Help spend my car allowance...
Discussion
Hi all. Long post ahead - sorry.
I'm tooling around in an e90 330i at the moment. I spent over 6 months searching for the right car in the right spec with a manual gearbox, and will miss that car massively when it's gone.
Due to a change of jobs I now get a car allowance which I can spend as I like - it works out around £290pcm after tax. The kicker is that whatever car I have HAS to be under 10 years old and registered on the company system. Mine is a 2006... so whether I like it or not, I have to find a newer car. I have no idea how "the monthlies" work. Some sites tell me my £290 will get me a used car in the 20-30k range on PCP, others suggest more like 15k is the budget. I don't understand that, so be great if someone could enlighten me. I'd have the e90 plus around £2k to put down so maybe £5k total? I'd want a shorter deal (3 years max) over a longer one that makes it cheaper.
Now, I've only ever bought cars with cash and around 90% of the things I would actually want to buy are well outside of the 10 year old range. I'd love an Integra Type R for example, or an e46 M3, or a blobeye WRX.... but all too old. Most modern stuff leaves me cold
I prefer saloons but most recent ones are very meh which leads me down the hot hatch route. Car needs to be big enough for family duties (two kids under 10, occasional camping trips etc) so preferably 4/5 door but I don't really want an estate. I value performance, smiles per miles, handling feel and feedback, and a manual gearbox way over and above the badge or how many flipping drive modes it has. One that immediately puts me off a car would be the ipad stuck to the dashboard look. Preferably we're looking at around 300bhp or more and I would literally rather walk than have diesel or electric, an Audi or a Merc.
So to summarise... no idea on budget but less than 30k, fast and fun but family friendly.
Current shortlist is...
- M140i 5 door. Everything about this ticks the right boxes but I worry that rear space and boot would be too small and it has looks only a mother could love. Why did everyone who bought these originally get the tiny screen in a big mount though? Comes out cheaper than the others and with a remap it appears on paper to offer hilarious performance in the sort of engine we'll never see again. Straight 6 too...
- RS Megane 300. Literally no idea if affordable but some places suggest it is if I went to around £310 it would be which is fine. This ticks pretty much every box for me but the wife thinks its really ugly. Sadly, that does matter... need to see if I could live with the suspension tho.
- i30N Performance. Again, ticks most boxes, there's a lot to love. I worry that the interior would be a huge letdown after the e90, and I really, REALLY struggle to see past the ipad stuck to the dashboard. I'd also rather have a car that I just get in and drive rather than have 40,000 modes. But on paper a great car.
- Guilia Veloce. I love an Alfa. I love this car. Down on power against the rest but a remap will see 320bhp+ so that's ok. I'd probably hate that it wasn't the QV but that's still a pipe dream for now. I can't look past the fact it's Auto only. Very conflicted. I suspect if it came in Manual, i'd have bought one already and this wouldn't even be a question...
Considered already and rejected... Focus RS - probably too much £££ and doesn't offer much that the M140i doesn't except worse build quality and a tacky interior. Golf R is so boring to look at and be in that i'd probably fall asleep on the way to work. Hardly the last word in engagement either. Leon Cupra... see Golf R but with an even less inspiring interior. Pug 308 GTi I actually really like but 'everything on the touchscreen' would annoy me too much and it's way outgunned performance wise here. Finally a 340i which ticks a lot of boxes but I don't have the patience to spend another 6 months looking for the right car with a manual...
So that's it then. What have I overlooked? What would be your pick?
I'm tooling around in an e90 330i at the moment. I spent over 6 months searching for the right car in the right spec with a manual gearbox, and will miss that car massively when it's gone.
Due to a change of jobs I now get a car allowance which I can spend as I like - it works out around £290pcm after tax. The kicker is that whatever car I have HAS to be under 10 years old and registered on the company system. Mine is a 2006... so whether I like it or not, I have to find a newer car. I have no idea how "the monthlies" work. Some sites tell me my £290 will get me a used car in the 20-30k range on PCP, others suggest more like 15k is the budget. I don't understand that, so be great if someone could enlighten me. I'd have the e90 plus around £2k to put down so maybe £5k total? I'd want a shorter deal (3 years max) over a longer one that makes it cheaper.
Now, I've only ever bought cars with cash and around 90% of the things I would actually want to buy are well outside of the 10 year old range. I'd love an Integra Type R for example, or an e46 M3, or a blobeye WRX.... but all too old. Most modern stuff leaves me cold
I prefer saloons but most recent ones are very meh which leads me down the hot hatch route. Car needs to be big enough for family duties (two kids under 10, occasional camping trips etc) so preferably 4/5 door but I don't really want an estate. I value performance, smiles per miles, handling feel and feedback, and a manual gearbox way over and above the badge or how many flipping drive modes it has. One that immediately puts me off a car would be the ipad stuck to the dashboard look. Preferably we're looking at around 300bhp or more and I would literally rather walk than have diesel or electric, an Audi or a Merc.
So to summarise... no idea on budget but less than 30k, fast and fun but family friendly.
Current shortlist is...
- M140i 5 door. Everything about this ticks the right boxes but I worry that rear space and boot would be too small and it has looks only a mother could love. Why did everyone who bought these originally get the tiny screen in a big mount though? Comes out cheaper than the others and with a remap it appears on paper to offer hilarious performance in the sort of engine we'll never see again. Straight 6 too...
- RS Megane 300. Literally no idea if affordable but some places suggest it is if I went to around £310 it would be which is fine. This ticks pretty much every box for me but the wife thinks its really ugly. Sadly, that does matter... need to see if I could live with the suspension tho.
