What is a gaz guzzler?

[x-fibre]

My dealer just told me over the phone the VIN number and the MSRP of my new BMW and he mentioned that gaz guzzler is included. What is that?

[Karl]

Gas Guzzler tax is a USA tax that is added to the sticker price of particularly fuel-inefficient cars (there's a formula to determine how much is added to a particular car). SUVs, being light trucks, are excluded from this tax altogether.

[KP]

for an 04 325i? Or are you referring to another car? If so the 325i, your dealer is ripping you off.

[andy_thomas]

Gas Guzzler tax is a USA tax that is added to the sticker price of particularly fuel-inefficient cars (there's a formula to determine how much is added to a particular car). SUVs, being light trucks, are excluded from this tax altogether.
One of the great paradoxes of our time :)

[Karl]

One of the greatest things involving SUVs these days is the "discovery" by some journalist that there are a LOT of areas (mostly residential) in California that ban vehicles over 6,000lbs gross vehicle weight rating. Most 'full-size' SUVs are well over 6,000lbs GVWR (including the Hummer H1 which is around 10,000lbs). But given that this isn't the 'spirit of the law', it's mostly just a journalistic attention-grabber. It would be neat if people driving these monstrosities could be banned from their own streets by city legislation they helped enact.

The reason why light trucks are excluded from the gas guzzler tax is that, at the time it was enacted, there was almost no hope of them ever seeing the mileage goals that are the premise of the tax. In addition, most light trucks were for commercial use and any legislation against them was heavily lobbied by various corporate entities. Their usage, of course, changed a lot in the 1990s. It still is the case though, that light trucks have less stringent emissions and fuel economy requirements than passenger cars in the USA. In fact, Chrysler used this to their advantage - they got the EPA to classify the PT Cruiser as a light truck because it has a 'flat cargo loading floor' - thereby bypassing any necessary R&D to get their hewn-from-stone motor to comply with newer, more strict emissions requirements. Sometimes I just hate the Big Three.

[Andrew*Debbie]

My dealer just told me over the phone the VIN number and the MSRP of my new BMW and he mentioned that gaz guzzler is included. What is that?

:google:


www.fueleconomy.gov :

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The Energy Tax Act of 1978 established a Gas Guzzler Tax on the sale of new model year vehicles whose fuel economy fails to meet certain statutory levels. The gas guzzler tax applies only to cars (not trucks) and is collected by the IRS. The fuel economy figures used to determine the Gas Guzzler Tax are different from the fuel economy values provided on this web site and the Fuel Economy Guide. The tax does not depend on your actual on-the-road mpg, which may be more or less than the EPA published value. The purpose of the Gas Guzzler Tax is to discourage the production and purchase of fuel inefficient vehicles. The amount of any applicable Gas Guzzler Tax paid by the manufacturer will be disclosed on the automobile's fuel economy label (the window sticker on new cars).

GAS GUZZLER TAX
Unadjusted MPG(combined)* Tax
at least 22.5 No tax
at least 21.5, but less than 22.5 $1000
at least 20.5, but less than 21.5 $1300
at least 19.5, but less than 20.5 $1700
at least 18.5, but less than 19.5 $2100
at least 17.5, but less than 18.5 $2600
at least 16.5, but less than 17.5 $3000
at least 15.5, but less than 16.5 $3700
at least 14.5, but less than 15.5 $4500
at least 13.5, but less than 14.5 $5400
at least 12.5, but less than 13.5 $6400
less than 12.5 $7700

* The combined fuel economy MPG value (55 % city, 45 % highway) is used to determine tax liability. The MPG value is also adjusted slightly to account for differences in test procedures made since the base year. The MPG value is not adjusted for in-use short fall. The unadjusted combined MPG of a vehicle can be approximated from the city and highway values provided in the Fuel Economy Guide and on this website by the following equation:

(1/(.495/city MPG + .351/highway MPG))+.15


Since this is an approximate calculation, the actual gas guzzler tax may be off by one tax bracket.

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325 and 330 shoudn't pay this.


I figure the M3 coupe's unadjusted combined MPG as 21.79 SMG and 22.09 Man 6 speed.
Fuelecononmy.gov lists 19 and 19. The M3 gets hit with the Tax.


Ford Explorer' is 16MPG combined but doesn't pay the guzler tax :mad: