Arrrgghhh th MB may have to go!!

[Ian B Walker]

I have decided that even if I do have to have a company car the 240 is staying, I just love it too much to part with it!!

Thank God you have come to your senses. Gives me another opertunity to whoop your @rse at a road run

 

[lotusmark2]

Thank God you have come to your senses. Gives me another opertunity to whoop your @rse at a road run

DOes that mean I have to take it out of third gear next time
We shall just have to wait for Bruntingthorpe

 

[Ian B Walker]

DOes that mean I have to take it out of third gear next time

You could but it would slide off the road unlike the trusty W124's which are rather road huggy, especially when on 16" wheels

 

[Satch]

Here is the nifty calculator from Honda (well Deloitte & Touche) that works out the tax cost for you over three years. All you really need is the price & CO2 output.

http://www.honda.co.uk/companycar/tax.html

That gives you the extra tax cost (A). Then work out how much post tax cash you lose out on over the same time (B) by taking the car. So A+B= net reduction in post tax income.

In my case that worked out to about £27K over 3 years, which was the price of having a car I did not really want for three years and then having absolutely nothing at the end.

Would the cost of capital, funding, insurance, road tax, maintainance and depreciation come to that? Well only if I purchased a car with stupid depreciation rate and did high miles as my fuel expense rate did not carry much "profit" element over actual fuel cost.

So there we have it, proof again that if you buy something with decent residual value & do not do big miles cash usually wins out over car and you end up with an asset.

Alterntively, what can you lease or PCP for that sum? Rather a decent car, I would think.

 

[lotusmark2]

cheers Satch
from the look of that if I do have to have a company car then a Mini cooper is only going to cost me about £48 per month hmmmm almost worth it to not clock up the miles on the MB, and a lot more fun on a track

 

[Satch]

cheers Satch
from the look of that if I do have to have a company car then a Mini cooper is only going to cost me about £48 per month hmmmm almost worth it to not clock up the miles on the MB, and a lot more fun on a track

That sounds cheap. I suppose we should consider also that company cars come equipped with those very, very special fabric trims & carpets designed for the carrying of loose building materials, well rotted horse manure and take away bags oozing chicken vindaloo/sweet & sour sauce/chip fat.

 

[lotusmark2]

oh yes, many a garden centre trip has been made in my comany cars of the past
building rubble anyone

 

[C240Sport97]

Try the Smart Brabus - I got driven in it at Canary Wharf Motoexpo -- it has a great engine/exhaust sound. Looks great (much much less common than MINIs) with those monster 17" brabus wheels, has very low CO2 (hence lower tax) and is also a fun convertible. I have asked for a test drive, but apparently demonstrators are not due for another fortnight or so.

Thanks guys, I really hope I can swing a car allowance but I know they have never done it before in the company so I will just have to wait and see.
I could alway go for a BRABUS Smart roadster if I have to have a car

 

[lotusmark2]

how much room is in them as I am 6ft 8"??

 

[C240Sport97]

there's a heck of a lot of legroom, certainly as much as my C240 .. so you should fit, but headroom may be a problem. wander down to your local Smart showroom and try it for size

how much room is in them as I am 6ft 8"??

 

[lotusmark2]

so is the interior on the Brabus the same as standard (just with leather)?

 

[C240Sport97]

you also get Brabus instruments with different (and quite nice) rings around the outside, plus aluminium pedals, plus aluminium handbrake holder (with Brabus on it) plus a brabus leather gear knob. The leather also covers a big part of the dash (which I don't think you get on optional leather). You get a twin exhaust at the back sticking out in the middle with all that lovely chrome, plus brabus bodykit and the previously mentioned 17" wheels). Well worth the extra £3k or so over the standard. And of course power is up to 100 bhp from 80. as is torque.

One thing that I find really disappointing is that the passenger seat back is fixed (not reclinable but does fold flat), albeit an angle which is comfortable for me.

so is the interior on the Brabus the same as standard (just with leather)?

 

[lotusmark2]

Also had a look around on the net and found the SEAT Ibiza Cupra Diesel.
£600 a year in tax, 160BHP and 0-62 in 7.6 seconds hmmm now that sounds like fun.