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WWSTWD?
Need a car for a new job that involves "significant" travel. Mileage is paid at 45p. Economy is a big factor to help cover my costs.
Needs to be....
Comfortable cabin, around town and for motorway miles
Estate or SUV
ULev compliant
As economical as possible to top up salary from expenses.
also, on a side note how much is business use likely to increase my insurance premium by?
edit: - should of added budget, around £10k max
I'd be looking to go fully EV for your use. 45p per mile could be a good earner if not needing to pay for fuel.
Post 2015 Euro6 diesel of some description, personally I’d go for something like a Golf or Octavia or Astra or Focus estate as SUV’s of any marque will use more fuel for the equivalent amount of space and comfort. A high mileage shouldn’t be a deal breaker if properly serviced
As far as the insurance is concerned it depends what type of business use you want-if it is simply visiting clients then class 1 which is often free or little extra but be honest about your expected mileage, for commercial travelling then it will be much more expensive class 3 rather than Class 1
I’d be looking to go fully EV for your use.
For "significant" travel? Hybrid surely?
Define 'significant'. Remember that HMRC rules change over (IIRC) 10k per year and the rate drops to 30p (IIRC). This is to encourage high miles users to have proper allowance or company car scheme, to protect employees being asked to have a car for work.
How often in cities? Think expanding ULEZ.
Insurance - full business use by mrs_oab and I adds less than £40 to our two insurance policies.
We get 45p a mile, and by running older cars it covers it all, and I have averaged 10-15k per annum for last 8 year in this job, plus 10-12k p/a for personal mileage.. We end up with a 'free' car compared to colleagues who lease and end up paying a bit if car for their own use. I buy at around £7-10k, look for great condition one owner cars (not fussed about miles) with super service history - the last three have all be ex-motability cars - and run them till they near enough hit the scrapper.
Car - +1 on an Octavia/Golf/Leon
My 18 plate Leon estate easily gets >60mpg on a run - normally between 63 & 65mpg on my commute.
During the recent fuel shortage I slowed down to 60mph on my commute & mpg was touching 70mpg.
It's the 150bhp diesel & is ULEZ compliant - whether it will be in the future....?!
Any similar sized VAG car with that engine will get similar MPG I would have thought.
£10k will get you a pre-face lift one, but I'm not sure whether you'd get the face-lifted version.
Main differences are newer version has the electronic handbrake, LED headlights & Android Auto/Apple Carplay with a bigger display.
Vauxhall Insignia is honestly one of the dullest cars ever made but it's cheap, Euro6 compliant, very fuel efficient, and easy to drive. Definitely buy an automatic though if you're doing big miles.
If you are travelling that far for work why are they not providing the car? Also, are they happy for you to have a £10k car if they are covering any allowance costs?
I like my Octy estate, but I'd not say the seat was comfortable enough for 'significant' mileage.
Volvo for comfort?
Mercedes CLS 250 AMG Sport...?
2015 Honda civic estate 1.6 diesel ?
I ran one for 3 years 60,000 miles, mostly A roads and motorways with very little town driving. I think it managed 50mpg over all in that time.
It was serviced and had some tyres. Nothing went wrong.
Not fancy, not fast bit nice and fast enough for the real world.
I was just going to post what Matt did about the 45p only being for quite a limited mileage. Don't get caught out.
I'd say insignia as well. The 1.6 diesel is as nice as a small diesel ever will be, gets epic milage, has plenty of grunt from low down for normal driving and has no known gotchas. £20 tax if you get the right year. Your budget will just stretch to new shape..
I'm in the same boat. Been using our existing car for now but as it only gets 45mpg and isn't the most refined vehicle it can get a bit tiresome on longer journeys.
Looking to get something comfier/quite/with Bluetooth in April once this is paid off. I had thought EV but prices, and wait times, on new cars are mad at the moment. Also having silly thoughts about a BMW 640d Gran Coupe as they can allegedly get a half decent mpg and I don't need to worry about ulez.
Hopefully by the time April rolls round the secondhand market will have settled down a bit.
E class estate. Biggest diesel that fits, get one that someone’s optioned up.
If not an E class then a CLS.
You’ll need something that you arrive fresh in. Big comfy and quick.
Another vote for the company providing the car.
Personally I'd be going for some kinda estate Skoda if I were buying.... But it really should be a company car if your doing proper heavy mileage.
If it's a company car, then what ever has the lowest tax bracket and can do the most miles irrespective of make or model. Can't understand people who get company cars based on brand and image.
I think I'd look for a job that doesnt involve 'significant' driving, I couldn't think of much worse than sitting in today's snarled up angry traffic for long periods of time.
I thought Covid had stopped this unnecessary travel now everyone is working from home? unless you are traveling to fix/service/inspect stuff in which case your employer needs more of you so you cover a smaller patch.
Also having silly thoughts about a BMW 640d Gran Coupe as they can allegedly get a half decent mpg and I don’t need to worry about ulez.
I had a 435d, basically the same engine. Averaged nearly 40mpg, luckily I'm rural so little urban, but even when driven hard very difficult to get below 35mpg.
With the 2.0d engine I have now, averages 50mpg and I don't drive 'economically'.
Steps down to 25p/mile after 10,000 miles usually, doesn't it?
Still can be a nice little supplement to your income if you have a low-cost motor in the first place, IME.
I think I’d look for a job that doesnt involve ‘significant’ driving, I couldn’t think of much worse than sitting in today’s snarled up angry traffic for long periods of time.
I don't disagree with you, but he hasn't really quantified what 'significant' means though.
And my experience so far of venturing back out on the roads is that they are nowhere near as bad as in the before times.
To answer a few of the questions....
"Significant" is necessarily high, just regular. 500-700 miles a month ish I guess.
The company ask you to use your own car on round journeys of less than 200 mile. Over that and they provide a hire car. for Scotland/Ireland its a flight. They also give options of train if thats what you prefer.
Some kind of Mazda, great cars to drive and the dealers do appear to gas compared to the vag tossers.
EV all the way then. E-niro
Depends on how big an estate you need.....
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110208719865?atmobcid=soc3
own car .. less than 200 mile. Over .. provide a hire car
Do youhave any control over your journeys? I'd be arranging trips so that they'd be over 200 miles.
Colleague at an old job preferred to use his car, whereas I'd get fleet to hire one for me. He claimed that he was making ££ using his until the day he got shunted on a work trip- miles from home; insurance hassle and having to spend time to source a replacement.
Re insuranace- quite often business use is included at no extra. When I had to have it, I'd get quotes without, then see how much it would be to add it on if at all.
Don't think he'll get an e-niro for 10k!