Don't make me do it...
Discussion
I need to sell the ITR! 
I don't want to...and every drive reinforces that, as has this month's evo. But we've got a new baby and work are pushing hard for me to get a car compliant with the car-allowance they're paying me (which is hard to argue against, to be fair).
Now, while Becs' Golf ticks both boxes individually, it can't be used for both as work need to see me using the car they're paying for...and of course she needs it.
Finally, we've not got space for a 4th car (NSX is staying...tough choice between the two Hondas but that's the call). Certainly not to own. Driveway for two, plus 1 in the garage. Plus would I really drive 3 different cars...and then there's the extra maintenance, washing them all, etc...
So the options are:-
- Sell the ITR, get a 330i or Focus ST (possibly FD2, but they seem difficult to sell on). This is the current plan, both are 'better' cars (as all-rounders) than the ITR and I shouldn't be worrying so much.
- Sacrifice the car allowance - £250/mth after tax, keep the ITR, manage with 1 'family car'*. Seems rather silly, even though a 4y.o. 3-series or Focus ST will lose 2/3 of that in depreciation each month.
- Get a company car (A3 TDi Sport or similar) and try and persuade Becs we can have 4-cars in the short-term. But then I'll lose the £250 a month AND suffer £100+ a month car tax. And still not drive the ITR that much. Seems even sillier.
So go-on, what would you do? What have I missed, idea-wise? Or should I stop moaning and be grateful I can keep the NSX? (Which I should)
* Works for 9 months until Becs goes back to work and I need a car which I can pick the little'un up from nursery in.
I don't want to...and every drive reinforces that, as has this month's evo. But we've got a new baby and work are pushing hard for me to get a car compliant with the car-allowance they're paying me (which is hard to argue against, to be fair).
Now, while Becs' Golf ticks both boxes individually, it can't be used for both as work need to see me using the car they're paying for...and of course she needs it.
Finally, we've not got space for a 4th car (NSX is staying...tough choice between the two Hondas but that's the call). Certainly not to own. Driveway for two, plus 1 in the garage. Plus would I really drive 3 different cars...and then there's the extra maintenance, washing them all, etc...
So the options are:-
- Sell the ITR, get a 330i or Focus ST (possibly FD2, but they seem difficult to sell on). This is the current plan, both are 'better' cars (as all-rounders) than the ITR and I shouldn't be worrying so much.
- Sacrifice the car allowance - £250/mth after tax, keep the ITR, manage with 1 'family car'*. Seems rather silly, even though a 4y.o. 3-series or Focus ST will lose 2/3 of that in depreciation each month.
- Get a company car (A3 TDi Sport or similar) and try and persuade Becs we can have 4-cars in the short-term. But then I'll lose the £250 a month AND suffer £100+ a month car tax. And still not drive the ITR that much. Seems even sillier.
So go-on, what would you do? What have I missed, idea-wise? Or should I stop moaning and be grateful I can keep the NSX? (Which I should)
* Works for 9 months until Becs goes back to work and I need a car which I can pick the little'un up from nursery in.
Every time I've swapped into a car that I've bought with my head and not my heart i've regretted it. I've become a miserable grumpy sod and realised that if I can manage money wise, then stick with heart cars. I'm only saying that because you've clearly got two heart cars.
Regards selling the FD2, what makes you think it's harder to sell on? I've had numerous bits of paper under my wipers making offers and had two offers at petrol stations. The FD2 is a 4 door DC2.
Failing all that...how much for the teggy?
Regards selling the FD2, what makes you think it's harder to sell on? I've had numerous bits of paper under my wipers making offers and had two offers at petrol stations. The FD2 is a 4 door DC2.
Failing all that...how much for the teggy?
havoc said:
- Sacrifice the car allowance - £250/mth after tax, keep the ITR, manage with 1 'family car'*.
* Works for 9 months until Becs goes back to work and I need a car which I can pick the little'un up from nursery in.
Why is the ITR not a family car? They make child seats for buckets. * Works for 9 months until Becs goes back to work and I need a car which I can pick the little'un up from nursery in.
I am currently trying to stop my OH from parting with our ITR due to company car rulings.
silver surfer said:
Why can't the car allowance pay for the ITR??
SS
They normally have some combination of age / mileage / number of doors / CO2s which you have to stay within, usually corresponding to roughly what you'd get as a company car.SS
Lots of places have tightened up due to recent corporate manslaughter legislation, so while they may have turned a blind eye to someone taking the money and driving what they like, now they'll want to cover themselves just in case you have an accident.
sjg said:
They normally have some combination of age / mileage / number of doors / CO2s which you have to stay within, usually corresponding to roughly what you'd get as a company car.
