All Terrain Vehicle...

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Is there an official definition of All Terrain Vehicle in Finland? I just received a car tax (import) assessment from Tulli which is about twice the amount I expected. Apparently my four wheel drive (off-road type, not soccer mum type or sports car), is not an all terrain passenger vehicle (14% tax rate), but a passenger vehicle (29% tax rate). Should I have bought a tank or a hovercraft or a ufo instead? Also , what happens if I don't pay in ten days? I asked at Tulli when I had the vehicle inspection and they didn't know (they were so shocked that I asked!)

[mCowboy]

I think that in this case ATV means those quadbikes.

Off roaders are considered either cars (henkilöauto, M1 class), off road car (maastohenkilöauto, M1G), vans, if they are heavy enough (pakettiauto, N1) or off road van (maastopakettiauto, N1G).

Cars and off road cars have the same tax%, vans and off road vans have a bit lower tax% (but you'd need to remove the backseat(s) and have a top speed limited to 100kmh.

If I recall correctly, you have that Bronco, so it's considered as a normal car or an off road car, so the tax sounds about right.

But lucky you got the resolution this year, next year due to changes in car tax (based on emissions and engine size) you'd expect to pay a lot more.

[Hank W.]

Also , what happens if I don't pay in ten days?

Something like this...

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Something like this...

I watched those little white dots go round and round on the black screen for a couple of minutes. It's annoying but I'm not sure it's enough to convince me to pay...

[mCowboy]

I'm not sure what will happen, but with cars already in Finland with unpaid fees, they will take the plates away. So you are not able to register (or drive) your car in Finland.

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I have the money but I was just curious what would happen. I just don't like paying twice for the same thing.

[superiorinferior]

I just don't like paying twice for the same thing.

Then coming to Finland was a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig mistake.

[Hank W.]

With Tulli you can always complain - after paying. However there has been no dispensation for all-terrain vehichles since 1993. Before 1983 they were tax-free and in between there was a lower taxation. So the only difference is between a "passenger car" and a "van". Mind you though, the same car as a "passenger" might have cheaper insurance than if it was a "van" so saving a few pennies at customs might prove expensive in the long run.

[Juha H.]

All Terrain Vehicle = mönkijä.

As it happens, it is this year's turhake or most wasted item.

http://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/artikkeli/Vuod ... 5232302001