Road Charging

uhn113x · Unread post by **uhn113x** » 04 Dec 2006, 13:19

Although DERV is usually pricier than petrol, the differential seems to vary quite a bit round here, and I have seen them both at the same price in a few places.

For me, although I do not do that many miles now, a modern car "has" to be a diesel - apart from the better MPG, I find that maintenance costs less, exhaust systems and engines last longer.

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 04 Dec 2006, 13:55

In my experience, all the claims about mpg made for petrol autos are grossly untrue!

I have owned-driven autos for nearly fifty years now, and never had one that managed even half that acheived by my Diesel ZX!

e.g.Recently owned cars (last 6 years) Peugeot 306 1600 auto ave 25mpg... Mazda 323f auto exec 26mpg.. Vaux astra 1400 auto 22 mpg.. Honda civic (carb version) 1400 auto 28mpg.. Series 4 Jag 4.2 auto 17 mpg.. Honda Accord 2.0iES auto 23mpg... etc etc..

Petrol engines? yukk!! tuhh lol

.. I will stick to diesels for the same reasons that Mike gave.. More economic, less complex engines, and far more reliable..

fourwheelsteer · Unread post by **fourwheelsteer** » 04 Dec 2006, 18:50

I'm so concerned about the proposals for road pricing that I've written to my MP. I don't suppose it will do any good but it can't hurt to let him know how I feel.

As for diesels, I don't like them but I know others do. It may cost me more money but it is a price I'm happy to pay. While I can I'd like to drive what I want rather than what I'm told I should.

Gregg1100 · Unread post by **Gregg1100** » 04 Dec 2006, 18:53

Hello,
A swedish clown of an mp thinks that because airline pilots don't have many accidents, then all motorcyclists should be banned off the road. Yes, how his 1 millionth of a brain cell (being generous there, too ) worked that out, don't ask me. The trouble is, he has got all the other goons acting on what he says. See the MAG site for more details.
UNTIL there is a SAFE, CLEAN, EFFICIENT and REASONABLE costing alternative to car transport is made available, BEFORE these useless clowns of mps (not very funny either ) try any more schemes, then they can do what they do best-fail.
They are trying to end biking-surely in a city a bike is the only way to get around cheaply. The school runs should be stopped--no need with decent buses.
I start work most times before buses start- so where does that leave me---walking, taxi, or car.
Where do the government get these experts(??) from. Why do they pay millions for advice when most people in the street can tell them what to do.
Sorry about rant, but these prats make a mountain out of a speck of dust(mini molehill ), and its us that have to pay for their incompetance.
Bit dis-jointed I know, but there you are.
Greg

Unread post by **philhoward** » 04 Dec 2006, 19:24

James.UK wrote:In my experience, all the claims about mpg made for petrol autos are grossly untrue!

I have owned-driven autos for nearly fifty years now, and never had one that managed even half that acheived by my Diesel ZX!

e.g.Recently owned cars (last 6 years) Peugeot 306 1600 auto ave 25mpg... Mazda 323f auto exec 26mpg.. Vaux astra 1400 auto 22 mpg.. Honda civic (carb version) 1400 auto 28mpg.. Series 4 Jag 4.2 auto 17 mpg.. Honda Accord 2.0iES auto 23mpg... etc etc..

Petrol engines? yukk!! tuhh lol .. I will stick to diesels for the same reasons that Mike gave.. More economic, less complex engines, and far more reliable..

My ZX Auto (1.8) will consistently give 32-34mpg day in, day out and I have a rather heavy foot, and the wife's 525e BMW will do an easy 30mpg (best recorded so far was 36mpg). Even a Vectra 1.8 Auto I had refused to drop below 30mpg, no matter how hard I thrashed it or left it in Sport mode. Only Auto i've ever had to do less than 30mpg was a Reliant Scimitar GTE 3.0 - 20-22mpg. How can it be the same as a 1.4 Astra?

tomsheppard · Unread post by **tomsheppard** » 04 Dec 2006, 20:44

I pay Insurance premium tax, £190 a year in VED (The ring fenced road fund licence until the sainted Winston Churchill Stole it in 1923) and 400% fuel tax. (Yes, 80 pence in the pound.) Naturally I'm delighted by this proposal because, when I'm stuck in a jam, I'll know that I'm paying extra for the privilige. Or I could just use my vote to let the other lizards oppress me instead.

Or push off to France, where my house costs 1/15th of the price in England, Road tax was abolished by public demand and fuel is only taxed at 300%.
Grub's better an all.

But that would make me a Europhile. Could I live with the shame?
Probably

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 04 Dec 2006, 23:49

But french council estates are a damned sight more dangerous than ours-les banlieues are not a safe place to leave your car at night....!
Unfortunately the french can't maintain their economy for very much longer-it's a shame but it's starting to show the cracks and the labour market there is run on a similar basis to how ours was in the seventies: red robbo would feel very much at home!!

A swedish clown of an mp thinks that because airline pilots don't have many accidents,

....I wonder if he's though about why airline pilots have to pay higher car insurance premiums than the rest of us, then??? They're a high risk group, along with the journalists and footballers......