VED rates 2017

Should have said nearly new, over 1 year old
Personally I'd never buy a brand new car.

How does that affect demonstrators,
Will the garage be stuck with them for 12 months?

I still think you'll see some new car offers before the end on March.
If I remember correctly road tax was about £80 before the current emissions based system came in so £140 is app where it would probably be anyway by now.
The Jimny is such an old design that the emissions are quite high hence the new £500 first year charge.
Newer small cars will not have such an expensive first year charge and some will only pay around what they pay now (for the first year) and then most will be £140.
I pay £210 for the Jimny which I knew before buying but where else could you get a similar 4 x 4 for that? (under the existing system)
Where it will hurt is the s/hand market especially those larger cars and diesels. I've already noticed quite a few s/hand diesels on the forecourts so if there is a surplus of those trade in prices will get lower.
There will probably initially be quite a market for used cars that are a
year or so old.

Halford wrote: Should have said nearly new, over 1 year old
Personally I'd never buy a brand new car.

How does that affect demonstrators,
Will the garage be stuck with them for 12 months?

Problem is the Jimny is a dinosaur in todays market for it's size.
I expect dealers will be rushing to pre register existing showroom cars that will be affected especially the larger ones or ones with high emissions.
If they are too late I expect they may give a discount equivilent to the first year cost as an incentive.
The Jimny ,as we all know, is due for change anyway so expect a rush to get rid of old stocks.
I've only ever had one new car and that was a 1.5 Swift which cost £115 tax anyway lol
I would probably buy a 1 year old car and the depreciation would more than cover a few years road tax so it's swings and roundabouts.
Are we going to see people hanging on to small cars until they are so bad they will no longer pass an MOT??

I am right on the edge of buying a Celerio. It reminds me inside of a more spacious SJ. Has anybody driven one regularly. I also looked at a Jimny and when I mentioned the £500 first year tax he told me it was in with the price. I like that the Celerio has zero tax forever and should benefit me cos I keep most of my motors for 15 years or so plus it will be nice to get a motor that doesn't come with OPP (other people's problems). It means I will know the history of the car from the very start. It would be my first new car in 30 years. As from April as has been said all real cars (in the bread and butter class) are going to be £140 year after the first year; I suppose the government has to claw back some income. Best thing they could do is bring back the tax disc.