Top 10 Cars For 2009
Top 10 Cars For 2009
Looking to buy a new car this year? You may have your heart set on a particular make or model and you might have explored the new and second hand car prices on the internet and have decided that you can afford to purchase the car of your dreams, but a question you have to ask yourself is can you afford to run it?
Previously you may have asked yourself this question in passing and not really given it any real thought, but with the changes in Vehicle Excise Duty in 2009 and spiralling fuel and maintenance costs, coupled with the Credit Crunch and the through of recession for the next few years then running costs become much more important, therefore compromising and picking a car that you not only like, but will save you money in the long run is a sensible thing to do.
What about the changes in Vehicle Excise Duty? Now cars are classed by how much Carbon Dioxide they emit, therefore more environmentally friendly cars will be charged less Vehicle Excise Duty than more polluting vehicles. At the time of writing the least polluting cars will be exempt from paying tax at all, where as the most polluting cars (class M) such as large, big engined 4×4 vehicles will have to pay £440 per year. Come 2010-11 then this cost increases further to £455 per year.
If you’re looking to purchase a brand new car, then there will be another shock for your wallet and it has been dubbed the ‘showroom tax.’ If you’re looking to drive that Class M car out of the showroom, you’ll also have to face a bill for a one off ‘showroom tax’ payment of £950.
To help you pick the right car in this current environmental and financial climate we’ve compiled a top ten list of cars and car related schemes to consider that could save you money.
1. Buy a Small Family Hatchback. Small family hatchbacks are generally more economical to run and are usually big enough to meet most people’s needs. For example the VW Polo Bluemotion 1.4 Tdi is an economical runabout which falls into the Group A tax band. Not only do you not have to pay any tax on this vehicle, you can also avoid paying the showroom tax as this diesel car is so economical it is exempt. This car also boasts around 70mpg which makes it super cheap to run.
2. Buy a Diesel. When it comes to economical cars, vehicles with diesel engines are first to spring to most people’s minds. Whilst historically this was typically true, with the cost of diesel at the pump increasingly outstripping the cost of petrol, buying a diesel may not be the best way to save money. For drivers who typically need to drive a lot of miles each year then a diesel will still be more cost effective than its petrol equivalent. However if you do not drive many miles then this may not be true. You’ll need to do the maths before you take the plunge in buying a diesel car. On the plus side, the miles to the gallon of a diesel vehicle is