Looking for a new company car.......

StevieP · 21 Oct 2010 at 11:55

I'm getting to the point where my firm are looking to swap my 5 year old VW Golf for a newer car and I've got some say in what I get so I'm after some ideas...

Here is the criteria...

1) Approx £12k budget
2) Max 1-2 years old
3) Must have a decent sized boot as I've got a little 'un on the way!

4) Must be fitting for a "company car" - ie. no Evo VII's etc!

Thats pretty much it really - I've been looking at the Octavia but not got any experience of it!?!?!

Thanks for any suggestions guys....

StevieP

Morba · 21 Oct 2010 at 11:57

Insignia?

[TW]Fox · 21 Oct 2010 at 12:09

Some more Golf?

StevieP · 21 Oct 2010 at 12:20

I dont think work are keen on another Golf! (this one has cost a bit when the turbo went and plus I'm not sure if I can get a suitable one within the budget and year restrictions!)

Insignia is an interesting idea! Might give one a go this weekend to see how I like it!

StevieP

[TW]Fox · 21 Oct 2010 at 12:24

Why is your company buying you used cars and keeping them past the warranty period meaning they are liable for repair bills etc?

This sounds like a pretty odd way of doing it.

StevieP · 21 Oct 2010 at 12:32

In the past they have changed the cars every 2-3 years (ie. within the warranty period) but what with the economic situation recently mine has spanned out to around 5yrs!

Not sure why - I guess I'm not important enough to keep in the loop!

StevieP

[TW]Fox · 21 Oct 2010 at 12:34

It just seems like such a massive waste of time, presumably somebody has to go out to all the car dealers, look at cars, blah blah, why not just lease something on a business lease?

Prophet · 21 Oct 2010 at 12:37

[TW]Fox;17618768 said:
It just seems like such a massive waste of time, presumably somebody has to go out to all the car dealers, look at cars, blah blah, why not just lease something on a business lease?

The place I work for does the same. Damn annoying as you'll get a much better car on lease for the money you have to pay out to buy a car.

We had to look for the car we wanted, come back with 3 options and let the boss decide.

Luckily I managed to get my boss to up the budget to £15K and got a Mondeo Titanium TDCI with most of the factory extras.

FTM · 21 Oct 2010 at 15:04

12k?
for the octavia you should be able to find a year old one with the 1.8tsi engine (160bhp) in elegance trim ..its reasonably nippy and its reasonably frugal

wont get you a CR diesel yet and the PD diesels are a bit lumpy imo

it would probably get you a 2ish petrol vrs but not a diesel (probably a 57 plate)

golf wise...probably 1.4 (80bhp) or it might stretch to a 2 ish year old golf GT at 140 or if you are lucky 170..maybe

StevieP · 21 Oct 2010 at 15:27

The majority of the Octavia's in that price range seem to be the PD diesels - would you recommend the 1.8 petrol ahead of the 2.0 diesels then?

StevieP

Peerzy · 21 Oct 2010 at 15:30

Second hand Mk2 Skoda Superb?

Got the funny duel tail boot thingy so easy getting stuff in and out of the boot and suppose to be a very good car.

No idea if they are in budget though?

FTM · 21 Oct 2010 at 22:51

StevieP said:
The majority of the Octavia's in that price range seem to be the PD diesels - would you recommend the 1.8 petrol ahead of the 2.0 diesels then?

StevieP

by a country mile..the pd diesel is noisy and suffers from dpf problems (common to any VAG car with the engine) if you do plenty of miles its no problem though

if you can source an octavia scout estate with that engine its will be all the car you ever need

StevieP · 21 Oct 2010 at 23:33

Hmmmm, just had a look at the emissions difference between the 2.0 diesel and the 1.8 petrol and its gonna make a huge difference to my company car tax!

Is the TDI still a decent motor?

StevieP

Rotty · 21 Oct 2010 at 23:35

[TW]Fox;17618768 said:
It just seems like such a massive waste of time, presumably somebody has to go out to all the car dealers, look at cars, blah blah, why not just lease something on a business lease?

my Brother's company do it and it works well, they has some agent type bloke who sources the cars

StevieP · 31 Oct 2014 at 15:16

Sorry to resurrect a veeerrryyy old thread but I've rolled around to the time where I'm due a new company car in the new year and have the very same question as in my OP back in 2010!

I ended up with a Skoda Octavia Elegance Hatchback, 1.6 diesel and I have to say for the most part it's been spot on!

It's large enough to carry all the junk for us and the kids and on a long run it's great fuel-economy wise although I've not been travelling for work as much as I had previously and I've found that for short trips, the car is simply too heavy for the 1.6 engine, giving me a shocking MPG!!!

Anyway, similar requirements to how it was back in 2011:

- Max 1-2 years old
- Nominal mileage (sub-15k(ish))
- £12-13k budget
- Large(ish) - either a good size hatch or an estate

I've had a wander around one of these "car supermarkets" and quite like the looks of the Mondeo Titanium 2.0 hatchback - although getting one in budget might be a struggle with low mileage!

Has much changed since my original thread as far as decent "company cars" go?? (and yes, work are still buying rather than leasing and I have no input on this so it isn't an option unfortunately!)

eatcustard · 31 Oct 2014 at 15:26

Focus, its better than a golf (so reports say)
plenty of boot room for rug rat gear

Blackhawk47 · 31 Oct 2014 at 15:33

Bizarre work scheme. Could go for a golf unless you wanted something bigger. No idea what 12k buys you though, maybe a mk6 golf 2.0 diesel?

rodenal · 31 Oct 2014 at 16:51

The mk3 focus absolutely isn't better than a mk6 or 7 golf - not even close

Another Octavia (are the new ones with lowly disease engines that cheap yet?) The Mondeos are nice enough with the right spec

StevieP · 31 Oct 2014 at 17:27

eatcustard said:
Focus, its better than a golf (so reports say)
plenty of boot room for rug rat gear

Had a look at the Focus estate and it looked small in comparison to even the hatch Mondeo!

Blackhawk47 said:
Bizarre work scheme. Could go for a golf unless you wanted something bigger. No idea what 12k buys you though, maybe a mk6 golf 2.0 diesel?

I know, I know - like I said, decisions above my pay grade!!

Used to have a golf and I can say straight away that it won't be anywhere near as big as I need - the Octavia just about does the job so I wouldn't want to go smaller tbh!

rodenal said:
The mk3 focus absolutely isn't better than a mk6 or 7 golf - not even close

Another Octavia (are the new ones with lowly disease engines that cheap yet?) The Mondeos are nice enough with the right spec

I'd like another Octavia but I'd definitely want the 2-litre engine and if I'm honest I think I'd like a bit of a change anyway!! The Titanium X spec on the Mondeo's look very nice imo!

Joe T · 31 Oct 2014 at 21:27

Insignia?