense though I may as well go and swap for an old v6 or v8 petrol that's only got to be euro 4 makes sense completely. 

It's not the diesels thats the problem in London it's the overpopulation causing the standstill traffic.  Much like all big city's.  If you could just drive through would be OK. 

Diesels may be bad to immediate health (so they say.  Can't believe anyone anyway)  petrol is full of ozone depleting substances so instead of affecting a few people near the diesels lets all go get v8 engines and kill the ozone and every can die of the sun's radiation as the government's smart like that. 

As well as that batterys for the newer hybrid cars and full electric are not exactly expensive friendly to dispose of. Any there's no way our electricity is that environmentally friendly either so the whole emission free stickers make me laugh.  

It's hard I don't know whether to keep my car now and hope I'm not affected as I don't really drive into big city's but bexley council where I live love a bit of extra money so could implement something.  Or whether to sell and leave myself short and buy an old car. 

Like is it worth me paying for the timing belt and water pump and stuff.  

I don't know how I will be affected and I'd rather have an idea sooner rather than later when I can't sell it.  Shame really my friends diesel corolla is om other 200k so seems a waste.  

Why don't they just phase them out by making diesel production stop the old ones will dissappear naturally. 

Will have to have a good think about whether to sell my pride and joy or to keep it 

[FROSTYBALLS]

2 hours ago, Ben93 said:

 I may as well go and swap for an old v6 or v8 petrol that's only got to be euro 4 makes sense completely. 

Then again one would pay a lot more in vehicle excise duty .......

 

[Ben93]

Not as much as 20 pound a day to drive though that's a joke especially if you go through more than 1 council controlled zone.  I'm hoping they don't go full whack with it as I don't really drive into city's but I do long journeys to Wales and stuff so that's why I got a diesel 

[mickburkesnr]

I don't think the "Cash Cow Tax Toxin Charge" will go as far as 20 miles. I know councils can be tempted by such things, but I think you'll be safe enough as long as you don't drive right in to London.

But you could consider buying a car outside of London further north, like Birmingham where we don't have "London prices" on things (not yet anyway, Hello HS2!). But again, a Euro 6 diesel is still going to be an expensive purchase.

I think, though, that if you're not driving in to a zone like that then you can stick with your Corolla for a time yet. But, as you point out, other councils might start to introduce it (although I would argue that they may lack the infrastructure to cope with such a scheme, so there would be a period of warning before it's an official thing). It's at that point you'd need to wonder what you could do.

If it was me, I would stick with the car (especially as you don't tend to travel in to London) and start to build up a fund to purchase a more "environmentally friendly" car when you actually need to buy one.

[Ben93]

Yeah and these are not starting til 2019 In the big city's and towns but I live near dartford under bexley council and I don't drive around the south circular or north circular etc I just use the m25 and m1 etc and do lots of holidays around the country but never in cities.  Maybe I will be ok I doubt they can penalise people in built up towns etc too much.  Maybe certain roads etc that get busy but maybe they should spend there money on making alternative less congested  routes.  Or better still instead of this plan bexley has to smash down lots of houses and build 7 story blocks to cram more people in don't do it.  It's the high volume of people that is the problem to start with. 

I'll just stick with it was only a 2k car and its only on 76k miles it will last some time it has fun toyota approved history etc.  Seems a waste.  Hopefully by the time it comes round it will be long dead.  Maybe I wont worry about spending the money on it for now. 

I've just read another article that says the city's may just affect lorries etc and not penalise cars as Teresa may is not keen on the idea of making a everyone's life a misery who owns one. Fingers crossed I can have it for at least another 3 years 

[mickburkesnr]

8 minutes ago, Ben93 said:

I've just read another article that says the city's may just affect lorries etc and not penalise cars as Teresa may is not keen on the idea of making a everyone's life a misery who owns one. Fingers crossed I can have it for at least another 3 years 

That will just be horrific, as how else will all those shops etc function? Plus the cost of the charge will leak down in to the prices paid by the shops which will in turn be pushed back on to you. But it's strange too that they'd single out lorries as their emissions are always bang on (constantly tested, no room for cheating). It's the private vehicles that are the issue really. Plus, Theresa May is a dead duck really so I wouldn't put too much faith in what she has to say.

[Ben93]

The new one in London will charge lorries 100 per day.... And cars 12.50 if they dont meet euro 6 it messes up everyone my work have to buy new vans or if not stick the extra cost onto jobs which loses us customers. I need the van for my tools and specialist equipment so it's not really fair.  

I only use my cars evenings or weekends so I will probably not be affected where I live as it's not busy enough to warrant toxicity charges.  I will keep the car even if it falls into place by 2020 thats still a long time to have the car even if I spend money on it 

[Ben93]

And as my main journeys are long motorway ones most the times you can't put a charge on motorways so I'm assuming it's all Good it will be like the centwr of towns etc that will have it and not the little suburb bits where I live.  Can always park outside the zone and walk or get a bus into it.  Suppose it's doable.  Like the congestion charge in London is a tiny area so I'm assuming like Birmingham etc it will be In the main city center and not all of Birmingham.  Etc.  Fingers crossed I will get to enjoy my little polished up pride and joy for some time 

[Ben93]

And yes Teresa may is a t#at

[FROSTYBALLS]

The London toxicity charge is for cars below Euro IV - https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/emissions-surcharge#on-this-page-3

According to Honest John the Corolla 2.0 D4D complied with Euro IV from May 2003, and the 1.4 D4D complied with Euro IV from July 2004.

As regards Clean Air Zones, the requirement for diesel cars will be Euro VI and petrols Euro IV. Not all Clean Air Zones will be chargeable.

[Ben93]

I'm hoping being outside any city and then we center I will be ok anyway. Plus my cars only used on weekends anyway.  And by the time the local council get the infrastructure and set up that many anpr cameras it will be years and my old car will be done anyway.