Drivers rush to buy less ecological cars before new tax inflates price

Last post 13-12-2007, 14:08 by Marbella_Rich. 1 replies.
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  •  12-12-2007, 15:03

    Drivers rush to buy less ecological cars before new tax inflates price

    Car dealers, especially those selling four by four vehicles, are reporting a busy end to 2007. Spain’s new “green tax” comes into force on January 1st next year, when the cost of registering a new vehicle will vary according to how much it pollutes the atmosphere. Until now there have been two rates, seven or 12 per cent, according to the size of the vehicle’s engine. From January there will be four levels of registration tax, depending on the CO2 emissions per kilometre, and as a result the least environmentally friendly vehicles will cost up to 1,500 euros more than they do now.

    Demand has shot up

    As the year nears its end dealers are already noticing the repercussions of the new system. While the sale of the more ecological vehicles which will be cheaper to register next year has fallen, the demand for the more contaminating jeep type vehicles has shot up.

    Figures released by the association of car dealers, Faconauto, confirm the trend. In October sales of cars were down by 2.3% but demand for four by fours had gone up by 18.7%, with 444 vehicle of this type being sold in the province of Malaga. Now firms are reporting waiting lists and delays of several months for some models.

    Concha Salinas, the manager of Mavesa (a Mitsubishi showroom specialising in four by fours), confirms that demand has increased. Nevertheless she maintains that the new green tax, which will make these vehicles slightly more expensive next year, is unlikely to put buyers off. “Our market is mature; people know what they want”, she explains.

    Regards

     

  • 24017 in reply to 23975
     13-12-2007, 14:08

    Re: Drivers rush to buy less ecological cars before new tax inflates price

    this is also not helped by the fact that the roads around here are dreadful, kerbs are too high and anything short of a 4x4 gets battered.  Maybe if they sorted out the roads first, then raised duty, they would have more luck in reducing gases etc. 
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