[Abrek]

Car Tax was due on 1st April and with current situation it doesn’t look like I need to drive to work for any there between 3 and 6 months I sorned it. It should save anywhere between £150-£300 and we have second car in case of emergency. Am I the only one to do it?

[JustChris]

Will get lire common this, but nope still use mine for shopping.

[ZedsRedBaby]

I thought about it but decided not to. I'd quite like to SORN the PCP for six months though

[Abrek]

Originally Posted by ZedsRedBaby

I thought about it but decided not to. I'd quite like to SORN the PCP for six months though

Yeah, PCP payments are a bummer. Will probably will finish off under my contracted miles...

[VR 46 Fan]

Tax due April, have Sorned. Won’t be using car for the next few months, so just as well do that and save a few bob.
Stay safe and keep well
Alan

[Racing Teatray]

I thought about it since, as central Londoners, there's nowhere for the time being that we couldn't just as easily and more discreetly go in my wife's Fiat 500 (which are nearly as common as pigeons in London). However, as I bought my car in late 2016, it has the cheaper tax and I just couldn't get that excited about the £17.50 per month or whatever it is. No doubt if it was a post-2017, I'd be more tempted.

[ukbeemerboy]

My car isn’t required but I will still drive it periodically to charge the battery and keep the wheels turning. Parking a car up for that length of time is asking for other problems so your saved tax money will be used to potentially fix those.

[isleaiw1]

Thought about it as I am still in first year road fund time - would i really get a portion of the £2200 it cost back? And will I have to pay it again when I retax in a few months?

[Abrek]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Thought about it as I am still in first year road fund time - would i really get a portion of the £2200 it cost back? And will I have to pay it again when I retax in a few months?

Originally Posted by Racing Teatray

I thought about it since, as central Londoners, there's nowhere for the time being that we couldn't just as easily and more discreetly go in my wife's Fiat 500 (which are nearly as common as pigeons in London). However, as I bought my car in late 2016, it has the cheaper tax and I just couldn't get that excited about the £17.50 per month or whatever it is. No doubt if it was a post-2017, I'd be more tempted.

Originally Posted by VR 46 Fan

Tax due April, have Sorned. Won't be using car for the next few months, so just as well do that and save a few bob.
Stay safe and keep well
Alan

Originally Posted by ukbeemerboy

My car isn't required but I will still drive it periodically to charge the battery and keep the wheels turning. Parking a car up for that length of time is asking for other problems so your saved tax money will be used to potentially fix those.

That is a good question. I wouldn't think you would have to pay it again or the person who buys my car will get an unwelcome surprise to pay premium car tax element beyond 5 years

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Abrek

That is a good question. I wouldn't think you would have to pay it again or the person who buys my car will get an unwelcome surprise to pay premium car tax element beyond 5 years

I would miss it anyway, the thought that I might be able to drive it helps. May take it the one mile to Sainsburys tomorrow just because I can...

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by Abrek

Yeah, PCP payments are a bummer. Will probably will finish off under my contracted miles...

Well that's something to look forward to. 10,000 mile road trip a month before the pcp ends.

[ian332isport]

I SORN’d my e30 today. Even though I don’t use it much, I generally keep it legal and ready to go. Didn’t seem much point for the time being though.

Still using the F31, so that’s staying taxed for now.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Thought about it as I am still in first year road fund time - would i really get a portion of the £2200 it cost back? And will I have to pay it again when I retax in a few months?

I was thinking similar, my car is only 6 months old. Not sure what they'd do. Might try and find out. We've got my wife's Q7 as well. Not worried about it being stood and not moving, sometimes they sit for months in stock yards, usually just a start they require, and sometimes not even that.

[lethbridge]

Originally Posted by Goneinsixtyseconds

I was thinking similar, my car is only 6 months old. Not sure what they'd do. Might try and find out. We've got my wife's Q7 as well. Not worried about it being stood and not moving, sometimes they sit for months in stock yards, usually just a start they require, and sometimes not even that.

Nice thought but...
The amount you get back will be based on whichever is lower of:

the first tax payment when you registered the vehicle
the rate for the second tax payment onwards

[Tengocity]

As we've got the 3 cars, and the 330e being ideal for the local trips to the supermarkets, the M4 and 340i feel very surplus to requirements. The M4 is £450 per year so SORNing it for 3 months felt worthwhile, and as a pretty new car I don't think it will have any issues not being used.

The 340i may be useful for a trip to Costco, or the waste recycling centre, and being a 2016 car is pretty cheap to tax, so have just left that one running.

Our monthly fuel bill is normally £5-600 per month, so looking forward to a big saving... has to be some upsides!

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by ukbeemerboy

I will still drive it periodically to charge the battery and keep the wheels turning. Parking a car up for that length of time is asking for other problems so your saved tax money will be used to potentially fix those.

Agree with this.

Even if you only drive it once a week to go a few miles to a supermarket of your choice for essential groceries it’s preferable to leaving it standing for 3 months.

[OneExtra]

Saving £150 over 3 months isnt worth not using the car for what might be potential issues of not driving it for me.

The car loses more than that in depreciation

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by OneExtra

Saving £150 over 3 months isnt worth not using the car for what might be potential issues of not driving it for me.

The car loses more than that in depreciation

Agreed

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by OneExtra

Saving £150 over 3 months isnt worth not using the car for what might be potential issues of not driving it for me.

The car loses more than that in depreciation

What are the potential issues you're worried about out of interest Jon?

If not in a garage on a trickle charger then I can certainly understand wanting to clean the brakes up a bit, especially if it's wet, discs can get very grotty very easily.

[Panchoa]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Thought about it as I am still in first year road fund time - would i really get a portion of the £2200 it cost back? And will I have to pay it again when I retax in a few months?

£2200.....?!?!! Is that how much the road tax is on a M5...????!???

[C320]

Originally Posted by Panchoa

£2200.....?!?!! Is that how much the road tax is on a M5...????!???

That will be the 1st year cost. If I recall correctly the tax is still based upon emissions.

1st year tax rates:

191 - 225 £1,305 £1,850 £1,295
226 - 255 £1,850 £2,175 £1,840
Over 255 £2,175 £2,175 £2,165

Source: https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables

The tax then reverts back to the normal emissions based rate but cars over with a list price of over £40k then have to pay an extra £325 each year the next for 4 or 5 years.

[OneExtra]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

What are the potential issues you're worried about out of interest Jon?

If not in a garage on a trickle charger then I can certainly understand wanting to clean the brakes up a bit, especially if it's wet, discs can get very grotty very easily.

Its a very good question mate and its maybe just me being a bit paranoid, I wash the car and actually dry it with a hot air drier so its very dry when it goes in the garage, I then rock the car every few hours just to release the brakes as they do bind and I destroyed a set of pads in the past leaving them stuck on for weeks. After a few hours they stop binding so in essence the car is fine, its also on a Ctek 5.0 charger and the garage is well ventilated.

I think in my mind its just better for a car to be driven at least every 3 weeks just to get everything moving and allow the oils and coolant to circulate properly, i think cars need to be used otherwise parts may start to perish, again just how my mind works.

I am also mindful of mice as I caught one nesting in a box in the garage this year and wondered how long it might take before it found the car.

A lot of it is gut feeling but when I balance £50 a month to drive the car once to stretch its legs and keep everything in good order verses not driving it I feel happier spending the £50