Company Car Choice
Author
Discussion

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Thursday 12th September 2013
quotequote all
I join a new company in a few weeks and I’ve just got the list of company cars available to new starters:

Ford Galaxy (2010)
Ford S-Max (2011)
Audi A3 1.6 S-line (2010)

Hmm…

Prizam

2,447 posts

172 months

Thursday 12th September 2013
quotequote all
Galaxy every day.

TwistingMyMelon

6,517 posts

236 months

Thursday 12th September 2013
quotequote all
family kids? need to lug stuff about?

pedrotunes

166 posts

216 months

Thursday 12th September 2013
quotequote all
Exactly, what are you requirements in a car?

You also need to consider P11D, CO2, BIK etc for your company car tax.


Meltham Terrier

382 posts

164 months

Thursday 12th September 2013
quotequote all
Hi,

The Galaxy will be the most expensive for tax , highest Co2 and also highest P11d value also high BIK rating

The SMax will be second and the A3 the cheapest

You need to check the engines been offered and P11d values

If you do a search there is a web site that calculates new car tax costs and also older cars.

Think it is called fleet manger or something.

Andy.

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
Thank you for the sensible replies. Sorry, it wasn't really a sensible post. I don't really see there is a sensible choice between a car and two 7-seat MPVs!

Seriously, unless you run a taxi company, what is the point of a 7-seat MPV?

So, I'm getting the Audi by default. It is also half the tax of the other two (I do have a family, but we went camping in Wales last year in our Focus and it wasn't too difficult).

(I know the Audi A3 TDI S-line doesn't have a great reputation, but our own car is a 10 year old focus and my last last car was a Y-reg Corsa, so I can't see myself being too disappointed!)

Ved

3,949 posts

206 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
Surely they have more on offer. Failing that can you opt out?

What is the role and what does the company do out of interest as that is a very odd list to pick from.

northwest monkey

6,370 posts

220 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
tjw_78 said:
Seriously, unless you run a taxi company, what is the point of a 7-seat MPV?
A few years ago, a mate of mine got a Previa for a company car. His lad was in a band so he ferried them & all their gear about in it. It was also very handy for tip runs!

I like the S-Max personally.

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
Yes, I could opt out, but I didn't want to do that - I could without the hassle of running my own car at the moment for various reasons (new baby, new job, etc, etc).

The reason is that it is an odd list is that new starters only get a choice of what has been handed back in by leavers. When it comes to the end of its 'life' I can then get a new car from a much longer list. This will be next year for the A3 (also next year for the Galaxy, 2015 for the S-Max).

northwest monkey

6,370 posts

220 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
tjw_78 said:
The reason is that it is an odd list is that new starters only get a choice of what has been handed back in by leavers. When it comes to the end of its 'life' I can then get a new car from a much longer list. This will be next year for the A3 (also next year for the Galaxy, 2015 for the S-Max).
Thought that might be the case. I'd choose whichever was the cheapest for you then if you're not going to have it that long.

750turbo

6,164 posts

255 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
Ved said:
Surely they have more on offer. Failing that can you opt out?

What is the role and what does the company do out of interest as that is a very odd list to pick from.
New starters list.

Cars they have available at the moment, possibly from employees leaving? My company does the same, you do not get the option of your own car until your probation is over.

(And the car list is now ste!)

TwistingMyMelon

6,517 posts

236 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
Audi seems OK, list could be a lot worse, not a big fan of Audis, but I'd be happy with it, good luck in the role OP

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
Audi seems OK, list could be a lot worse, not a big fan of Audis, but I'd be happy with it, good luck in the role OP
My thoughts exactly. Thanks!

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
750turbo said:
you do not get the option of your own car until your probation is over.
In theory yes, but I commute to my current job by train and my wife needs our car for the little uns.

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
northwest monkey said:
A few years ago, a mate of mine got a Previa for a company car. His lad was in a band so he ferried them & all their gear about in it. It was also very handy for tip runs!

I like the S-Max personally.
Fair enough. I'm sure there are other reasons for it too, and I am sure it is a good car. But I do think its a little much to get me back and forth to work.

Meltham Terrier

382 posts

164 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
You could also chose the oldest car or the one with the highest mileage on the basis that it will get changed first and you can spec what you want.


fjord

2,143 posts

168 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
1.6 a3?

Ugh.

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
fjord said:
1.6 a3?

Ugh.
Yeah, but its all relative. Its got to be a step up from [current] a seat on my over packed train or [previous] a y-reg Corsa.

What (and this is a serious question) is so bad about the A3? Be nice - I've got to live with it for the next 12 months.

Edited by tjw_78 on Friday 13th September 13:38


Edited by tjw_78 on Friday 13th September 13:38

tjw_78

Original Poster:

24 posts

233 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
Meltham Terrier said:
You could also chose the oldest car or the one with the highest mileage on the basis that it will get changed first and you can spec what you want.
Yep, I don't think there is much to choose between the A3 and the Galaxy in that respect. They are both 2010 and so due to be changed in 2014. I don't know the millage.

Johnnytheboy

24,499 posts

217 months

Friday 13th September 2013
quotequote all
tjw_78 said:
fjord said:
1.6 a3?

Ugh.
Yeah, but its all relative. Its got to be a step up from [current] a seat on my over packed train or [previous] a y-reg Corsa.

What (and this is a serious question) is so bad about the A3? Be nice - I've got to live with it for the next 12 months.
It'll be fine. PH snobbery decrees that a basic German car is the worst, most boring choice of car you could make.

But compared to a train seat or a Y-reg Corsa, it'll be great!