zb32

Hi all,

just curious, in the US, I have heard that 928's are subject to a so called "gas guzzer tax" meaning you have to pay some $$$ a year depending on how much gas your car uses. www.fueleconomy.gov confirms that.

Is anybody dealing with this?

thanks

Dennis Wilson

I believe you are referring to the tax levied against the auto manufacturers that don't meet the standards for new cars sold. I have not heard of a gas guzzler tax that has been leveid on used vehicles. Some states levy road tax/registration fees based upon vehicle weight which could be construed as a guzzler tax but weight isn't always a good indicator of gas mileage. Actually in most states the registration fees go down on the older vehicles even though they aren't the most economical. Of course, there is a tax on each gallon of gas purchased, so the more gas you use, the more tax you pay.

Dennis

Big Dave

In Michigan we have the ridiculous license plate fees...they're based on the value of the car when it was brand new. So, there are 928 S4 owners paying $350+ for yearly tags on a car they bought for $12,000 because it sold for $80,000 when new 15 years ago. It's irritating to see the folks getting tags for new SUVs paying half of what we pay.

TeufelHei

The gas guzzler tax is levied against manufacturers/importers whose product does not meet the EPA standard for size/type vehicle. The savings is passed on to the consumer who buys the car new. It should only be a one-time deal, and has nothing to do with registering your car once it's been purchased.

Interestingly, our cars are considered sub-compact. Take into account that we are being compared to the likes of the Geo Metro and Saturn SL for the purposes of fuel consumption. The reality is that I get much better gas mileage than my American contemporaries (ie the '81 and '85 Corvette) and have more interior space by a long shot. They don't have the tax...imagine that.

TeufelHei

Luckily, I have a Military exemption from vehicle property tax. I looked at what I would have had to pay and laughed out loud at the woman behind the counter. It was nice to know that my car cost as much as a house did back in the '80s. Too bad I couldn't trade it for one now. I don't think I would though, I mean, what would live in the fifth bedroom (garage) if I didn't have a Shark or two?