Company car time

Jimbeam3678

Jimbeam3678

Jimbeam3678

Soldato
Joined
8 Dec 2002
Posts
20,693
Location
North Yorkshire
After some help as I have little knowledge of new cars.
Quick overview of personal requirements. I do have an option of a cash allowance but have no desire to use it for various reasons. I currently have Toyota Avensis Diesel estate - only car they had left from pool when I started (Funny that!)

We don't have kids or pets and don't plan to, will be mainly used for motorway miles or A roads.

Which one of the below would you choose.

  • Vauxhall Astra Diesel Hatchback 1.6 Cdti 16V Elite Nav 5Dr
  • Volkswagen Golf Diesel Hatchback 1.6 TDI SE 5Dr
  • Vauxhall Astra Diesel Hatchback 1.6 Cdti 16V 136 SRi Nav 5Dr
  • Volkswagen Golf Diesel Estate 1.6 TDI S 5Dr
  • BMW 1 Series Diesel Hatchback 116d SE 5Dr [nav/servotronic]
  • Lexus CT Hatchback 200h 1.8 Luxury 5Dr CVT
  • BMW 1 Series Diesel Hatchback 118d SE 5Dr [nav/servotronic]
  • Audi A3 Diesel Sportback 1.6 TDI 116 SE Technik 5Dr
Really appreciate your thoughts as I know there as some knowledgeable people on these forum.
 
I'd probably choose the BMW 1 Series Diesel Hatchback 118d SE if you don't need lots of rear seat space.
Audi A3 in second place, Golf not far behind.
But if you live somewhere that snows in Winter, I'd reverse that list and scrub off the BMW!
Technically there's absolutely nothing wrong with an Astra, but they are totally anonymous ... it's as if you don't exist if you drive one.
 
Why have you ruled out taking the cash? You have a pretty bland list of entry level cars there you could take a loan buy something nice but a little older and cover the repayments with the car allowance?
 
Hyburnate said:
The one thing that jumps out at me is the Lexus will be less BIK... If that's a deciding factor at all. Bit of a meh car though.
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After the next year I believe that would also become irrelevant as I would taxed whatever is higher the BIK or cash allowance happy to be wrong on this. Either way I've driven the car its not great!

a1ex2001 said:
Why have you ruled out taking the cash? You have a pretty bland list of entry level cars there you could take a loan buy something nice but a little older and cover the repayments with the car allowance?
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IAmATeaf said:
What sort of mileage do you do? If not moon miles I’d opt out which is what I do.

The list is pretty bland, out of those on the list I’d reluctantly choose the Lexus.
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I live in a city center and work 20 miles away which is the only reason I have a car. If I circumstances change I don't want to be left with car I don't need. In addition we're buying a house soon so I don't want the car as a debt for mortgage quotations. Along that I really can't be arsed with unexpected bills for a car. Rather take one of the mentioned cars and just drive it etc. I just want to make sure I get the best on of those cars so I'm asking you knowledgeable chaps and chapess
 
Jimbeam3678 said:
After the next year I believe that would also become irrelevant as I would taxed whatever is higher the BIK or cash allowance happy to be wrong on this. Either way I've driven the car its not great!






I live in a city center and work 20 miles away which is the only reason I have a car. If I circumstances change I don't want to be left with car I don't need. In addition we're buying a house soon so I don't want the car as a debt for mortgage quotations. Along that I really can't be arsed with unexpected bills for a car. Rather take one of the mentioned cars and just drive it etc. I just want to make sure I get the best on of those cars so I'm asking you knowledgeable chaps and chapess
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Stick with the avensis they are all dull cars so save yourself the hassle of the switch and it will happily drive you to work and back without ever missing a beat. If you must swap take which ever is the cheapest thing on the company car list they will all tick your requirements list!

