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What sort of car would you expect an Accountant to drive?
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Well my FIL is an accountant, he drives a new Micra diesel, and has an Almera for a second car.
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Helicopter Jr is a trainee accountant with one of the big four and he drives mine and the wifes - Its a lot cheaper using Dad and Mums car, petrol , insurance etc etc...
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Something the colour of aging Marks & Spencers' underpants.
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As an accountant of many years standing, with quite of a lot of sitting, I can reveal the truth. Most accountants drive what can best be described as Q cars, normal from the outside, but with a top of the range motor under the bonnet. Examples include Seat Leon 20VT, Saab 95 2.3t, you get the drift! Me? I have 3 children and drive a Seat Alhambra with the 20VT engine! Hope this helps you all.
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How do you know that colour, Growler?
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>>>>>>How do you know that colour, Growler?
It's an educated guess. Most beanies I know were/are the sort who would factor in straight line depreciation before making lifestyle purchases, and were known to laugh once, about 23 years ago ;+)
These chaps never understood that a Datsun 120Y, while looking great on paper, would depreciate the desired fervour of the sales force faster than any accounting formula known to man.
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"These chaps never understood that a Datsun 120Y, while looking great on paper, would depreciate the desired fervour of the sales force faster than any accounting formula known to man."
Here you go - Just like this one
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=...1
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"Most beanies I know were/are the sort who would factor in straight line depreciation before making lifestyle purchases, and were known to laugh once, about 23 years ago ;+)"
You obviously know/employ the wrong types.
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I tried to buck the trend and went for an Alfa 156.
Better than the BMW / E class that my colleagues went for from a driving pleasure, less so for the depreciaiton. They always said that you buy an Alfa with your heart not your head.
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Well I drive a Pug 405 TD estate & have a Renault Scenic in the family also. Previous car was a Vx Vectra (hateful car) before that was a Xedos 6 (great car!), Nissan Primera 2.0 (great car), Citroen ZX Volcane TD (great car, but fell to bits!). So I'm not sure if I fufil typical accountant profile. Then again, I am a CIPFA accountant, considered by many private sector accountants not to be a "proper" accountant!
MM
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My accountants car park was full of BMWs and Mercs, the dear ones not the cheapo models.
I think this explains the large bills that they send.
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My accountants car park was full of BMWs and Mercs, the dear ones not the cheapo models. I think this explains the large bills that they send.
Wrong way round: it's the large bills they send which enables the choice of car!
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That's what I meant to say.
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I tried to buck the trend and went for an Alfa 156. Better than the BMW / E class that my colleagues went for from a driving pleasure, less so for the depreciaiton. They always said that you buy an Alfa with your heart not your head.
I like this man. Perhaps if I ditch my accountant.....
No Do$h
Alfa 156 owning backroom moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk
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My old man was an accountant. His cars have included, a Toyota Corolla, a Toyota Carina, a Rover 200, a Cavalier SRi and a Yaris.
Why?
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What sort of car would you expect an Accountant to drive?
I know it sounds like the first line of a joke, but this is a genuine question. I'll elaborate when there has been more replies. Anyone can answer as the the question is what sort of car would you EXPECT an Accountant to drive, although it's also interesting to hear what cars Accountants you know drive.
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A friend of mine is an accountant of 3 years' qualification. He drives a deeply unsubtle yellow 306 convertible.
The other two accountants I know reasonably well, both of whom are much more senior (opposite ends of their careers basically) drive a silver Focus diesel and erm... a MINI Cooper actually.
The Focus was bought for relatively low depreciation, fuel economy and servicing costs. The Cooper was bought purely for fun, though it should provide cheap motoring if it carries on holding its value.
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My accountant drives a BMW530i.
My previous accountant drove a high spec XJ8 4.0.
F R
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My accountant and old school friend drives a Daimler Double Six that he bought new with an inheritance 25ish years ago. It's never gone over 60 and is held together with rust and sealing wax. It's such a sty inside that a farmer friend offered to muck it out for him before we took it on a fishing trip last summer.
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It depends.
Two partners in a Big Four firm - Jag S-type and Volvo S80.
Sole practitioner with many years of practice - Audi A4 Convertible and Range Rover
Sole practitioner with a few years in practice - Audi A4
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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What would I expect them to drive? Mostly aspirational cars because acountancy is no longer just number-crunching but potentially lucrative business advisory work full of a lot of well-educated and competitive people.
So the usual quotient of BMWs, Audis, Mercs and Jags and the higher up you go some fairly serious sporting metal with the odd classic or bike thrown in.
Managing partner of PKF in my neck of the woods has a couple of bikes, a 4x4 and a Porsche. He's buys the Porsches at one year old, chooses the right model, and sells on at minimal loss two years later.
Leopards never change their spots...
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eeeh as an accountant (well I was one till I retired) in last 15 years.
