Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Not sure they like our climate. On street? 😊

yeah definitely don't like our climate. but moved out of the smoke now and have garage space at last. and my 126 hardly takes up any of it!

Bug-Jam regulars will know this one

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Like the guy standing through the sunroof and the other sitting in the boot

Wheel-stand doping.

I'm having a bad day.

Due to various life expenses and other circumstances I had garaged my 159 SW for the last few months, I've been driving one of our vans for work everyday recently anyway so it was no real skin off my nose but I hadn't paid my VRT because of this and it's still on UK plates.

So the wonderful Irish government have now introduced a nox tax on imported vehicles which basically renders my car untenably expensive to register in Ireland now. (c.€5,500 for nox tax and VRT combined).

I'm going to get in touch with Revenue and see if it's possible to still register it at the quoted price I received before Christmas as it's already on their system but they're not exactly renowned as an organisation for their compassion and empathy so I doubt it.

This basically leaves me in a position where I either sell my car in the UK (if anyone is interested PM me) or scrap it here and I need to find something else.

Trouble is with upcoming wedding next year and also hoping to buy a home in the next two years I really can't justify spending much at all, I either have to buy something super cheap and probably a bit expensive to run or else a little more expensive and super cheap to run.

List of potential cars from local adverts is as follows at the moment:

Category A:
2008 Alfa Romeo 159 2.2 JTS Saloon
2006 Alfa Romeo 159 1.9 JTDM Sportwagon
2004 Mercedes Benz E220 Cdi Avant Garde Wagon
2005 Audi Allroad 2.5 Tdi
2007 VW Golf Gti Mk5
2008 BMW 520D Touring

Category B:
2011 Honda Jazz Hybrid
2010 Honda CRZ Hybrid
2011 Subaru Impreza 2.0 Tdi

This is so fucking grim, secondhand cars in Ireland are grim.

Man that is bad craic. As you said yourself I wouldn't hold out massive hope for any sort of flexibility from Revenue, they are stubborn arseholes even in instances that are unequivocally their fault.

Second hand cars in Ireland are sooooo shit.

Out of curiosity how does that €5500 break down between the nox tax and VRT?

The early cars are the prettiest. Not sure on the minilites on an Italian car, should be campagnolo ;)

I loved my 156 sportwagon. Beautiful car - in pearlescent blue which was so nice. Very impractical mind - an estate car for those who want to pretend they don't have an estate.

If you do, gimme a shout as I have owned and welded a few. They are really well designed and use triangulation for strength. Lots of the brake bits can be upgraded with modern fiat stuff. Or the 1300 turbo engine is a straight swap.

Even buying the later car, the bigger bumpers and taller suspension can be but back to the early Euro spec. I'd fit Leda suspension, if you can find any second hand and get GAZ to rebuild them.

What about its big brother, the montecarlo?

€4375 on nox tax and c. €1300 on VRT. It's an absolute pisstake.
I'm beginning to resign myself to the idea of one of the two Honda Hybrids. The CRZ is a bit more interesting and has a bit of boy-racer JDM potential (I've never gotten around to scratching my JDM itch) but the Jazz would obviously be more practical for slinging bikes and bass guitar and amps in the back...

I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before they tax all of the cheaper but less efficient cars off the road (Category A in my original post) too which is making me think a hybrid thingy would be a safer bet...

Better than a e30 touring IMO. Especially with its high tailgate.

They're superb cars. I'm absolutely gutted at the thoughts of getting rid of mine. The available replacements in Ireland all basically all just 1.9 JTDM too and I'm a bit allergic to 4-cyl diesels...

Bring it back here to sell?

That's going to be the logical solution. It's a lovely car and I didn't pay an awful lot for it in the first place so I don't think it should be too painful an experience but still it's an unnecessary hassle and I don't really want to get rid of it in the first place.

I would consider swapping it for something that wouldn't be too expensive to import back into Ireland too, possibly a MiTo Cloverleaf or something?

That is an insane figure.

I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before they tax all of the
cheaper but less efficient cars off the road (Category A in my
original post) too which is making me think a hybrid thingy would be a
safer bet...

It looks like it's going that way.

Does it meet the ULEZ stuff?

I'm fairly sure it doesn't so unlikely to sell in London anyway...

a bit of boy-racer JDM potential (I've never gotten around to scratching my JDM itch)

You could do that with the Jazz too...

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Careful as the cat getting nicked is very common.

Troll post ;)

truth be told the fleet is a little out of hand at the moment so will have to be slimmed before realistically thinking of anything more exotic.

looking after friends old BMW 3 Series Diesel Estate (which I think I will keep for practical reasons) and the missus has been passed on her sisters old Honda Jazz - who can say no to a Jazz! both old motors but practical for country living for now so we will keep them running.

And cleared garage today so the 126 can live indoors.

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what do you think it is worth?

No trolling at all. I love the Jazz/Fit platform and would love to make a track car out of one.

Probably between £2,500-3,000? Beautiful car but obviously Alfa resale values.

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