I'm currently doing a 60 mile a day (in total - ie return) commute to work on the train. It takes about 1hr 20mins door to door, but by driving it can be done in about 40mins. I'm therefore thinking about ditching the train (not particularly environmentally friendly but I'm fed up of wasting 1hr+ a day).
I can't decide on whether to take a company car or use my own. I can get a pretty decent car (golf GTI, bmw 3 series) from the company for about £420/month (ie including tax, loss of allowance, etc).
Or I could drive my current car (5yr old Golf GTI), but am loath to put 15k extra miles on it a year and suffer the extra depreciation.
Or I could go out and buy a cheap car (£1k) to drive to work and keep the Golf for weekends.
Any thoughts on what would be a relatively cheap way of covering the 60miles?
|
I would run your Golf GTi and just keep it well serviced. When it's time to change, look for a diesel.
Don't buy another car, even for 1K. You're not going to get much car and are creating more tax, insurance, service, repair and MoT bills.
|
|
|
I have a similar commute and use my own car (53-reg Civic). What with commuting, social/domestic/pleasure use (what a nice turn of phrase the insurance companies have...) and occasional work-related running about (usually 150 to 200-mile round trips to other offices) I am doing nearly 19,000 miles a year, which (mileage claims aside) is largely paid for out of my own pocket.
This can be argued about until the cows come home and turn blue in the face or whatever, but my own view is that in your position I'd take the company car and let someone else worry about the maintenance cost, depreciation, and how-long-can-it-keep this-up-before-something-drops-off issues!
|
|
What mileage is on the GTi?
|
|
The current Golf GTI has 45k miles & is in as new condition - hence my reluctance to put extra miles on it.
|
|
|
|
Your allowance musn't be very much if the cost of moving to a company car is only £420/mth? Would that include fuel for private use, too?
Also, it seems a little unusual that you're being paid an allowance, but not actually using the car - or is that normal? I know travel to and from work isn't business use, but we're expected to have our cars available, at work.
I think you'd be surprised about the environmentally friendly bit - there was a kerfuffal recently when it was revealed that a train full of people causes more pollution then if everyone drove in their own cars.
|
|
The £420/month is after tax loss for the car ie. the actual loss to me after 41% income tax (allowance £5k gross) & tax on the new company car.
|
|
|
|
Until recently I was doing 94 miles a day round trip. The car allowance was £6750 gross.
I worked out that with my own high personal mileage, 12,000 a year, the company car was a better option.
So if your personal miles are high - company car - otherwise, don't get sentimental about the golf, run it into the deck.
|
A reasonable 5-6 year old diesel hatchback (Golf Mk4 TDI?) would seem ideal for commuting - very economical and since it's not worth a great deal you won't worry so much about leaving it parked in the street all day if you have to.
Cheers, Sofa Spud
|
|
|
For what it's worth and with no particular point to make .....
I commute 60 miles/day and leased a Punto 1.9 JTD which (when pushed hard) yeilds about 50 mpg.
My monthly lease figure for the first 3 years was £202. I put in about £40 of diesel a week.
After 3 years (54,000 miles) I paid off the balloon - £2700 (from savings) - and now own the car but have no monthly repayment. I intend to run it into the ground.
The JTD is quick enough to keep up with traffic in the outside lane and yet must be one of the most economic around.
Kind Regards
|
|
|
|