For your usage I think you are bonkers I'd buy a cheap banger and pocket the allowance to put towards your house!
 
a1ex2001 said:
Stick with the avensis they are all dull cars so save yourself the hassle of the switch and it will happily drive you to work and back without ever missing a beat. If you must swap take which ever is the cheapest thing on the company car list they will all tick your requirements list!

For your usage I think you are bonkers I'd buy a cheap banger and pocket the allowance to put towards your house!
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I can't buy a cheap banger, it needs to be relatively new car can't remember the exact age.

jpaul said:
easy shot but is the much larger boot/seats-down space of the this not a trump-card .. seems to be 605/1620 vs bm118,say 360/1200L ?
for sports equipment / bikes, other houshold neeeds.. etc ?
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Boot space isn't a problem as the biggest thing I carry is a bike and I easily carry that. To answer a previous question I do about 15-18k a year.
 
I got the impression that BIK was pretty much the primary driver of cost, and that a hybrid (or EV if you only do low mileage) would be significantly cheaper on tax than most diesels.
Anyone got the most recent data to back that up?
I'd certainly be checking out the hybrid and EV options before plumping for a daga daga.
 
a1ex2001 said:
Do they actually enforce the policy I've yet to work anywhere that does except for sales roles!
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I have no idea but I'm very of the sort that I play by the rules if they are enforced or not then you have no nasty surprises.

Mr_Sukebe said:
I got the impression that BIK was pretty much the primary driver of cost, and that a hybrid (or EV if you only do low mileage) would be significantly cheaper on tax than most diesels.
Anyone got the most recent data to back that up?
I'd certainly be checking out the hybrid and EV options before plumping for a daga daga.
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BIK is almost irrelevant for me as any car registered after 2017 the below applies, which applies to me:
Cash allowance option and take car – change – you will be taxed on whichever is the higher of these two amounts: the amount of your cash allowance or the Benefit in Kind value of your car.

Source - https://www.clm.co.uk/company-car-tax/
 
Jimbeam3678 said:
I have no idea but I'm very of the sort that I play by the rules if they are enforced or not then you have no nasty surprises.



BIK is almost irrelevant for me as any car registered after 2017 the below applies, which applies to me:
Cash allowance option and take car – change – you will be taxed on whichever is the higher of these two amounts: the amount of your cash allowance or the Benefit in Kind value of your car.

Source - https://www.clm.co.uk/company-car-tax/
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying.
So in short, if you get the option of a cash allowance, it's completely pointless going with an EV, unless the cash allowance is very low.
I can't help but think it pretty much destroys part of the market for hybrids.
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Thanks for clarifying.
So in short, if you get the option of a cash allowance, it's completely pointless going with an EV, unless the cash allowance is very low.
I can't help but think it pretty much destroys part of the market for hybrids.
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That's how I understand, as always with these things I could be wrong but seems like from that link.

WIth the hybrid side of things yes looks like they killed that incentive if you have the option of a cash allowance. :(

Anyway what car:p
 
Any other sources for that, I don't think anyone where I work is being taxed on that basis? Even those who have taken new cars in the last year.
 
Kenai said:
Any other sources for that, I don't think anyone where I work is being taxed on that basis? Even those who have taken new cars in the last year.
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Hyburnate said:
Yeah, a few have EVs due to the really low BIK here...
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I'm afraid not only started researching it the last week or so when I got my invite to order from my fleet management company.

I think I going for the A3 seems to be the best car on reviews at the spec level.
 
I can't believe that's true frankly, loads of people here have been ordering hybrids and they'd be kicking off good and proper if their tax liability was double what they expected. I can't find anything except that one website describing that situation at all.
 
quick google problem is common

..
Basically for people like you who are offered either a company car *or* a cash car allowance things have changed, in effect whichever choice you take you will be taxed on whichever gives HMRC the most tax, despite which you choose!

This actually DISINCENTIVES people to pick cleaner company cars as if you do so to pay less BIK, they will tax you as if you took the cash instead! - its very bizarre!
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