Company car renewal time

Sam098765

Sam098765

Sam098765

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Joined
24 Sep 2009
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137
Hi Guys,

3 years has come round fast and it's time to wave goodbye to the ole Audi A3and look for a replacement.

We have an online log on where we can select from cars in our price range. The cars that have caught my eye are below. Do you guys have any first hand experience or opinions which you would take?

All have to be diesel. The BM's seem to be the cheapest for tax being 13%. I have free fuel as well so %age makes a big difference.

After coming from a 105bhp Audi I would like a boost in bhp and a nice quality interior.

Thanks

BMW 118d SE 143bhp
BMW 116d M-sport 116bhp
Seat Leon CR FR 170bhp.

There are many other cars but are all either to high on tax or just boring! If you can think of any please list and I can check.
 
Pay more tax and get something better like a 123d M Sport. You will still be paying less than most people to run a car so its no big deal.
 
BMW is just an ugly looking thing, but its a decent chassis, you dont get much for your money either. The leon is ok, decent amount of power and its the CR engine which is smoother than the old Diesel, but its so naff inside.

Personally I'd up my budget, if you are having to do mileage in a car, surely its worth having something half decent, rather than skimping on a measly few % on tax.
 
What sort of mileage do you do?

I'd lose the 116d as it's pretty weak compared with the other two.


Leon FR would be good if you can deal with not having a premium brand car and don't mind the interior (coming from an A3 might be an issue).

It not can you add to it, as the 123d is suppose to be a brilliant engine?
 
The new common rail engines in the Leon's are brilliant. The interior and suspension has also just been updated. Certainly have a test drive and see what you think
 
Why on earth do you pay BIK on fuel (I assume that's what you mean)? It very rarely makes tax efficient sense to do so...
 
Depends on the private mileage I guess, I pay BIK on my private fuel, as i do as much as 15k a year privately:(
 
Tinders said:
Depends on the private mileage I guess, I pay BIK on my private fuel, as i do as much as 15k a year privately:(
Click to expand...

As an example, based on the £18k it is now and 15% minimum BIK that's equal to £2,700 per year.

My car, admittedly a diesel but a crappy Astra one, does about 500 miles to a £50 tank (roughly), which is 10p a mile.

Based on a minimum £2,700 per year and 15,000 annual mileage, higher rate that's 7p a mile in additional tax which isn't bad.

If I took the actual &age for my car for you (roughly 23%) it would be closer to 11p a mile.

If you used the annual mileage allowance for business mileage you'd generally be better off as you can get the first 10,000 miles at 40p a mile and the remainder at, erm, something less :D But at least that isn't a taxable benefit.

BIKs on fuel are rarely worthwhile (unless in a van).
 
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Many companies are now not paying you a pence per mile for the fuel, you still get a fuel card, but no private miles, so if you do 100 miles a month, and 75% of that was business,then you have to reimburse the company the 25% at the end of the month.Hence me keeping my priv ben fuel card.

Our company now also doesnt allow us to opt out of the scheme, citing H&S rules, still its cheap was to run a car.
 
But then you don't have a BIK if you pay back the private mileage, or at least you shouldn't be! :confused:

Admittedly my memory is fuzzy on this area of tax.
 
Yes you are correct, but my BIK payment is only around £800 odd , which is good value when i factor in 15-20k pa priv mileage.By my calcs, my break even personal miles were about 7500.

Company car schemes are changing now, so hence my initial comment.Sorry to derail your thread Sam
 
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I'm doing 15k a year so not huge but large enough to want a car instead of an allowance.

The cars mentioned are among the top on the list. I am getting a fairly large allowance but with the used car prices being so dire the leases are expensive. So no 123d's.

Look a Leon out for a test at lunch. Very nice power and handling but the interior is a bit rubbish compared to the Audi's.

What are Mazda 6's like? I can get a 160 / 170bhp version from memory.

Also anyone know if the new A3's in 140 trim get the new CR engine? It was very smooth in the Leon. Even petrol like.

The difference between the Leon and BMW tax wise is £500/year. With the BM costing £1000 a year for fuel and the car.
 
Mazda 6 looks nice but the interior is a bit cheap feeling tbh, nice car to drive tho.

I know its akin to forum suicide, but have a look at the Insignia, it aint a bad motor at all!!!
 
Having just had the displeasure of being given a 116d for the day, don't do it!
OK, this one was an abused BMW-loaner, but good grief what a spiteful pile of crap.

I totally understand what Fox was banging on about regarding the horrible din from the engine and the vibration through the gear lever.
The engine noise is just horrible. My old Leon sounded like a tractor and was louder, but there's just something about the din which is just awful.
The gear lever does vibrate a ridiculous amount on idle, which my Leon never did. But maybe that's due to the positioning of the gearbox, ie. directly underneath..

The suspension is horribly uncomfortable. My Z3 Coupe is more comfortable over speed bumps and pot holes!
Oh, and it's pathetically slow. I'd comment on the rather low-rent interior, but the LCI ones are much nicer.

I'm not sure even a 118d is worth the foibles of a 1 Series, but I suppose it depends on what you're coming from.
How poweful is your A3?
 
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mjt said:
I totally understand what Fox was banging on about regarding the horrible din from the engine and the vibration through the gear lever.
The engine noise is just horrible. My old Leon sounded like a tractor and was louder, but there's just something about the din which is just awful.
The gear lever does vibrate a ridiculous amount on idle, which my Leon never did. But maybe that's due to the positioning of the gearbox, ie. directly underneath..
Click to expand...

I'm glad somebody not biased (ie who bought one and how has to live with it) can now back up my experiences.

And as its exactly the same fundamental engine, the above applies equally to the 118d and 120d as well.
 
Just noticed the Leon has 170bhp. No brainer really; the bottom-of-the-range 1 Series really are rather unremarkable, bodykit or not.
 
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