The ULEZ effect

I suppose it is a dilemma that many face. Bail out of non-compliant vehicles now while they might still have some value, or just run them to the end of their usefulness. "Upgrading" to a compliant vehicle may well be the more costly option.

My car is compliant, and as discussed elsewhere, it does everything I need it for exceptionally well, but there is a little devil sitting on my shoulder telling me I should probably get something new. Ironically perhaps, I'm more than able at the moment to buy whatever I want.

However, the something new in my case would still probably be a diesel for practical reasons, and it feels a bit uncomfortable to be chucking big bucks at a new or new-ish car that may have a relatively short useful life now, and that may, as legislation changes, lose much of its value more quickly. At least with the one I have, if I keep it for a while yet, and get the use of it, I'll not be too bothered if it's not worth a great deal in the end.

If things tighten further, like the total diesel bans being proposed in some cities, I do have another car that could be used on those occasions.

With your CLS, I guess you could just decide to keep it now until it's no longer viable, either through being legislated out of usefulness or simply until it's worn out.

Funnily enough, I was talking to a friend last night about his car/s. One of them is a relatively new, but the old version, Land Rover Defender. Like many who own such vehicles, he has an irrational love for it. It is not ULEZ compliant and he does go into London reasonably often. Those things are still fetching big money and he's agonising over whether to sell it now while it would realise some serious cash, or to keep it and suffer the consequences because he's fond of it.

I think the last of those will — rightly — happen, certainly in cities, but only after a progressive marginalisation of diesels to avoid unduly penalising people who’ve bought them in good faith and who can’t simply change their vehicle or their habits.

Oh, and yesterday’s G7 decision to go for 1.5°C is bound to have repercussions for vehicle choices. Might be as simple as fuel duties (although home heating and insulation need more attention sooner) but expect to see changes.

Incidentally, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I parked in E17 yesterday. I’d done a Streetview recce and established that residents-only restrictions end at 1730 but I still needed a space and there were plenty. Just round the corner from the restaurant too.

While I agree individuals have a role and responsibilities to play in cutting pollution until everyone shares the same view the pollution continues to grow.

Depending on where you source your news I've read China have a view of the west has had 150 years of industrialisation and pollution, now it's our turn. If that is true and the line they are taking we will be back to living in caves and walking everywhere to offset what is coming with all the coal and iron ore that country is sitting on.

I don't think anyone saying not our problem, until you get all the big polluters playing by the same rules the G7 and any other group is a load of blah, blah, blah and will achieve nothing. The G7 has been in effect how long? The news always reporting things are getting worse tells me it is not effective and needs to be looked at and changed. It is simply not working.

We need to remove the politicians if we want to achieve anything and let the grown ups have the discussions. This is not a call for anarchy and overthrowing of governments, if you want something doing do not ask a politician to deliver. Politicians do what industrialists/money tells them.

I'm astonished Sadiq Khan was re-elected. This ULEZ nonsense affects the poorest drivers in society most. Having to change cars when your existing one is perfectly satisfactory is a waste of resources of all types.

I can see a scheme whereby you declare ownership of a car on Day One and when you change it, you have to improve the emissions. Anything else discriminates...

I don’t think I would buy a diesel car if I were in the market right now. Legislation is only going one way. But I wouldn’t buy an EV yet either. Small petrol turbo seems to be the middle ground, with or without a hybrid component. I see that the new Kia Sorento large 7-seater makes do with a 1.6 petrol turbo and supplementary electric power. Presumably the 2 power sources combined are up to the job.

Saw a brand new, shiny orange Audi Q8 yesterday. Looked striking. But then I saw that it was diesel powered. Seems incongruous really.