After a string of company 4x4's (Discovery's, Landcruiser's and M-Class), my Dad has decided to opt out of the company car scheme due to escalating taxation costs. He is looking to spend around 15K and will cover around 20K miles per year. All fuel will be paid for by the company.
He is currently considering a Landcruiser or a Range Rover and is also looking into Japanese Imports
Any advice on the above or any others which we may have missed?
Geoff
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does he specifically require a 4x4 for his work, or is it just a personnal preference?
i've heard good reports about the dihatsu/subaru 4x4's, but only off mates that have had them in the past.
billy
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HJ has consistently reccommended the Toyota Landcruiser Amazon as the best large 4x4. I believe they hold their value well, so £15k probably won't buy a recent, low mileage one.
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It will get a quite reasonable Landcruiser Colorado though, and that is a great vehicle, and not that much smaller than the Amazon.
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Geoff
Your father may already know this, but just in case - If his company is going to pay all his fuel, the total spend on fuel will be included in the employers annual declaration to the Inland Revenue (form P11D)as a benefit in kind and your father will be charged tax on this at his highest rate (22% or 40%).
He can of course claim the usual tax allowance of 40p per mile for the first 10,000 miles p.a. business mileage and 25p per mile for any excess.
He may want to choose something not too thirsty!
Regards
Paul
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your father will be charged tax on this at his highest rate (22% or 40%).
He may want to choose something not too thirsty!
paul, you beat me to it!
i was thinking along those lines when i posed the question earlier,
(was going to suggest some form of diesel saloon or estate if it was down to just personal preference).
billy
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Thanks for all the replies.
He generally likes driving a 4x4 and in addition to this he occasionally needs to tow a horsebox.
Thanks for the advice about the fuel card - I will pass the info on.
Getting back to the Landcruiser - do you think it would be sensible to look in to Jap imports to get 'more car for the money'?
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I have a Landcruiser Colorado not-imported (well they all are, but you know what I mean) and my builder has the identical vehicle of the same year which is an import.
He doesn't have height adjustment on his headlights.
I only have an independent heater in the back, he has independent air con. (we both have aircon in the front).
I think that's about the sum total of any difference we can find between the cars.
I'm not sure what all the fuss about import is provided the car is legit and its got the equipment you want, who cares.
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If he had £17k, he could get probably get hold of a new or nearly new Kia Sorento, which HJ rates very highly. It also has a three year unlimited mileage warranty and is less agricultural than the Hyundai Terracan, which has a better warranty but is a real farm workhorse.
How heavy is the horsebox that he needs to tow?
Btw I'd be nervous about any Land Rover, because of reliability, and a Mitsubishi Shogun Sport which, though cheap, is absolutely godawful.
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