Lots of places have tightened up due to recent corporate manslaughter legislation, so while they may have turned a blind eye to someone taking the money and driving what they like, now they'll want to cover themselves just in case you have an accident.
yea, my wife had to ditch her RX8 and have a 4 door diesel, no less than 2 years old and low tax bracket...she chose a Giulietta diesel and its been great to be fair.Lots of places have tightened up due to recent corporate manslaughter legislation, so while they may have turned a blind eye to someone taking the money and driving what they like, now they'll want to cover themselves just in case you have an accident.
havoc...if you want a 330i, then why not a 335d instead?
HF - aiming high with the ITR - black, a/c, original unmolested UK car with FHSH and a file full of receipts. So I figure high 4's, even though the rear arches need doing.
I agree it sort-of IS a family car, and I can get baby seats (albeit it's tricky enough getting an adult into the back, let alone reaching in with a small child), but if the only way of keeping it is to sacrifice the car allowance then it seems a little silly, IYSWIM. As a daily-driver it's compromised enough, as an occasional 'family car' it's probably too far.
I guess I should be able to buy another one in the future if/when things change, and a change to a rwd I-6 machine can't be all bad, eh?
David - I'm after something involving, not merely ballistic pace while being bored silly. Hence why I'd prefer an n/a petrol engine if possible (getting increasingly difficult without accepting 20mpg...). Plus I don't do the miles to need a diesel.
I agree it sort-of IS a family car, and I can get baby seats (albeit it's tricky enough getting an adult into the back, let alone reaching in with a small child), but if the only way of keeping it is to sacrifice the car allowance then it seems a little silly, IYSWIM. As a daily-driver it's compromised enough, as an occasional 'family car' it's probably too far.
I guess I should be able to buy another one in the future if/when things change, and a change to a rwd I-6 machine can't be all bad, eh?
David - I'm after something involving, not merely ballistic pace while being bored silly. Hence why I'd prefer an n/a petrol engine if possible (getting increasingly difficult without accepting 20mpg...). Plus I don't do the miles to need a diesel.
I only owned my ITR for about 9 months before PX for a 350Z (was doing lots of M miles at the time and the ITR just wasn't made for M miles). Now have a BMW 335i. The ITR is still the best drivers car I've owned. I love my 335i, its fab, quick, comfortable, loaded with toys and 95% of the time I love it. But on that rare 5% of time when I just want pure driving fun it doesn't come close to what the ITR can offer (and thats after spending nearly £5K on LSD/Intercoolers/Remaps etc).
Unfortunatly I simply cannot justify the expense of running 2 cars for that 5% of "fun" time
Having a ITR, a NSX and a boring run around does sound excessive, but dont delude yourself and expect a BMW 330i to offer any where near the driver involvement a ITR gives you
Unfortunatly I simply cannot justify the expense of running 2 cars for that 5% of "fun" time
Having a ITR, a NSX and a boring run around does sound excessive, but dont delude yourself and expect a BMW 330i to offer any where near the driver involvement a ITR gives you Nice dilemma to have. My ATR is now on 183k and I am still taking the CC Allowance for it.
At some pt it will die and I will need to replace it with a sub 160g/co2 car.
If I were you just get a child seat for the ITR (do they have rear seats?) I cannot remember if they do.
If in the front then you need the airbag deactivating this is possible.
At some pt it will die and I will need to replace it with a sub 160g/co2 car.
If I were you just get a child seat for the ITR (do they have rear seats?) I cannot remember if they do.
If in the front then you need the airbag deactivating this is possible.
AL - tempting, but sacrificing £250 a month seems silly, and I think work would still frown upon it.
John - agreed...in this instance though not sure how long this job's going to last - there's a possible internal job on the horizon which is better (been on the horizon for months though), otherwise I'm probably not there for the long-haul.
I think the answer is "be sensible for a bit, then get another 'teg if/when circumstances permit". Not the answer I want, but probably the right one.
John - agreed...in this instance though not sure how long this job's going to last - there's a possible internal job on the horizon which is better (been on the horizon for months though), otherwise I'm probably not there for the long-haul.
I think the answer is "be sensible for a bit, then get another 'teg if/when circumstances permit". Not the answer I want, but probably the right one.
Out of your options, I'd say that if the company car one is a serious contender i'd hold off for now. Even if the numbers do add up, there is quite a lot of fluidity in the typical product ranges and it might be worth waiting 6-12 months to see the exact emissions/tax levels for the likes of the new BMW 3cyl engines, the new A3 petrols etc etc.
Having just picked a fairly pricy company car (125d) I'm starting to wonder whether my timing was off and I should have waited a little while.
Having just picked a fairly pricy company car (125d) I'm starting to wonder whether my timing was off and I should have waited a little while.
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