Car for work

[jack_86]

Hi, Fairly new onto Pistonheads I often view the forum but never made an account till now. i currently have a mk5 golf R32 and have just landed a new job with a car allowance, i will be covering between 20k-25k a year business miles. i am going to run the golf for the first 3 months while i get to understand the company and its culture. I did have my heart set on a 330d or 335d touring but seems the amount of miles i will be doing will be pushing the cost per month up.

i don't know if i should just get some rubbish car to do the miles in and let my wife run a nicer car though her taste would be questionable. do people mainly lease or just buy outright for these kind of miles?

[CaptainCosworth]

I think it's fairly common that if a company gives you a car allowance they would prefer you didn't run around in an old banger. Especially if you're visiting clients and they want you to make a good impression.

Plus if you're doing 20-25k a year then surely you'd want to spend all that time in something a bit more refined. It's why 3 series/A4/C class are all so popular. Plus cheap lease deals. Just remember you'll be tied into any lease deal, so if you leave your job you'll still have to pay.

I'd give the wife your R32 (then you get to enjoy it at the weekends ) and get the BMW. If you're worried about cost then go for a smaller engine.

[jack_86]

I could do but I have the R32 for 3 years now and a little board of it, and the £495 a year road tax has grown a little tiresome to. If my wife had a choice we would be looking at Q5's or GLC.

the thing is they haven't given me an exact annual mileage they seem to vary from 15k to 25k depending on who I speak to, guess I just need time in the role to figure things out for myself in terms of actual mileage.

[ZX10R NIN]

Leases will be really expensive if you're doing 25k per year at that point you'd be better off buying a low mileage car for around 20k.

Something along the lines of these:

2013 E250 Sport 15k 205bhp
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2013 C250 Sport Plus 11k 205bhp
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2014 320d M Sport 17k 184bhp
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2013 520d M Sport 19k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[jack_86]

yeah I might do that, I think the only problem with Merc's especially the shapes above is that they age quite badly, I am leaning towards a 13/14 plate 320d touring with x drive. need to test drive one but still in early stages of window shopping and gathering info

[Nickbrapp]

Citroen DS5

[Qubit]

Think id be tempted by something like this (if looking for something old to stack the miles onto)

http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Alex_225]

I can't comment on costs or leasing but in terms of covering 20-25k a year, I'd want something spacious, smooth and comfortable.

I don't do mega mileage but about 80% of it is sat on the motorway for 2-2.5 hours at a time. I drive an old E Class for that and it's mega comfortable. I wouldn't want to go for something less refined than that for high mileage so that's the only recommendation I can make.

[jack_86]

I need an estate really as 1) better for bikes 2) my opinion is that they look better than a saloon. I was semi tempted by a Merc CLA shooting brake but wife hates the look of it. Don't know if I could go non German so a Citroen would be a no go.

[f1nn]

Depending on the restrictions imposed by your company, buy what you want and to hell with the running costs.

20K in a little Korean st box? No thanks, buy something you actually want to drive.

[jack_86]

When I spoke to the company they were really cool and said run what you want just have to prove you have business insurance on it and its suitable for when driving clients or other members of the company to meetings and such forth.

[mikemike08]

Lease, the 1k difference in orice after 3 years is not worth the hassle imo

[SWoll]

If you're doing 25K+ miles a year my only recommendations would be something comfortable, gadget laden and with a good auto gearbox. Forget about sport suspension, the involvement of a manual gearbox and 0-60 times as they're no use when sat on the M6 in traffic for 2 hours on a rainy night in December...

[f1nn]

So, realistically something German and 4 door.....worlds your oyster then.

I ran an e90 330d for around 20k in a similar position, thread on here somewhere, and am now doing the same in an e92 335i

[jack_86]

did you notice much difference in real world mpg switching between petrol and diesel?

[f1nn]

Yep, about 9-10mpg.

[jack_86]

I need to test drive, but ideally a bmw 330d x drive touring with m sport kit automatic, but also like the new shape c class, though I find the new a4 avant quite ugly.

[robdcfc]

jack_86 said:

I could do but I have the R32 for 3 years now and a little board of it, and the £495 a year road tax has grown a little tiresome to. If my wife had a choice we would be looking at Q5's or GLC.

the thing is they haven't given me an exact annual mileage they seem to vary from 15k to 25k depending on who I speak to, guess I just need time in the role to figure things out for myself in terms of actual mileage.

You do know the road tax will only be £140 from next April???

[f1nn]

I'm obviously being dumb, but I assume there is an online calculator showing road tax rates from April onwards?

[MikeTFSI]

robdcfc said:

You do know the road tax will only be £140 from next April???

No it won't, that is only for brand new cars registered after March 2017