Hi all,
I am looking at a new company car with no limit on choice which has brought me to decision of an M3, RS4, S5 or similar.
This will be doing both business and private miles but no more than the agreed mileage that is set on the contract hire form 10-20k/pa.
I know the tax band is G so £400 a year, what other costs am I likely to incur?
If there are a lot of costs then I would like a good drivers car that is still 'flashy'.
Do you recommend any particular car that will look good, handle well but also help with tax benefits. It needs to be a good looking car to take clients out but also not cost the earth.
Thanks in advance and sorry if I am asking a question that has already been answered.
Adam
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Alan,
it strikes me that you've listed some seriously expensive motors there. If you're looking for a car that won't cost the earth then they are probably all bad choices - mpg is going to be very poor on all of them, and overall running costs will be very high.
I'm also not sure they still do the RS4 - Audi only ever have one RS model at a time, and the RS4 was replaced by the RS6.
Other than that, I'd try cars you like the look of. Personally I would avoid 'flashy' at all costs, so I'm not a good person to guide you.
One choice that might be more 'sensible' might be a BMW 330d. >40 mpg, <6 second 0-60 and 153 carbons so affordable tax. Worth a look?
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If you're taking clients out, then you should get something with 4 doors at least. You don't want anyone suffering the indignity of squeezing in to the back seat of a 2-door car. You may also want to consider that some clients may not take too well to anything too "flashy" - it might make them think they pay your company too much.
If the world were my lobster, and the company was paying, I'd be getting an Alfa 159. But then I'm a hopeless addict.
Edited by Alanovich on 20/04/2009 at 15:47
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My company car choice based on the requirements of great to drive, comfort for driver and customers and reasonable real world running costs led me to a BMW530d. I would have preferred a 530i but with the distances I drive I would have been filling up daily.
I used to have an E46 M3, privately run. I would only think about taking customers out in one if they enjoy regular visits to the local orthopedist. The ride is bone shaking, to put it politely.
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>>If you're taking clients out, then you should get something with 4 doors at least.
>>
As my son who aspires to a M3 showed me on Autotrader yesterday, the four door M3 has significantly lower second hand resale value. Another factor to consider?
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Hi Gordon,
I can afford to run the car, just didnt know if there were any alternative similar cars that will give better BIK. Im sure I read an article recently that the Jag XKR was a good company car as they had reduced some things to make it more attractive to business contracts - cant seem to find any info on it though.
Have an '07 RS4 in mind, a wonderful car that a partner drives. Would like the M3 and have found a good business contract at £599 a month for 3 years with maintenance and 10,000 miles. So not realy a bad deal but I agree, the petrol will be thirsty.
Thanks for the advice, I will keep searching on!
Adam
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If you want 'flashy' what's wrong with a nice Chrysler 300C or one of those recent Cadillacs? Comfortable and well handling too. And you can bend your clients' ears about what a bargain they were...
I imagine an Audi RS would be a more civilised ride than an M3, quicker and safer in the real world and available with four doors. Take the badges off.
Edited by Lud on 20/04/2009 at 16:29
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A BMW 335d springs immediately to mind. Fast, fun, "flash", and at 177g/km, a much better BiK prospect than a gas guzzling M3 or RS. I suspect that on real roads, the 335d would feel no slower than either, and still do 30's to the gallon. At 0-60 in 5.9 seconds and 150 mph, it's no slug in any case.
Auto only though which is a bit of a bummer from the drivers car point of view.
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The BIK cost for these cars will be very high. Assuming that the M3 say had a list price of £50k (so no options), and you're a higher rate tax payer then you're looking at monthly cost of £583 for the tax you will pay! That's £7000 in tax per annum.
Much better to consider something with a powerful diesel engine. How about a BMW 535d or a Jaguar XF 3.0d twinturbo.
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Hoo. Hadn't thunk about the Jag. That's a great call. When does the estate come out? I'll be (if the wife lets me) having one of those once they're about three years old!
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Cheap M3 lease?
I've seen several cheap m3 deals recently, however, as I understand it you'd need a real base model to get them. I'm told that the only ones currently available are quite highly specced and you cant actually get them on the cheap headline rates.
Plenty of discussion on pistonheads.
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If you want...
Performance and all else secondary: BMW M3
If you want Performance and a slightly understated look without manic costs: New Audi S4 (3.0TSI V6)
If you want class, sophistication and your clients to realise you are a man of true taste: JAguar XFR
Forget the running costs, go for the real gorgeousness and style of the Jaguar.
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