- i30N Performance. Again, ticks most boxes, there's a lot to love. I worry that the interior would be a huge letdown after the e90, and I really, REALLY struggle to see past the ipad stuck to the dashboard. I'd also rather have a car that I just get in and drive rather than have 40,000 modes. But on paper a great car.
- Guilia Veloce. I love an Alfa. I love this car. Down on power against the rest but a remap will see 320bhp+ so that's ok. I'd probably hate that it wasn't the QV but that's still a pipe dream for now. I can't look past the fact it's Auto only. Very conflicted. I suspect if it came in Manual, i'd have bought one already and this wouldn't even be a question...
Considered already and rejected... Focus RS - probably too much £££ and doesn't offer much that the M140i doesn't except worse build quality and a tacky interior. Golf R is so boring to look at and be in that i'd probably fall asleep on the way to work. Hardly the last word in engagement either. Leon Cupra... see Golf R but with an even less inspiring interior. Pug 308 GTi I actually really like but 'everything on the touchscreen' would annoy me too much and it's way outgunned performance wise here. Finally a 340i which ticks a lot of boxes but I don't have the patience to spend another 6 months looking for the right car with a manual...
So that's it then. What have I overlooked? What would be your pick?
I had this same issue a few years back. Went for the M240i (no surprises given my username!)
For me, it offered the most bang per buck whilst to the untrained eye, looking relatively conservative so less judgment from clients!
I have averaged 18k per annum in mine, mixture of road types and averaged an indicated 30mpg.
The engine is great but the ride isn’t so, feedback on the ride in the 140i is similar. This can be rectified but will need to to spend some money to do so.
In terms of the smaller screen, I have seen conversions to the larger “professional” screen so not the end of the world.
Overall, I’m biased and would go for the 3.0 straight six whilst you still can but would check that the boot is suitable for family duties.
For me, it offered the most bang per buck whilst to the untrained eye, looking relatively conservative so less judgment from clients!
I have averaged 18k per annum in mine, mixture of road types and averaged an indicated 30mpg.
The engine is great but the ride isn’t so, feedback on the ride in the 140i is similar. This can be rectified but will need to to spend some money to do so.
In terms of the smaller screen, I have seen conversions to the larger “professional” screen so not the end of the world.
Overall, I’m biased and would go for the 3.0 straight six whilst you still can but would check that the boot is suitable for family duties.
Mouse Rat said:
Importantly, what amount of annual mileage will you be doing? How much is business and are you able to claim this back at 25pence per mile or 45ppm?
Personal mileage around 10k. I can claim back business mileage but only a couple of hundred miles a year would be in that category so I probably wouldn't even both claiming it.mholt1995 said:
Stuart70 said:
‘64 plate M3. You know you want to...
For £290pm over 2-3 years? Do tell... “So to summarise... no idea on budget but less than 30k, fast and fun but family friendly.”
A current shape M3 as a step up from a 330i seemed like a good, fun adventure, albeit a big financial decision, hardly a ruinous one.
Just a bit of fun and pushing the boundary.
Apologies that I clearly tripped over your financial limits
Muzzer79 said:
So the E90 is yours outright at the moment and is worth £3k, correct?
Correct, though 'worth' is an interesting thing. It's probably £6k's worth or so on a good day to the right buyer. PX value is probably around £3k hence the comment. It's a hard one to price as you see manuals so rarely...callahan said:
My thread (a few below yours) is asking similar questions, albeit with a lower budget. I’m leaning towards the Civic Type R at the moment, but have yet to drive one.
What are the details of your 330i?
Wife has an FN2 era Civic (though it's a 2.2 diesel). It's a nice enough thing, and I have to say i'd quite like one of the newer ones but two Civics in the family feels a bit daft even if they are slightly different tools! What are the details of your 330i?
The 330i is a manual 2006 saloon, just done 85k miles. I've owned it for about 2 years and 25k of those, so before me it was lightly used - bought it off another member on here. FSH though I mostly put it through our local BMW indy rather than dealer, and it's got pretty much all the options going bar (wierdly) phone hookup on bluetooth or electric/heated seats. Odd omissions...
PanicBuyingBogRoll said:
In the past I've topped up my car allowance to get the car I wanted.
In my head the car allowance is free money, so the cost to me, is the amount I needed to top up each month.
I know people who buy the cheapest car possible and pocket the extra.
I do the same!In my head the car allowance is free money, so the cost to me, is the amount I needed to top up each month.
I know people who buy the cheapest car possible and pocket the extra.
NickM240i said:
The engine is great but the ride isn’t so, feedback on the ride in the 140i is similar. This can be rectified but will need to to spend some money to do so.
Out of the box I think the car rides pretty well and unless you're regularly going to be driving it at over 8/10ths (which you may struggle to given the sort of speeds that involves) you're not really going to have issues. Adaptive suspension is also worth hunting down too.I didn't spec the big screen because for me the £1400 outlay was better spent on other toys
Chris
dmsims said:
IF you want to keep the current car is it worth having a conversation with the company ?
This. My company has the same policy, yet I have 2 cars 1987 and 2005.They're worried about the car breaking down and leaving you stranded or you driving round in a shed on wheels. Explain to them you're a petrolhead and your car is immaculate and well maintained and you may be surprised.
Also, if you do change your car, don't focus on the £290pcm. It's a payrise, buy whatever car you want, for however much you feel comfortable paying (that meets their requirements). My cash allowance net's me around £650pcm and I paid £3,000 for my daily.
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