Articles on the tax incentives for buying pick up trucks?

Can anyone make an argument in favour of the policy?

The beneficiaries of the policy certainly can! Apparently, these vehicles are exempt from MOT, insurance and VED although I think you still have to pay for the petrol

bikes wrote:

Can anyone make an argument in favour of the policy? Did the government ever reveal the  reasoning behind it? Would a petition questioning the policy likely get enough traction for 10,000 signatures?

The government "policy" as such is just a way of defining commercial vehicles for tax purposes, which is the correct thing to do, otherwise it would be free-for-all on VAT reclaim on ordinary cars. The issue with crew-cab pick-ups being used instead of company cars is what's known as a "loophole". Over the years, the government has sought to discourage this by raising the BIK, it's currently nearly £4k, back in the mid 2000s when the manufacturers started putting more comfortable interiors in them, the BIK was only £500. 

Just make it so that if it's owned/leased by a company, it's a company car.  That way people can have estate cars instead of enviornment wrecking trucks, which they have because if you don't have a 1 tonne plus LCV you lose money.  More government stupidity in action.

Bigtwin wrote:

Just make it so that if it's owned/leased by a company, it's a company car.  That way people can have estate cars instead of enviornment wrecking trucks, which they have because if you don't have a 1 tonne plus LCV you lose money.  More government stupidity in action.

How would you propose the difference in BIK tax between company cars and commercial vehicles?

Tom_77 wrote:

There's a summary of the UK tax rules here.

How remiss of Auto Express to not mention that lower commerical vehicle speed limits apply to most of these 4x4 crew cab pickups.

In my experience, the drivers of these vehicles seem to have bought them to intimidate other road users, by tailgating and generally bullying others out of their way. Shame it's also being funded by the tax payer.

HoarseMann wrote:

Tom_77 wrote:

There's a summary of the UK tax rules here.

How remiss of Auto Express to not mention that lower commerical vehicle speed limits apply to most of these 4x4 crew cab pickups.

In my experience, the drivers of these vehicles seem to have bought them to intimidate other road users, by tailgating and generally bullying others out of their way. Shame it's also being funded by the tax payer.

I totally agree with you experience.  Anecdotal evidence, a guy I work with bought a Misubishi Warrior or something like that, I asked him why, he said it was cool and his kids love it. It barely fits a standard car park space at work.  They are almost always driven with a couldn't-give-a-fuck-about-anyone-else attitude, although that isn't just restricted to pick ups.

I had some work done on my central heating in December.  I had to bite my tongue every time I saw the guy's shiny black crew-cab pickup thing…  (I didn't want to alienate him, as he does really good work).

I said to my wife, "I can't believe he's going to put all that rubbish (old boiler, pipes, etc) in that vehicle!" and you know what, he didn't!  He arranged for a mate with a grubby white van to come and collect it all the next day! 

It's not uncommon to see the blokes doing the actual work rocking up in a battered white Transit with the tools, materials etc. An hour later, the boss rocks up in a spotless, shiny "pick-up" wankpanzer.

Baffingly, the driver of each vehicle pays the same "van" benefit-in-kind for any private use.
It's bonkers.