Why buy a new car?

SIR – Car sales in 2017 fell by about 6 per cent on the previous year (report, January 4). This comes as no surprise to me, as I am sure I am not the only one to have avoided buying a new car because of the Government’s stupidity in revamping car tax.

A few months ago, I was in the market to buy a hybrid car with emissions below 80g/km, costing about £50,000.

If I bought a new car meeting these criteria, the car tax was going to be £430 a year, or more than £2,000 for the five years I would keep the car.

If I bought a nearly new car registered before April 2017, the car tax was going to be zero. Needless to say, I bought the latter. Harry Stevens

Upper Bentley, Worcestershire