robin, that would be very much appreciated! Email in profile, thanks.

Done.

So, you get a car allowance … but you are not using it for paying for a car?
Wow – doesn’t the company specify, how old, how many doors etc??
We used to – and you could down trade – but you still had to have an under 4 year old motor …

Well just to put this on track – I have a Sportback A3 in 2.0 170 DSG format.
The newer chassis is better road mannered, the 1.4 engine is very good as long as it is a new one – the first ones suffered terribly with snapped chains, lunched turbos, etc.
All solved now though.
The Audi version of the DSG is now called Multitronic.
A bike will go in fairly easily with the seats down.
Not across the back seat though.
Strange as it would in my 330D Touring and they are the same width.

the new focus st is a four cylinder direct injection turbo with 246 bhp. it’s not the same as the old 5 cyl turbo volvo lump

I hope the focus has improved from the 06 version we had ( I assume it has). Dunno why, but it was just nasty to drive – and my wife disn’t like the shape of it, so she modified all the corners on it!!

I have rented an a3 sports back and AM bike would go in with seats down and inside a duff monster bag, it was a nice car and I may well buy one from a mate who’s selling his ex company car, FYI 3yrs old it will be around £12k. I have a bias against the small engines seen these days, so hard for me to recommend a 1.4 in anything except a city car.

get the ST, I just got one over the weekend and it’s brilliant. chav car or not I don’t care!

I’ve now done 10000 miles in my Fabia VRS – it’s a hoot!

1.4TSI with 180PS. Oh – and it still manages 44ish mpg, even with my idiotic driving style. Mine’s the hatchback and the estate apparently does slightly better mpg.

Rachel

mrmoofo – Member
So, you get a car allowance … but you are not using it for paying for a car?
Wow – doesn’t the company specify, how old, how many doors etc??
We used to – and you could down trade – but you still had to have an under 4 year old motor ..

Yep, 4 years or under is the stipulation. As green as possible is advisory but not a definitive requirement.

If you have to get newer to keep the allowance, how about swap the BMW for a newer BMW with a private / non dating plate and just tell them it is newer than it actually is? If all the options are going to cost you something, why not spend the money on something you actually want?

Have you actually tried driving any of ’em?

When I replaced mine earlier this year I drove all sorts and, TBH, the A3 was a disappointing pile of shite – the Golf is a much better car. The Focus was, in both guises, a better drive than the A3 and just as well built (IMHO).

I was very disappointed with several promising cars so, much like the advice I give to bike shoppers, you need to try some before you buy. You never know, you might end up loving the one you least expect to 😉

Nobby, don’t be ridiculous. You know thats not the way to do things.

Oh hold on…

The answer is simple – which one make you look the coolest?

Not my current car:

oldbloke – Member
If you have to get newer to keep the allowance, how about swap the BMW for a newer BMW with a private / non dating plate and just tell them it is newer than it actually is?

Erm, the company is responsible for purchasing it and hold the V whatever form?

I’m not in a position to buy a <4yo car right now myself.

I have had an A3 Sportback from new for 7 years (2.0t FSI Quattro). Other than a new battery and tyres I have not spent a penny on it. It is the most expensive car I have owned but the cheapest to service, cheaper than a VW Up!

It is the only car I have ever owned for this long and I am still very happy with it. So my money would go on the Audi.