Comments on: Small Cars in Ireland http://thefinancebuff.com/small-cars-in-ireland.html like a friend telling you about money ... Wed, 23 May 2012 19:06:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: TimK http://thefinancebuff.com/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2200 TimK Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:58:55 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/06/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2200 There's a "how taxes drives behavior" (pun intended) angle to this story. I recalled from prior business trips to Ireland that cars with an engine over 1 liter (1000cc) had a significantly higher Motor Tax. Looks like they changed the tax regime from engine size to CO2 emissions. A quick glance at the chart shows how progressive the rate is. http://www.irishlinks.co.uk/car-tax-ireland.htm you saw a lot of small cars in part because of the taxes on big cars. Imagine what the reaction would be if we tried that here... There’s a “how taxes drives behavior” (pun intended) angle to this story. I recalled from prior business trips to Ireland that cars with an engine over 1 liter (1000cc) had a significantly higher Motor Tax. Looks like they changed the tax regime from engine size to CO2 emissions. A quick glance at the chart shows how progressive the rate is. http://www.irishlinks.co.uk/car-tax-ireland.htm

you saw a lot of small cars in part because of the taxes on big cars. Imagine what the reaction would be if we tried that here…

]]> By: TFB http://thefinancebuff.com/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2176 TFB Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:25:43 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/06/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2176 @right side of the river - No I didn't notice any sticker. I didn't see any CNG pumps either. Their petrol has only one grade. There are two nozzles at the pump: unleaded petrol or diesel. Diesel was about 10% less than unleaded petrol. No card swipes at the pumps. You pump first. Then go into the store to pay. At one station it said "use self-service after 7 p.m." with a slot on a metal pole. I wonder if that's for paying cash on an honor system. @right side of the river – No I didn’t notice any sticker. I didn’t see any CNG pumps either. Their petrol has only one grade. There are two nozzles at the pump: unleaded petrol or diesel. Diesel was about 10% less than unleaded petrol. No card swipes at the pumps. You pump first. Then go into the store to pay. At one station it said “use self-service after 7 p.m.” with a slot on a metal pole. I wonder if that’s for paying cash on an honor system.

]]> By: right side of the river http://thefinancebuff.com/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2175 right side of the river Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:11:21 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/06/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2175 did you notice any cars running on CNG (compressed natural gas)? some cars have a CNG sticker at the back, or you might have seen CNG pumps at the gas station. it's a lot cheaper than gas/petrol so a lot of countries have been retooling their cars to run on it. don't know if Ireland is one of them. did you notice any cars running on CNG (compressed natural gas)? some cars have a CNG sticker at the back, or you might have seen CNG pumps at the gas station. it’s a lot cheaper than gas/petrol so a lot of countries have been retooling their cars to run on it. don’t know if Ireland is one of them.

]]> By: SJ http://thefinancebuff.com/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2174 SJ Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:39:41 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/06/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2174 Aren't we fatter =)? Basically energy is way too cheap in this country... I think calories are also too cheap too... tho not entirely certain... Aren’t we fatter =)?

Basically energy is way too cheap in this country… I think calories are also too cheap too… tho not entirely certain…

]]> By: TIE http://thefinancebuff.com/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2170 TIE Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:19:15 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/06/small-cars-in-ireland.html#comment-2170 Based on EconTalk interviews there seems to be some evidence that efficient internal combusion engines use fewer resources than hybrids if you count all resource use: from construction to responsible disposal (batteries need to be handled carefully). I don't have references handy. Anyway, as the owner of a large vehicle I can tell you exactly why I have one and why I like it. The main reason is that it doesn't cost me much. I'm imposing externalities on others that cost me nothing. Gas prices are low. We also don't drive much so even if they were back up to $4 it wouldn't matter. Givent that it is cheap, we selected a large vehicle because it fits our family and lifestyle well. The kids and my wife's supplies for her business all fit in the car without a problem. This could not be said of our previous smaller vehicle. (Child car seat requirements really impose an incentive for larger cars.) But it comes back to price. Of course we'd make do with a smaller car if the price difference justified it. I'm personally happy it does not. But I also think it should. (I actually think we should have far fewer vehicles overall and much better public transportation...) Based on EconTalk interviews there seems to be some evidence that efficient internal combusion engines use fewer resources than hybrids if you count all resource use: from construction to responsible disposal (batteries need to be handled carefully). I don’t have references handy.

Anyway, as the owner of a large vehicle I can tell you exactly why I have one and why I like it. The main reason is that it doesn’t cost me much. I’m imposing externalities on others that cost me nothing. Gas prices are low. We also don’t drive much so even if they were back up to $4 it wouldn’t matter.

Givent that it is cheap, we selected a large vehicle because it fits our family and lifestyle well. The kids and my wife’s supplies for her business all fit in the car without a problem. This could not be said of our previous smaller vehicle. (Child car seat requirements really impose an incentive for larger cars.)

But it comes back to price. Of course we’d make do with a smaller car if the price difference justified it. I’m personally happy it does not. But I also think it should. (I actually think we should have far fewer vehicles overall and much better public transportation…)

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