Is it better to have a company car or a car allowance?

Is it better to have a company car or a car allowance?

Author
Discussion

andygo

Original Poster:

6,804 posts

256 months

Thursday 12th November 2009
quotequote all
My wife is a 40% tax payer. She currently has a company cat and looking at the tax bands she will be paying at least £108 per monthe on her new company car.

Would she be better off having a car allowance instead? The subject has been raised with her company, but nobody has really pushed it yet. If a car allowance is better off for her, what are the cost implications for the company?

I will google it as well, but I thought I'd ask the experts first!

Andy

andygo

Original Poster:

6,804 posts

256 months

Thursday 12th November 2009
quotequote all
Yeah, I have just done some Googling and the issue in particular would seem to be the 40p per mile/10p per mile allowed by the Revenue.

On 25000 miles pa she could claim £7750. Assuming she does 45mpg (What she currently does in her Golf diesel) she would use 555 gals of fuel @ say £1.15 per litre = £6380 actual fuel cost.
Assuming thatthe car allowance 'buys' her car , that gives her £1500 pa to tax, insure etc. Not really worth the risk unless I have it wrong.
Additioanlly, a colleague of hers had adoor mirror knocked off whilst parked . She took it to the VW dealers to fix and it cost over £500. That would sort of take any profit/benefit out of the idea of a car allowance really.

I assume the main benefit of an allowance is that you own a car after 3 years paid for by the allowance.

andygo

Original Poster:

6,804 posts

256 months

Thursday 12th November 2009
quotequote all
Funk said:
hornetrider said:
andygo said:
My wife is a 40% tax payer. She currently has a company cat
Sorry, but hehe
I did too. hehe
So did I thanks for pointing out my stupidity. smile

She has a company car as well....

andygo

Original Poster:

6,804 posts

256 months

Thursday 12th November 2009
quotequote all
Well the company car she can have is a 2.o tdi sport golf again, 140bhp and with the 6 speed dsg box if rerquired. She loves her existing one and to be honest is happy with a new one. We were just wondering if a car allowance would be significantly better or not. I feel that a company car is better in the event of a bump, change of job and for general lack of hassle.

If its her own purchased car if there is an issue where the car is off the road for a period of time, it could get tricky.

Of course, someone may be able to offer their experiences which might show an alternative view.