rhampar

Was wondering if you folks noticed this as well.

While perusing the MBUSA website I noticed that the CLK & CLS 550 models no longer have $1300 gas guzzler taxes attached to them. Tryed checking the E class but they don't have pricing posted so I couldn't see if this model has the tax removed. Only noticed gas guzzler tax on the S class.

Does anyone know if MB did something to the trans or engine tuning to meet mileage regs to get around the guzzler tax? Also does anyone know if the 08 E550 will have the guzzler tax recinded?

Hope the tax is wavied on the E class as I have an E550 on order for Aug / Sept delivery and can use this savings on mods or radar detector.

Thanks

BudC

A Gas Guzzler Tax on an E550 is ridiculous when big American gas guzzlers are free of it. It's just a little tax break Washington gives Detroit automakers so they can keep selling their cash cows.

cyclerider

There is still a gas-guzzler tax. The EPA has changed the way they test cars, and the resulting mileage figures are lower than they were last year. The 2008 S-Class has a $300 increase in tax over the 2007 model. You will pay at least the same $1300 tax as I did on my 2007 E550.

amdeutsch

Actually there is a formula that was used. I know, because I got taken to school when I made a similar comment like you. Don't forget that you will still have to sell a lot of small cars to get mileage credit for the bigger ones; CAFE std.

I think. But I've slept since then and have seen some American cars with a gas guzzler taz - GTO.

rhampar

Thanks for your comments.

However if you check MBUSA you'll see when you build a CLK or CLS 550 and get to the summary page there is NO gas guzzler tax. As the E Class sits between these models I hope your all wrong on a gas guzzler tax being levied for 08 E550's.

This is why I asked my initial question related to engine or transmission tuning as these three models (CLK, E & CLS) share the same engine 5.5 ltr and transmission 7-Speed G-Tronic.

Does anyone know what MB may have done to get the gas guzzler tax removed from CLK, CLS and hopefully E550 models??

Thanks

BudC

You can bet that companies like Ford plan their production to make sure you don't pay the tax on vehicles like the Explorer. Of course that's another little perk Washington gives Detroit. They have different standards for trucks than cars.

cyclerider

If you look on the MBUSA website, the EPA fuel economy numbers for the CLS550 says "TBA". Until they get the new numbers from the EPA and then update the website (which M-B can be painfully slow at) the gas-guzzler tax will show $0 on the website. You are going to pay a guzzler tax on your 2008 E550. If you don't want to pay it, then change your order to an E350.

cyclerider

That standard exists for trucks made outside of Detroit as well. The 2007 Mercedes ML500 uses a lot more fuel than my E550, but doesn't have a gas-guzzler tax. Large, powerful American cars are also subject to the guzzler tax. It doesn't have anything to do with the country of origin of the vehicle.

rhampar

Cyclerider,

Thanks for the clarification. Don't mind paying the guzzler tax. Just found it interesting that MB didn't show it on their website. Also would of been nice to save a $1300 nonsense charge on the car.

cyclerider

Last year at about this time, while I was waiting for my '07 to be built and shipped, the website showed $0 for the tax. The first time I actually saw an E550 on a dealership lot was the first I knew of the tax (the 2006 E500 had NO tax). As for the nonsense charge, at least we aren't paying the Luxury Tax on cars anymore. It went away in 2003.

Germancar1

The missing gas guzzler tax thing happens every time they switch over to new models, but even when they do get the numbers MBUSA is so slow to update the site. The whole site needs to be revamped IMO.

M

DarkXerox

I've always wondered where that tax money actually goes...because it sure looks as if it does not go into road repair here.

amdeutsch

OK, found it.

Post #5

Little old but it might help to explain how it worked. Not sure on the new way of calculating.

rhampar

Thanks for posting this link. Very interesting reading. Does anyone have EPA city and highway #'s for the 2007 E550? Would like to try working this formula myself.

cyclerider

2007 E550 EPA mpg = 14 city 21 highway 16 combined (new estimates)

2007 E550 EPA mpg - 15 city 23 highway 18 combined (old estimates)

The old estimates are the ones found on the window sticker of 2007 models.

The new estimates will be the ones found on the window sticker of 2008 models. Use the new numbers to calculate gas-guzzler tax for '08 E550. These numbers are for RWD only. 4-Matic numbers are slightly lower.

rhampar

Ok so I used the formula (1/(0.495/x + 0.351/y)) + 0.15, where x = city fuel economy and y = highway fuel economy.

And using Cycleriders figures:
2007 E550 EPA mpg = 14 city 21 highway 16 combined (new estimates)

2007 E550 EPA mpg - 15 city 23 highway 18 combined (old estimates)

I came up with the following:

Old estimate = 20.85 mpg
New estimate = 19.75 mpg

Based on the chart below and if the govt uses new estimate we should be paying $1700 for gas guzzler tax on the E550.

If vehicle combined economy is vehicle > 22.5 mpg, no tax.
If vehicle combined economy is 21.5 < vehicle < 22.5 mpg, $1,000 gas tax.
If vehicle combined economy is 20.5 < vehicle < 21.5 mpg, $1,300 gas tax.
If vehicle combined economy is 19.5 < vehicle < 20.5 mpg, $1,700 gas tax.
If vehicle combined economy is 18.5 < vehicle < 19.5 mpg, $2,100 gas tax.

So now it begs the question, How does MBUSA.com show a $1300 guzzler tax on S550 which is a larger, heavier, less aerodynamic which I would expect to get less mpg than the E? Also MBUSA shows the same (new estimate) mpg figures on the S550 as Cyclerider provided for the E.

Hope I did something wrong in my calculations but I checked it twice. Possibly the govt has created a new scale for calculating gas tax?

Do any of our MB experts out there have the answer.....

emilner

From what I understand Cafe requirements and GG tax #'s are also being lowered to reflect the lower MPG estimates. It only seems logical, automakers built their cars around a set formula, if the government changes the formula, they shouldn't immediately punish consumers (they like to wait for those sort of things).

cyclerider

rhampar, I think your calculations are correct. The gas-guzzler tax on the 2007 S-Class was $1000, but the new EPA estimates which took effect this year caused the 2008 S-Class tax to increase to $1300. I haven't seen the window sticker on a 2008 E550 yet, but it is possible that the E-Class tax could rise from last year's $1300 to $1700 for 2008.

emilner

Why would the S class, a vehicle that has lower fuel economy than an E550 have a lower gas guzzler tax for '07?

cyclerider

The S-Class has higher EPA numbers for 2007, not lower!

2007 S550 EPA mpg - 16 city 24 highway 18 combined (old estimates)

2007 E550 EPA mpg - 15 city 23 highway 18 combined (old estimates)

rhampar

All,

Just checked MBUSA and they have mpg figures posted:

E550 rwd
15 mpg city
22 mpg highway

E550 4-matic
13 mpg city
19 mpg highway.

Tryed configuring my E550 rwd (on order) and YAHOOO - NO GAS GUZZLER TAX. Now I gotta think of what mods to buy

Also configured an E550 4-matic and OUCH $1700 guzzler tax.

Regards,

cyclerider

I just configured a 2008 E63 AMG and it shows a gas guzzler tax of $0. What do you make of that?

silberrosa

GGTs are as follows for the MY08 E-Class

E-Class 6cyl=0
E550W=0 (was 1300 for MY07)
E550W4=1700
E63W=2100
E63S=2600

Others
CLS550=1300
CLK550=1000
CL550=1000

As to why these are different. Who knows?