This is getting serious: £28K serious

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Wed 13 Feb 2002 20:01
This is getting serious: £28K serious - Colin Standing
I need real hard info. as the inquisitor is my youngest daughter. The question is out of my league and she is interested only in sitting in a car, having street cred, and driving about 35K business miles a year with 3-4K private. She's that sort.

Has had series of company cars incl high spec VW Golf, alfa and presently a BMW M something which is like a tank (T reg).

Company changing to salary increase, milage allowance and 'pick your own'.She wishes to out do the boss and take a 'you only pass here once' attitude. My limited (and she knows it) knowledge leads me only to say
'go for the top of the range VW Golf' and pocket the difference. No chance.

A company contact through leasing firm they use has led to high spec SLK 230 2 seater one year old priced as above. She can afford it so I have no problems if she hates it after a fortnight - as has happened before and is the reason I stick to boring boxes - she'll just have to lump it. Leasing is apparently the choice.

Pithy and deadly serious questions she should ask before committing please.

That way dad will get street cred too vicariously.

And, as usual, I will be very grateful for any comments.

Cheers Colin S
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Wed 13 Feb 2002 20:09
Re: This is getting serious: £28K serious - Mark (Brazil)
From my experience with Company Lease Cars...

Any restrictions on tyre replacements ? Frequency/mileage/whatever
Any restrictions on other disposables ?
Any restrictions on where (which garage) it must be serviced in
Driving/driver restrictions ?
When must the car be replaced mileage/time?
Any mileage limitation ? What happens if it is exceeded ?
Insurance Excess ?
Any control over where the car is sourced from ?
Any opportunity to inspect it before acceptance

Those questions would about cover every difficulty I ever had with a Co. Lease car.
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Wed 13 Feb 2002 20:10
Re: This is getting serious: £28K serious - ian (cape town)
Insurance? (bound to be hellish)
Car Jacking? (This is a VERY desirable vehicle for certain elements)
Jealous Yobs scratching the paintwork? (Does she have safe parking at home, how often does she park in the street if she's travelling 3k/month?)
Great attention grabber for the boys in blue. (They also target sports cars - and don't tell me she'll always keep it below the speed limit!)
Sorry to be a pessimist, Colin, but...
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Wed 13 Feb 2002 20:17
Re: This is getting serious: £28K serious - David W
Colin,

From my past experience lower down the scale you do need to ask the questions Mark poses but leasing removes so much of the liability you can often enjoy the car more.

In my early days on this site I remember commenting I meet a young lady in such a car along our road several days a week. It looks dead classy and I would jump at the chance, so should she.

David
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Wed 13 Feb 2002 20:38
Re: This is getting serious: £28K serious - Mark (Brazil)
>>and I would jump at the chance, so should she.

Now with an edit button you'd have a chance to rephrase that.
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Wed 13 Feb 2002 20:46
Re: This is getting serious: £28K serious - Nicholas Moore
Given the mileage, a nearly new E320CDi would be far more comfortable, far more powerful
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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?