Company Car List

[MushroomMan]

A mate of mine has just got a new job with a construction company that comes with the attached car list - he's looking on a recommendation. He's driving a Lancia Integrale right now - no kids, aged 26 - likes to put his foot down.

What would you go for?

 

[will_S3]

a long list ours only give you vw

maybe the celica vvti would be cool i think its 140bhp unless he can get the 190 one

 

[MushroomMan]

Looks like the best VW on the list is the V5 or perhaps Golf 1.8T or Bora 1.8T. There's a Peugeot 205 GTI on the list but it's a bit common...

 

[audi_girl]

Opt out and take the cash. My S3 is a company car and it costs me about £400/month in car tax (with the fuel card) which will only ever go up.

Combine that with the car allowance, and I am spending nearly 9,000/year (after tax) on something which I have to give back. And it doesn't even go most of the time anyway.

 

[MushroomMan]

[ QUOTE ]
audi girl said:
Opt out and take the cash. My S3 is a company car and it costs me about £400/month in car tax (with the fuel card) which will only ever go up.

Combine that with the car allowance, and I am spending nearly 9,000/year (after tax) on something which I have to give back. And it doesn't even go most of the time anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto. But then I get onto an open road, put my foot down and it doesn't matter. Life is too short for such cares. I tell myself I will be more sensible in two years time and get an RS6.

 

[audi_girl]

Yeah but I could buy, insure and modify something for that money! And have something to sell at the end.

Instead of being unable to modify, and being tied into the company rules ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[AndyMac]

Has to be Alfa 147 (the best looking hatchback on the market) as it's a comany car you don't have to worry too much about reliaility. I work for HP and they took off all the Alfa's from their list due to horrendous reliability problems on the 156.
The sensible, no worries choice would be the Golf 1.8T.

 

[silvers3uk]

Yea take the cash instead, keep the fuel card and buy an S3. And do a few business miles. Claim the business miles back from the inland revenue to offset the fuel card benefit.

 

[AndyMac]

If you opt out you can't always keep the fuel card, so you wanna check what miles the company will pay for & at what rate. Also, you can't claim back business miles if you've got a fuel card, unfortunately.

 

[MushroomMan]

Thanks for the responses so far lads.

I ought to clarify - he is not going to take the cash. He wants some useful opinions on the cars on the list so, if you had this list, what car would be your first choice if you were 26 with no dependants and loved driving.

Perhaps we could have a separate thread on cash for cars. I for one will be considering this option seriously when my co car contract is up for renewal in two years time.

 

[MushroomMan]

[ QUOTE ]
S3 Moff said:
That is one crap list, leave the company and get a new job?


[/ QUOTE ]

Not wrong there Moffman. Can you believe he is leaving his job (working for me) because we can't offer him a company car. I reckon a Trabant would look good compared to that list. Maybe I should get down to the breakers yard this afternoon and see if I can find something tempting to make him stay. What do you think - half an old mini cooper might do the business?

 

[amoffat]

You could offer him a Fiat Sceintento to stay, they are cheap. Almost considered on my self, to pocket the £200+ per month that the company would give me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Trabants are probably on our list, I think the name has been changed to MG Rover /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif

 

[jesters3]

Looking at that the Skoda 1.8T 4x4 or the 147 for me. Probably the Skoda, will be slightly cheaper 21% or so for a 14K car.

 

[fab16v]

I'd go with the Skoda Octavia 1.8T 4x4. Agree that the MR2 roadster is a great drivers car, but can be a bit unreliable. The only other one I'd really consider there would be the Golf 2.3 V5.

 

[teknobod]

I'd go for the Honda Civic Type R.
Probably the quickest car in the list if he likes to put his foot down and the handling is fantastic.
Only reason I sold mine was an unexpected addition to the family.

Just my 2 pence worth
Andy