Significant impact of €200 parking levy

HELPDESK: Michael McAleer answers all your motoring queries

From T McKee: The new €200 parking levy seems like a rather cynical move that will unfairly punish poorer commuters. Like the toll charge in the morning it will stop regular motorists driving to work, but won't matter to richer commuters such as TDs, who might even appreciate the levy given that it reduces the number of ordinary citizens clogging up their route to the Dáil.

Like all levies, it hits people regardless of income. But for the high-rolling executive, €200 a year - about €1 a day - is hardly going to push them onto the bus. For commuters struggling to get by, it has a more significant impact. It's very like the way the Port Tunnel toll operates. In rush hour, the tunnel is generally too costly for the average motorist, but for those who can afford it, it is an ideal way to avoid the gridlock.

In reality, most commuters will simply accept it with the sort of fatalism we have come to accept as one of the most put-upon taxpaying groups in the State.

There remains a significant question as to what areas will be designated as within the remit for the levy. For that we must likely wait until the Finance Bill.

From Mary B: Does the new levy apply to each parking spot at an office or only public spaces in car parks? What if you share a space? How will this be policed?

It applies to any space offered to employees by their employer, so it can be the space outside the office or a ticket to a public car park. The levy applies to employees and not the space, so even if you share, anyone who avails of the spot will face the full charge.

Details have yet to be issued but it's likely that employees will be subject to the normal Revenue audit procedure, with the normal obligations on employers to maintain records.

From P McLoughney: I'm due to change car in January but everyone is saying the market has collapsed. Am I mad to consider doing anything now?

Like every purchased item on the market, the car industry is suffering from a fall in consumer confidence which, in turn, is causing cash-flow problems.

In previous downturns, while the market was hit by falling sales, credit lines stayed open, letting everyone ride out the storm. This time, things are tighter, both for the customer and for the dealer. Finance is not as easy to come by.

But we need to keep a degree of perspective. While sales are rock-bottom, we are at year-end, a time when most potential buyers postpone purchasing until the new year. That means any fall in sales looks particularly bad when reflected in percentage terms, given the relatively low sales figures for these months.

And despite the publicity surrounding the banking crisis, credit is still available. More stringent checks on ability to repay should serve to reassure customers that they can afford the car in question.

Finally, the deals on offer at present are incredible. We've spent the last few days checking out the used-car market and, like every trade, there comes a time when the price is right.

Things look bleak now but the market will recover and prices will rise.

No one is suggesting families put themselves in financial peril for a new car, but there are plenty of people who are financially secure - for them, this is a great time to buy. Economies recover and these deals will disappear once dealers get cashflows back in order.

From DB: I'm having trouble selling my 2002 Renault Clio. It's €8,000 and has 30,000 miles on the clock. It has been up on various websites, with no success. Any suggestions?

You sent an image of your car and details of your ad. The first thing that strikes me is that the car is filthy and the photo was taken on a dull day. Regardless of the fact your price seems high, you need to get the basics right. Clean the car thoroughly before taking the photo and try to get an attractive setting.

Remember, you are competing with hundreds of others for buyer attention and most will peruse the photos before looking at details. I would suggest you offer more information, such as the specification and features of the car, how old the NCT is and so on. An idea might be to check out what local dealers are offering for a similar car - dealers usually offer a warranty with cars and you don't, so charging more than them won't work.