Mercedes 260E, 2 x Rover 800 (company - no choice!:-(, Sierra, 3x BMW 3 series, Audi A4, Lotus Elan, Cox GTM, Fiesta. (as I best remember.. there may be more:-)
madf
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I was informed, by a person who should know, that an accountant's view of business economics is similar to the view from the rear window of a moving car. I expect that the ideal car is one with the steering wheel at the back.
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Our Financial Director makes me smile. He could easily have a top spec E-Class or equivalent, leased or 125% cash option, but cars mean nothing to him, and he drives around in a basic Astra Mk IV and his missus a Zafira. The only reason he has this Astra is because the pervious G plate Astra Mk II (a veritable farmyard inside, moo) got nicked last year. Each to his own!
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My friend, a chartered accountant drives a Rover 75, that has an LPG conversion.
The company that he works for has its own LPG tank, and so he fills up at work and pays very little for his fuel.
Reggie
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I used to be self employed and noticed my accountant was driving far better cars than I could afford. This narked me somwhat as someone who was mean't to earning far more than an accountant.I subsequently dumped him out of spite and did my own accounts (saving about 1k/year).
My brthers mate who is also an accountant drives high mileage Jags that he picks up for a few grand only.
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misterp, this is a dilemma that many accountants working with the self employed wrestle with:
Too expensive a car and the clients think you charge too much.
Too cheap a car and you lack credibility.
What would you have been happy for your ex-accountant to drive?
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What would you have been happy for your ex-accountant to drive?
I was delighted he drove what he did.If he had driven something more modest I wouldn't have learn't how to do my own accounts,and in doing so what a rip off much of accountancy is.
Should accountants drive crap cars to hide how much they are riping you off or flash ones to rub your face in it is the REAL question perhaps ;.)
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A friend told me that he'd read the most common Accountants car is a VW Golf. I've been an Accountant for over 28 years and have known lots of Accountants during that time. While in general they've lots of different cars, I can't remember any of them ever having a VW Golf. So I thought perhaps he mis-read the item and it said the most common car people expect an Accountant to drive is a VW Golf! I see from the replies over 40 different cars have been mentioned, but not one Golf!
I think the conclusion is you shouldn't believe what you read.
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SWMBO who is an accountant drives a much loved MINI. She had a Discovery and wants another.
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This sounds like another conundrum like Dulwich Estate's 'what do I drive'. (He, a builder.) He chose a brand new Audi A4 as it wasn't too flash to put the client off, but was flash enough to keep him (SWMBO???) happy.
Me? Audi 100 Avant, well past its tenth birthday. Cost me very, very little. Look in the carpark of a Big Four London office, and it'll be Jaguars, Mercedes & BMWs (and my Audi 100, looking very smug!) But then if you employ a Big Four accountant, you know what you're paying them & you won't be surprised to see the usual top-of-the-range cars - and if they're driving a Fiesta, you know it's not because they cannot afford something better.
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Ran into Mapmaker's dilema when changing the old 530d. Someone here suggested that a Mondeo diesel was a suitable replacement, might send the wrong message to longstanding clients. Eventually plumped for a new shape 530d. I feel that the new 530d is a bit too flash compared to the old 5 which is/was very understated. The new 5 does not quite work for me and I may drop into a new three when it comes out. (OK I just want a new three!)
SWMBO is now busier than ever "despite" dropping from a 25k Disco to a 12k MINI. May say rather more about the MINI's classlessness than the the Disco's prestigeness.
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I know just your problem Pug.
Need to have a car that is not too flash, but smart enough to inform the clients that they are getting a decent and experienced surveyor, who is clearly able to get enough decent work that he can afford a decent car.
Therefore, despite Mondeo being a great car, I can't get one. I'd be laughed at and would probably lose work. Funnily, most lawyers I know, who never leave their desks drive very ordinary cars - because their clients never see them driving.
Also, like omlettes, I can't value a property without seeing it, so I do a fair amount of urban driving so want something safe from the usual nutters on our urban roads. This dictates something modern with loads of airbags. Part of the problem is finding the balance between flash and reasonable.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Senior Partner - Mercedes, Lexus, BMW, Volvo, Audi, Range Rover
Mid level - lower models of above, + Toyota, VW, Honda or similar "classless" cars. People carriers are fine as look the part of responsible family man/woman.
Youngsters - Anything conventional without sunstrips, spoilers, blue lights, imitation bullet holes, real bullet holes, etc.
Generally the more wood veneer you can get on it the better the impression, but don't go as far as a Morris Traveller.
Ferraris, Porsches, souped-up anythings would have me moving the account; as would any car in red. However female accountants can get away with driving a mass manufacturer sports car. For some reason it makes them look driven to succeed rather than reckless.
Are we helping you justify your new company car?
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We have 2 Golf drivers (out of 22 staff) in the accountancy practise I work for.
Interestingly, there are only 3 diesels out of the lot. 1 person wanted a diesel but didn't want to pay £1,000 more for it.
I drive a (7 month old when I got it) Citroen C5 diesel.
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