The Future of Diesel / Emission Based Tax System

It's a few months away for me yet, but a change of car is needed on the driveway and I want to begin to get a feel for what is / isnt good value.

Obviously, the past few years, the attraction for most is Diesel, given the push from the government, but this will hardly be the same direction they will be going in the coming years, given a few cities around the world (Paris, Athens and others) have committed to banning Diesel powered cars by middle of the next decade, and Germany committing to banning the internal combustion engine production by 2030.

Electric powered cars are of no interest to me, and Diesels would have only made me look into them given the annual tax rates and better MPGs....but would it be better to look at petrol again, with a view to residuals etc, in say, 5 years time!

Anyone know what the rumors are going about as to what direction our sheep (government) are likely to take?

Just buy a V8 and be done with it!


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Just read up on DPF, EGR valve, turbo, injectors, sediment tank issues before you buy that economical diesel. It could be hard to find a decent petrol alternative though what with so few of them bought in the last few years.

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Originally Posted by Curran

....but would it be better to look at petrol again, with a view to residuals etc, in say, 5 years time!

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Short answer, I would say yes.

Its said that Archbishop Noonan ignored recommendations from Transport Dept and environmental submissions in the last 2 budgets to shift the taxation balance from just CO2 focused to one looking a range of pollutants. Also, it looks like the next EU Emissions standards will have targets that will be easier to achieve with petrol engines so tax policy will probably need to adapt to encourage that, in the way that CO2 based tax focus shifted buyers to Diesel since 2008.

So, I'd say that there will be a change in attitude towards petrol cars as the focus changes to wider emissions that will help with residual values of cars that meet the most recent EU standards.

If buying secondhand and pre'14 then consider going diesel and taking the chance that they'll keep kicking the can down the road a bit further, that it'll take time for people to adapt to the changes acoming and because the petrol's of that era are likely to be in slightly higher CO2 categories without necessarily being as efficient as might be needed for the likely hybrid emissions (CO2 and other pollutants) based tax that will materialize.

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Originally Posted by rebel.ranter

Just read up on DPF, EGR valve, turbo, injectors, sediment tank issues before you buy that economical diesel. It could be hard to find a decent petrol alternative though what with so few of them bought in the last few years.

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Believe me, I know not too caught up on attractive annual tax figures and MPGs.....the E39 hasnt stayed on the driveway without all things considered! ;)
It'll be off to the UK either way, judging by lack of anything other than x20d / x16/18/20i here!

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Originally Posted by dergside

If buying secondhand and pre'14 then consider going diesel and taking the chance that they'll keep kicking the can down the road a bit further, that it'll take time for people to adapt to the changes acoming and because the petrol's of that era are likely to be in slightly higher CO2 categories without necessarily being as efficient as might be needed for the likely hybrid emissions (CO2 and other pollutants) based tax that will materialize.

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I dont know what the budget will allow for yet, but something like a 328i or similar is kind of where my head is at! They fall into the 390 tax bracket while still offering 40+mpg. Thinking that, it or similar is about the optimum for now and going forward.

I was thinking along these lines recently while I have been searching for a replacement for the F31. Right now it seems that a petrol 3 series is more expensive than the equivalent diesel, entirely down to VRT differences. I don't see much point in paying more now to get a slightly higher residual in a few years so I have decided to buy another 330d. I wont keep it for anything like 5 years, I'd say the max I will keep it for would be a year or two at which point I might well buy a petrol car.

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Originally Posted by Curran

I dont know what the budget will allow for yet, but something like a 328i or similar is kind of where my head is at!

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Not many of those here, so that means a trip across the water. Notable price and VRT difference between 320i and 328i for what is significantly the same hardware (although accepting there is a useful power difference). Not sure of the physical differences but I'd have thought that some remapping of a 320i would get you to a close figure.

Have a read up of the new 330e and 530e plug-in-hybrids. They are getting great reviews and offer great power and economy as long as you're not commuting long distances. With the recent VW dieselgate scandal and harmful diesel pollutants I recon diesel cars will start going into decline in the not too distant future.

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Originally Posted by bazz26

Have a read up of the new 330e and 530e plug-in-hybrids. They are getting great reviews and offer great power and economy as long as you're not commuting long distances. With the recent VW dieselgate scandal and harmful diesel pollutants I recon diesel cars will start going into decline in the not too distant future.

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The brother in law has one on order, a 330E esb arrived the other day and installed the charge point in his house, looking forward to having a close up look at it.


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Yeah one of the lads over on another forum bought one and is mighty impressed with the performance (even coming from a Mk7 Golf GTi) as well as the fuel economy. The 330e has a 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine along with an electric motor giving a combined power of about 250bhp.

They do seem impressive, but not sure Im ready for the batteries yet! :)

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Originally Posted by Chillipepper

The brother in law has one on order, a 330E esb arrived the other day and installed the charge point in his house, looking forward to having a close up look at it.


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While obvious never thought about that... Is the charge point ordered along with the car or separately with ESB. What's the lead time on getting the install like?

From reading what others have done, I think once you place your order, fill out a few application forms and your EV grant is approved, the dealer will get a SEAI reference number for you. You then contact the ESB with this SEAI reference number to organise the chargepoint to be installed. There is 5k in the SEI grant off the 330e and a further 2.5k in VRT rebate. I think BMW were giving another 4k off recently in the form of a contribution if you took their finance/PCP offer or if you bought one with no trade-in.

More information here around the grant:
http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Electric_V..._Grant_Scheme/