I have just been studying the DVLA website, and uncovered an interesting fact. Road tax is of course now banded by CO2 emmisions, and the 2.7 Cayman (and Boxster) are the only cars made by Porsche which are not in the top band for tax, and the band most likely to attract swingeing increases.

But it's not quite that simple. The cut off point is an omission figure of 225, and the Cayman 2.7 5 speed comes in at 222. However with the 6 speed box it is listed at 227, which means it goes into the top band. With the Tip box it is 242.

The cash difference in road tax at the moment is only £20 (£190 versus £210) but I suspect this may alter dramatically in future budgets. Another good reason to buy the 5 speed car, and almost certainly why Porsche make this the standard issue, to keep their corporate average figure down a few points.

BTW I did check the tax on my 2.7/6-speed, and its does have a £210 disc.

It shows the arbitrary nature of this tax system; I'm sure that in the real world fuel consumption and emissions are identical to the 5 speed - the differences are just down to the testing process, and probably reflects the fact that 2nd/3rd gear are diffenrent ratios. But its nothing like a Cayenne turbo which is in the same bracket!


SS7

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Carrara white pauper's 2.7
Snickers wrapper in the door bin
Flies on the number plate
Church's scuffs on the kickplate
'Goodwood' umbrella in the back

I also checked what my OPC charged me ... that's right £210 ... so I have asked for my refund, which is supposedly on the way.

Any other 5 speed purchasers out there might just want to check the paperwork, cos I gather I was not the only one they overcharged.

JH

Following El Gordo's budget, and the swingeing rise in road tax on the top band, I'm now very glad I bought the 5 speed.

John H

Yes. I got the S and I'm going to be hit with 300 notes next year and 400!!! the next. Joy.

It's probably worth it, but when there are road users who use the less polluting cars for many more miles than I use mine, it doesn't seem very fair.

it's called the class war Just like the ban on hunting with dogs.

If they want to fine - sorry I mean't charge the polluter, why didn't they just increase the fuel duty. Oh, I forgot they did that as well.

Hey John,

Can you explain this tax so that even an American can understand (oh boy, I'm sure there are all sorts of jokes in that one..... ).

What I mean is, I have no idea what you're talking about because we don't have that kind of tax over here. In fact, you won't even find any CO emmision numbers on the Cayman brochures here. It's something that (embarrassingly) no one here is aware of.

Is this a one time tax? And annual tax? How does it work?

I think it's great that they have this sliding scale that icentivizes people to think about these things. I wish they would do something like that over here in the US.

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Gator Bite
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Gator

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...le/DG_10012524

Take a look here /\ /\

We pay an annual "Road Tax" that used to be a set amount per car per year, but recenty got "graded" depending on emmisions.

Obviously rediculous, as band F car could do 2000 miles a year where a band C car could do 25,000 miles a year! Which one produces more CO2 over that year and which one pays the most Road tax?

Jack

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Cayman S - Since December '05

Yeah, that doesn't make a lot of sense. Is this the only auto tax you pay?

In America, every gallon of gasoline is taxed by both the federal government and your state government. Then, depending on which state you live in, you may pay a 'property tax' to your town on your car, based on the value of your car. This tax is said to pay for street lights, road maintenance, snow plowing, etc.....

This one is just as ridiculous as your tax because a $500 jalopy (junk) can be spitting oil and dragging it's muffler and dropping car parts all over the road, definitely costing the town more money than the Porsche Cayman that is garaged and driven 5,000 miles a year as a pleasure vehicle, not in the snow, but you will pay thought the nose on the more expensive car.

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Since fat people exhale more CO2 that "normal" people, they should pay an extra tax, as well. Skinny people should get an "earned income CO2 tax credit". (sorry for the rant, but I'm doing my taxes--not happy with the bottom line--especially AMT yet again>)

One of the nifty things about the US is that you can easily shop around for favorable tax environments. The fed stuff is the same everywhere in the country of course, but at the state level, you can go from zero income tax (AK, FL, NV, NH, SD, TN, TX, WA, and WY, though NH and TN tax dividends/interest) to 9.5% (Vermont). Sales tax ranges from zero (AK, DE, MT, NH, and OR) to 7.25% (CA).
Nowhere in the US has zero property tax, but they vary a lot. In Oregon there is a statewide statutory (referendum'd actually) cap at mill rate 15 (1.5%) and personal vehicles are exempt, whereas in property tax hells like NH rates go quite high (in 2006, Newport had an onerous 38.93 mill rate) and cars are not exempt.

Working against people shopping for favorable tax climates, many locales are effectively collaborating to sharply penalize anyone who moves. In Florida, property tax is capped by the lesser of the rate of inflation or 3% per year, but full revaluation occurs whenever the property changes hands. Many other states either already have similar provisions, or are considering them.

Another gotcha working against rate shoppers is that a person will usually be subject to the highest possible tax load given his residential and work addresses. In fact, people who live and work in New Hampshire but whose spouses work in Maine, are subject to Maine state income taxes.

OK, end thread hijack

we also pay tax on fuel: each litre of 95 ron cost around £0.87 of which approx £0.60 is tax.

In the US, fuel is taxed too, by both federal and state governments, but it's peanuts compared to what you're suffering there. And here too, states compete with each other on tax rates. In border regions - and a lot of population centers are near borders - this really matters.

Current US national average premium ((R+M)/2==92+) fuel price is £0.38/liter. No kidding. And if you think that's cheap, check out what they pay in UAE!