Off Topic question

Warning: Off Topic!

This group has been dormant for a while. Here is a bit of an armchair challenge for all you car enthusiasts:

A friend of mine got a new job, driving to various company facilities for inspection and problem solving as required. The job means a lot of time on the road (which he doesn't mind) and staying at motels, and no home cooking, but hey, it's a job. The company told him they would pay, subject to approval, 80% of the purchase price and 80% of fuel. (I think the logic here being that there is always some personal use of a company car.)

Anyway, we'd like to pick your brains about the ideal car for this job. The criteria off the top of our heads:

  • Comfortable and quiet for hours of highway driving.
  • Reasonble gas consumption.
  • Not tempting to thieves sitting in a motel parking lot overnight.
  • Anything else?

What is NOT required, obviously are 4 doors, 4 seats, lots of trunk space, high performance, off-road ability, most of the usual stuff that makes us car nuts.

Love to read your thoughts.

Don

Reply to
Don Q
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Comfortable, decent handling, pretty damn good gas consumption and dead solid reliable = Lincoln Towncar, believe it or not....

Reply to
XS11E

Trick question. Clearly the answer is "Whatever is the most expensive car they will go along with". Then quit and sell it. ;)

Freeway or backroads? Mountain or plain?

miker

Reply to
miker

If I had such an opportunity I certainly wouldn't worry about theft. I'd just make sure I had enough insurance!

Reply to
Frank Berger

Actually my first thought was an old Lincoln LS. Glad to know I'm not that far off. Right now Mark thinks it's too big.

Reply to
Don Q

I am pretty sure there are contingency clauses that prohibit these games. Anyway, even if you could get away with it, unless you are immune to the current economy you'll realize that for most of us a long term job is worth more than a few grand from a shady deal. So a serious answer to your tongue in cheek...

Good question. I believe almost all paved, ice and snow more often than gravel and dirt. No mountains, just the odd hill.

Reply to
Don Q

he might have been thinking something like a $500k maybec that could potentially yield you a nice chunk of change. but i can't help but wonder about the tax consequences of this proposition. if the employer is reimbursing you for any or all of the car that would probably be taxable income, and that means it would cost you at least

30% out of pocket. so say you got a $40,000 car and your employer paid you $32,000 (80% of the value), it would cost you at least $9,600 in taxes plus the 20% or $8,000, making it more like they were only offering to pay you only 50% of the cost of the car for you to use mostly for work. doesn't sound so attractive to me, particularly if you were to buy a new car that looses much of it value the instant its wheels roll off the dealers lot. i suggest either suggesting the employer purchases the car outright themselves as well as pay for the insurance and they simply lend it to you, otherwise it doesn't strike me as generous but rather a good way for them to save a tremendous amount of money by not having to buy it themselves. i know you asked about what model car to consider, but the actual cost of the car to you is an important part of the decision and the tax consequences are a key part of that equation.
Reply to
Christopher Muto

Well Don, it is an interesting question but I think that to be of much assistance you'd have to give us a ballpark value. What's your buddy want to spend? Also, what kind of driver is he? Is he an enthusiast or a get me from point A to point B, kind of guy?

A couple clues on this and I think you might get even better (more focused) responses.

Also, I agree that it sounds like a funky situation but like you said, having a decent paying job is worth wadding thru some muck I guess.

Chris

99BBB
Reply to
Chris D'Agnolo

Thank you. Excellent point.

I was brought into this strictly because of my interest in cars, so we did not spend much time talking about the financial side. I am not sure if Mark has thought about the tax situation. Also it may be a shared ownership kind of deal. In any case I will certainly e-mail your comment to him.

Reply to
Don Q

Umm, spoken like someone who has never had a car walk away. :-)

  • Stranded in a strange town.
  • Need to arrange a rental which usually has to be returned to the same city or incur high transport fees.
  • Waste time filling out police reports.
  • Wait weeks for the insrance to finally send a check for a lot less than the real replacement cost.
  • Waste time shopping for another car.
  • See your insurance double the following year...
Reply to
Don Q

Well, it's not a giant multinational. As I understand it, they like my bud so instead of putting him in a typical fleet purchase, they tried to make an offer to sweeten the deal. I am not privy to all the details.

What he would like (e.g. Miata) is not necessarily the ideal vehicle for the job. I would say in this instance comfort, economy, and anonimity (in that order) far outweigh any enthusiast considerations.

I don't know how high the company will go. This is a low end managerial position so my guess is below $30K, possibly a lot less.

Reply to
Don Q

Honda is advertising new Accords with 34 mpg highway.

Reply to
T.J. Higgins

The LS gives up the almost unbeatable reliability of the Towncar. As for too big, it does take getting used to but other than the futile stomping the floorboard in a failed attempt to find the clutch pedal I don't notice any change moving from Miata to TC, really, but of course I'm used to it.

Reply to
XS11E

------ So, he'd like an enthusiast vehicle! Well you previously said he doesn't need 4 seats or huge storage space so, I think he should buy a used PRHT Miata. I don't think Miatas are on any list of most often stolen vehicles, the hard top makes it as secure as a coupe. He can carry a reasonable amount of 'stuff' in reasonably good comfort and he can have a freaking blast going from one place to another every day! I think you can get a good low mileage PRHT for what, $25k. Even if he needs an automatic so he can juggle maps and paperwork, the NC Miata has a great (paddle shifting when you want it) automatic and I've even heard that it's a taller cruising gear in the auto for gas mileage which should make it a better freeway cruiser for when it has to serve that purpose. If driving is a big part of your job the driving should be fun if possible!

Chris

99BBB
Reply to
Chris D'Agnolo

Quiet and comfortable. I agree completely. If this had been my job, my decision, I would have gone for a 10-year old Lincoln LS.

Though someone (sorry, I forgot whose message that was) indicated that their reliability may be an issue.

I have not heard any news. I'll keep the group up to date just in case anyone is curious.

Reply to
Don Q

Of course we are! It's an interesting situation.

Chris

99BBB
Reply to
Chris D'Agnolo

Me. Compare reliability ratings with the Towncar.

Reply to
XS11E

Saturday with a bunch of guys the subject of distance commuting came up... someone mentioned being happy with his Ford Taurus, which he got on recc from a friend who has had something like 5-6 of them... said he would put

200k on them and then get the next one. The guy telling the story was a 40k/year driver, the friend did more.

miker

Reply to
miker

Sorry for the dumb question, what is a good source for this kind of info? The typical car magazines never met a car they didn't like...

Reply to
Don Q

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