Not a 'which banger to buy' post

We've had a bit of a change in our company car policy.

Unfortunately, this has meant a reduced choice off the list, which is now:

Audi A4 TDI-140 SE VW Passat 2.0TDI-140 Highline BMW 320d SE

None of which are particularly inspiring, and they're all 4 door saloons.

However, the rules on the age of car we can run have been relaxed.

Doing a quick calculation, and leaving cash in reserve for maintenance, I'm looking at possibly spending a max. of £14k on something that's up to a couple of years old with less than 40k miles on it.

I could stretch to more, as claiming the tax back on my mileage will more than cover the maintenance, however, I'd prefer not to do it this way, as you only get the tax back at the end of the year.

What do you lot reckon I should look at?

Reply to
SteveH
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Meh, sounds like a hassle, I'd just take the Beemer. Afterall, it's a fully maintained lease - and as you've always said, it's only a company thing to heap the miles on, I'd just take the easy option.

Reply to
DanB

However, if I buy carefully, I could run it for 3 years and hand it to Katie - she'd get a 5 year old, but high mileage and well maintained car paid for by my employers....

Part of me says just to drop down a group into the Audi A3 1.9TDI-E, take the £75 / month difference in lease costs and have a much lower tax bill.

Reply to
SteveH

Yeap, me too

Sounds like a plan if all you're going to do is cane it round the country..

Mike P

Reply to
Mike P

Does the company car come with a fuel card, or do you have to claim the

11p/mile? If I were in your shoes, where your job relies on you being able to drive about I'd get the company car, probably the Beemer, if it came with the fuel card. Simple reason: the stupid rises in fuel costs.

In my case, if I weren't running the 306 on B100 then I'd be about £18 a week worse off in expenses since the start of the year, as I go through a tank a week on company business. That's nearly £950 a year which would have covered my insurance, tax, servicing, a couple of tyres and the exhaust I'm about to need.

If all you're bothered about is breaking even and having a high-miler to hand down then that's not such a problem, but if the fuel costs continue to spiral then it could bite you on the arse at some point in the future.

Reply to
Abo

If as you repeatedly say it's only a tool for work, just get whatever's adequate for that. You shouldn't be dipping into your pocket for work stuff - the tax bill is only worth it if you get sufficent personal benefit (which could include more fun while driving on work time), and you say you've got more fun stuff for that.

cheers, clive

Reply to
Clive George

I'd have a fuel card, and have to pay back private mileage.

Just looking at some more calculations now.

Break even on private miles at the current cost is 5.5k using the 320d official fuel consumption figures. I reckon on it being closer to 4k in the real world, without the rises in costs which will continue to come.

You're probably right - stick with the car, and opt back in to having private mileage paid - then just make sure I maximise my private use (eg. let Katie use it for commuting when I don't need it etc)

Reply to
SteveH

Whilst this is true, it's weighing up the benefit of driving 35k miles in a poverty spec. Audi with 105bhp or paying a nominal amount of extra tax to have a decent spec. 3-series with 177bhp.

It's a long time to spend in a car each year, and whilst it would be nice to have effectively a pay rise each month to downgrade the car, I'm still not convinced that the Audi is worth the sacrifice.

I'm still leaning towards the 320 at the moment.

Reply to
SteveH

If they've killed the age restriction, why not buy the Pissant off them for sensible money and run it for a couple more years?

Reply to
Pete M

Mostly because I want an automatic and partly because I know my current car needs stuff doing that Leaseplan won't have done before I hand it back. There's also the issue that it's not going to be cheap enough to be worthwhile (ie. they're likely to want the thick end of 10k for it - I can get a 2.0TDI SE 140 DSG from my local car supermarket, with 10k miles on it, on an 07 plate for £14k.....)

Just balancing it all out, it's a tough call - one option would be a 2 year old Alfa GT (not auto, but it's an Alfa and I wouldn't want sillyspeed anyway) - prices from £12k, and an ideal car to give to Katie after 3 years.

However, with the spiralling cost of diesel, the private use break-even is getting lower and lower by the month - it doesn't take long to burn through 50 quid's worth of diesel these days. When I opted out, it was closer to a full tank per month....

Reply to
SteveH

£8 drill-powered transfer pump, then fill your car up for free and pump half over to Katie's car? ;)
Reply to
Abo

Nice plan, but I suspect a TSpark won't run well on diesel ;-)

Reply to
SteveH

Yeah, but over the course of the year he'll be spending a fair few hours in the car so utter poverty-spec would be a bit of a bind.

Reply to
Abo

I didn't think they were as bad as they are when I posted that - they don't even have rear speakers for the stereo, ffs.

Sod that.

I'd have an A3 SE if only they'd give us the option of a 2.0TDI, rather than the old boat-anchor 1.9.

Reply to
SteveH

Yea, at the least the Beemer would be nice in a "It's a diesel but it could be worse" kinda way to drive. And the SEs have enough toys to make it comfy.

Reply to
DanB

Foiled :(

Reply to
Abo

What happened to that all singing all dancing autobahn storming company motor you were bragging about getting for nowt?

Instead you're restricted to some of the most mundane motoring outside a Kia Pride.

Reply to
Conor

Whatever, Conor.

Yes, the list has been cut back. I wanted a Volvo V50 D5, but they've gone with 'the most popular choices'. The real oddity is that the 520d has gone, too. But a 320d with options taking it to a 520d price is still there.....

It's a no-brainer, really, to go with the 320d SE - lots of kit and more than enough power, but opening things up in terms of the age of car we can run with the allowance just got me thinking.

I'm pretty sure most people (you included) wouldn't say no to a company

320d SE.
Reply to
SteveH

Well, I wouldn't be able to do much of my private motoring with one.

Touring stands a better chance though.

cheers, clive

Reply to
Clive George

Cruise control, air conditioning, comfortable seat, CD player, hands free kit. Is there anything else you need if you can't get an automatic?

The power is irrelevant.

Reply to
DervMan

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