What May be Ahead for Motorists in Budget 2025?
A new tax strategy paper published this week on Energy and Vehicle Taxation outlines what may be included in Budget 2025 writes Geraldine Herbert 1. Phasing Out the Diesel Excise Gap The Diesel Excise Gap refers to the lower tax rate on diesel compared to petrol in Ireland. Various bodies, including the Climate Change Advisory Council and the European Commission, have advocated for equalizing these rates due to environmental and...
New fuel and emissions tests coming in September
A new test to measure fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for new cars sold in Europe comes into force on September 1st writes Geraldine Herbert Why is a new test being introduced? The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) will be replaced across Europe, including Ireland on September 1, 2017 by the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). The NEDC test has been repeatedly criticised for its inability to reflect...
10 quick checks when buying a used car
If you are thinking about purchasing a used car here are 10 quick checks you can do writes Geraldine Herbert Tyres – Make sure there is plenty of tread left, and that the wear is even across them; and don’t forget the spare. Wheels – Check the wheels carefully for any marks or scuffs caused by kerbing. Windscreen – Ensure there are no cracks that could lead to an NCT failure. Lights – Ensure that all the lights are working and that...
Work out your Actual Fuel Consumption
Have you ever actually worked out how much a journey would cost? Or how many €’s you spend a week on unnecessary trips? Suzanne Keane offers some tips for working out your actual fuel consumption Most manufacturers will give a rough guide of the consumption of a car but the only way to truly work out what you’re using in your car is to measure your own consumption! It’s always best to buy fuel in number of litres,...
It is time for car makers to clean up their act
Is the solution to inaccurate fuel consumption and emission figures more stringent testing? asks Geraldine Herbert As the latest automotive industry scandal deepens with the Japanese car company Mitsubishi admitting to falsifying fuel consumption data for decades and official research from the UK concluding that none of Britain’s most popular diesel cars meet the legal limits for nitrogen oxide emissions with some up to 14...
