"awry" doesn't mean the import tax is removed but the import tax on used cars imported from abroad has been revised. and the changes are retrospective. Anybody who imported a car since 2012 can claim if there is some reduction according to the new rules.A state tax on cars brought to Finland from abroad has gone awry
old rule: imported used cars were taxed relevant to the car tax rate CURRENTLY in place. So whether the car was first registered 2005 or 2013, the tax paid is based on how cars are taxed in 2015. the current tax law is based on CO2 emissions and cars with more CO2 (generally bigger engines) are hit hard.
new rule: used cars should be taxed based on the tax rates for cars in place at the time the used car was first registered. Eg a car registered in germany in 2005 and imported to Finland today is taxed according to finnish car tax rates in 2005 (which were not CO2 based). A car registered in 2013 is taxed based on the tax rates in place in 2013.
This benefits those importing cars with high CO2 but are not that new. since before 2008 the high emissions cars were not hit so badly. even from 2008 - 2012 the rates were a bit lower than the are now.
The story is about the lack of rush from people who previously imported cars to claim any refund due (since the new interpretation isn't just for those importing a car now, but applies to people who previously imported a car and paid the tax already).
I'm just about to import a used BMW 5 series. The German price + Finnish tax will save about 20% compared to finnish prices .. but equipment levels are massively better in germany and things like blind spot radar, heads up display , self parking are almost never seen on finnish bmw's. I would have paid 20% more for a plain car compared to one fully loaded with gadgets from germany.