Car dilemma

[curlyks2]

At the start of this year, I started a new job. This new job has a car allowance, of which some, all or none (or more if it's topped up with salary) can be traded for a company car. Any that's not taken against a car is added to salary.

Having looked at the options, it seems on the face of it that the cheapest thing to do is to take all the car allowance as cash and keep enjoying the S2.

If I wanted to be driving a brand new car, then some of the company car options work out very well compared to buying them privately. (And this is the comparison most people make: the cost (mostly tax) of the company car vs. buying the same make/model privately themselves. Doesn't apply to me since the S2 is mine and mine wholly.)

Then there's the option of getting something else (older and diesel) myself to do the running and commuting in, keeping the miles off the S2.

Hmm... what to do. Thoughts and suggestions welcome...

Ck.

[raymor]

I opted out and took the allowance 5 years ago and have never looked back... I got really fed up with the fact that you never really got anything for your money - only a bigger tax bill. This way, when I use the S2 I can claim tax relief on the difference between the company paid mileage and the tax free mileage amount. About 25pence a mile up to 10K miles and then about 15pence after that or thereabouts.

I cycle to work as it's the only spare time I get to do any training and if I'm going to the airport I take the bus - so no need for another car.

...if you don't have to do big mileage and want to keep the S2, there is no better way of justifying new bits for it

[S2central.net]

Yep - cash is king... Company cars are for losers - sorry thats harsh. What I mean is they only make sense if doing big mileage or you are the sort of person that feels better about themself by having a brand new car on the driveway every 2-3 yrs and you don't mind paying the extra tax.

They are a stress free option for some people on the basis that you just take it into zee dealer whenever anything goes wrong and someone else is paying the bill (even I can see there must be some inherent joy in that). Garages love you for that - its partly why those who own their cars sometimes get shafted at the garages who rely a little to heavily on corporate accounts that they can charge just about any old flannel onto without batting an eyelid. COntraversial but there you have it.

[Error404]

take the cash, get an oil burner for "work" useage IMO

[mcandmar]

Take the cash IMO, in my last job the driving expenses i clocked up paid for the car and all the mods i could throw at it. Then when i left the job the car was still mine

Having said that had i been driving the Audi most of the expenses would have been taken up just covering the fuel bills. Especially with the price of fuel these days.

[Fat Audi 80]

Easy, buy an Audi 80 1.9Tdi like everyone else and enjoy relaxed reliable motoring in an old classic.

Laugh at all the to44ers paying for their nearly new cars or paying shed loads of tax on a brand new car, safe in the knowledge you are keeping it real, adding less to global warming (if that bothers you) by not replacing your car every couple of years, and enjoy the extra money!

@ Paul, I am sooo with you on people buying new cars and taking them to the dealers for servicing....

P.S. A decent '80 Tdi should set you back about a grand.

Cheers,

Steve.

[S2central.net]

No FFS - this is why I can't find a decent 80TDi recently... LOL

I'm opening the search to include A4 or A6 1.9TDi - preferably in quattro form and I wouldn't discount the 5-pot 2.5TDi in the A6 either. Just hard to find these nowadays in my part of the world.

[mcandmar]

Paul, There is a few of them in buyandsell.ie, not sure whats involved to import them into NI?