Posted on Monday 18 February 2019 by CarTakeBack

Diesel cars have been in the news a lot over the last few years, especially following the global Volkswagen emissions scandal (or “dieselgate”) in 2015. A European Commissioner even claimed that “diesel cars are finished” and will “completely disappear” in the near future.

CarTakeBack Scraps 114% more diesels in 2018

CarTakeBack in Ireland is a responsible recycling and car buying service. People all over the Republic of Ireland choose to scrap their old or broken-down cars with us. 2018 saw an unprecedented number of diesel cars scrapped through our service – a massive 114% increase year-on-year.

This annual increase in the number of scrapped diesels isn’t new either; between 2016 and 2017 there was a 111% increase in the number of diesels scrapped by CarTakeBack in Ireland.

Why are more Irish drivers choosing to ditch their diesels? 

It is becoming more expensive to keep an old diesel

For starters, following a period of prices dropping, diesel fuel costs are now back on the rise. Increased fuel costs will have the biggest impact on those using their diesels for longer journeys, which was one of the key selling points of a diesel motor.

Road taxes are set to be more expensive for owners of diesel cars delivering higher emissions too. In 2019, for example, a VW Golf 1.9 TDI will be taxed around €280 a year.

Older diesels are to be among the most expensive, with a 2005 model Audi A4 2.0 TDI looking set to cost upwards of €500 a year in road tax alone. It’s clear to see why so many older diesels are heading to the scrapyard.

How do emissions impact car tax in Ireland?

Emissions estimates taken from NextGreenCar.com 

The government is pushing zero-emissions

By 2030, the government has said that all new cars sold in the Republic of Ireland must be capable of delivering zero-emissions. This effectively means no more diesel cars. What’s more? The deadline in Ireland is coming a full decade earlier than in the UK.

New legislation and government policies are being discussed regularly, each intended to improve air quality and promote cleaner driving. This means it is hard to predict what costs or legislative changes diesel owners will need to deal with in the near future.

Climate awareness is growing

The main motivation for ditching the old diesel appears to still be financial; the more expensive they become to keep on the road, the more people will seek alternatives.

Growing awareness of environmental issues and the link between diesel motors and higher emissions is sure to have become more of a factor. This is particularly true for older diesel vehicles, which are now widely known to be much dirtier than newer diesels. 

New 1% surcharge on new and imported diesels

New and imported diesels are not considered as problematic as the older, dirtier ones. Despite this, the Irish government has started the ball rolling against new and imported models with a new 1% surcharge on the Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).

This new levy is estimated to add an extra €400 onto the average cost of a new diesel.

Hybrids vehicle tax relief extended

Irish motorists can currently enjoy a €1,500 VRT relief on regular hybrids and €2,500 on plug-in electric hybrids. This tax relief is set to extend until at least the end of 2019 in order to encourage drivers to adopt cleaner models.

Do you still drive an old diesel?

If you are still the owner of an older diesel and are finding the costs spiralling far beyond what you are comfortable with, perhaps it’s time to scrap and seek an alternative? CarTakeBack in Ireland can collect from you, or you can drop off at a local branch. You can find out how much your old diesel is worth with an instant quote today.

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