MotorKwirks

We have talked a lot about how to save money on buying your car. We have also spoken at great length about how to save money running your car and repairing it if necessary. But there are two key aspects of car ownership that we haven’t discussed yet. And we must, right now. The nation’s welfare depends on this. Those two subjects are tax and insurance. Here are some insurance and tax tips to keep more of your money in your pocket.

Don’t forget that MotorKwirks can find you a car if you’re struggling. We don’t take long to do this either. We can provide FREE expert advice on all aspects of vehicle ownership. Challenge us to find your ideal car by calling us or getting in touch today!

Road Tax
Road tax has the potential to flummox many a motorist. Until the early 2000s it was relatively straightforward, as it was previously calculated purely on engine capacity. If your car was under 1.5 litres in capacity, you paid one price. If it was over a 1.5, you paid another price. This means that my 2.0 Focus that I got as my first car cost me the same to tax as a 6.1 litre McLaren F1 Supercar. Or an 8 litre Dodge Viper. One of very few times the Focus can be justifiably mentioned in the same paragraph as such esteemed machinery. This makes tax calculation very simple if you’re looking to purchase a 20 year old ‘classic’

It was all change in March 2001, and since then you pay your tax based purely on emissions. The higher the emissions, the more you pay. Have a look at the emissions of any car you’re looking at and don’t forget to factor this into your purchase costs. If you’ve purchased a very high emission car made since early 2017, your first year of tax could cost you above £2000, so this really is worth keeping in mind.

Insurance
This is becoming something of a minefield when it comes to vehicles. There are so many providers, each of whom offers to save you around £200. I personally keep wondering who that one insurance company is that might be charging £200 more than everyone else. And presumably not noticing that business isn’t as good. But really, how many of us just stick with the same provider when it comes to renewal? It’s simple, it’s stress free, and that understandably matters. Especially in the world we live in today, where we have plenty of more important things to be worrying about. So how do we keep our insurance down to an acceptable level?

You can have a look on comparison sites, although you should consider that the best prices for a provider might only be available when you call them up. So you should use these sites as a guide, with a potential for even more savings should you decide to take the plunge. As for keeping insurance cheap, keeping the mileage down is a good place to start. If the value of your car ranges between a high and low value, don’t opt for the highest value.

Keep your car as secure as possible, using Thatcham approved equipment where you can. The insurance company may recognise some of the items you’re using, and lower you premium accordingly. And finally, try to make sure that you have selected all the right categories for your vehicle’s use. If you won’t be using the car for commuting, don’t pay for it. But if you do decide to commute and you don’t select the right category, don’t complain if you get caught and fined.

Conclusion
Hope this has helped you. Your tax might be fixed for the vehicle you buy, but do you have any more tips for keeping insurance low? Remember that we can find you a car in record time, and off free phone advice. Call us up, time us, and you will be amazed. Thanks for reading.