Small SUV tow car company car

[Stevem]

Normally you would pay for the fuel then submit an expense form at the end of the month claiming back any company mileage. Some companies will give you a credit card so you are never out of pocket and some give a fuel card and either you pay private mileage or you dont. If you dont pay private mileage then you will usually be taxed on this. There are a few variations of how the fuel side of things work but your fleet manager or line manager should put you right.

[HDAV]

Yeah it's all a bit confusing I don't mind paying for my own fuel apperently all 3 options are in play with a review being done next year of the over complicated process

[Last Tango]

If there's a company car in it, then chances are there's going to be a lot of driving in it. I've racked up 132,000 over two years and had days I'd drive for 12 hours. (Dounreay & back). Number one on the list has to be comfort or you'll spend your weekends nursing a sore back. Decent seats and the heavier the car the better.
What I chose as company cars was not what I'd have bought myself because the reliability/running costs was someone else's problem. Toys and comfort was more important.
Different rules if you're buying it yourself on an allowance.

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

If there's a company car in it, then chances are there's going to be a lot of driving in it. I've racked up 132,000 over two years and had days I'd drive for 12 hours. (Dounreay & back). Number one on the list has to be comfort or you'll spend your weekends nursing a sore back. Decent seats and the heavier the car the better.
What I chose as company cars was not what I'd have bought myself because the reliability/running costs was someone else's problem. Toys and comfort was more important.
Different rules if you're buying it yourself on an allowance.

Thanks I hope I'm not doing 60k+ a year.... The current commute is 100 miles a day I did 400 for the interview I need to do some test drives and look at my options really I need to get an idea aid the mileage expected and hope I can make an informed decision.

[HDAV]

Hmm well bumping this as decision will be coming soon hopefully, currently doing little mileage only a couple of hundred a week most weeks this will likely rise but at the moment very little, currently using an A4 that was in the car park when I started and I'll have for another 3 months, tax is bit steep on current bus so looking lower down the scale tax wise probably.

V40 CC is up on the list, as is Mazda CX-5 (xc60 is what I really fancy but too far over budget)

Oh and I get charged for my private mileage at hmrc rates 11/13p downside of the cx-5 is it's charged at 13p not 11p so other similar cars in 2.0l would be preferable.


I could opt out and take the cash but tbh after tax I'm not going to get a better car (without going older) and will need to cover any bills also the allowed car is quite restrictive, if I wanted to drive a small city hatch it would work out better but I don't....

[Stevem]

The cash option is all about flexibility, giving you the option of getting what you want. You could run around in a cheaper car and keep some of the allowance or put a bit of your own money in and buy something a bit grander.
Usually the cash you get will not get you a new car if paid over a three year term. But once the car is paid for and you decide to sell the cash is yours.

Ive recently took the cash option as had it in the past and works out better for me but if the car I really wanted was on the list I probably would have taken that.

If you take the CX-5 you will get charged 13ppm for private use but how many miles a month do you roughly do privately as 13p may not be the end of the world and the new Mazda 2.2D is a great engine.

Anyhow good luck deciding..

[Xk59D]

xtrail 1.6d is cracking car, my old man just got one and the 1.6 is very impressive. i had the 2.0 xtrail previously and it is close to it for grunt, would certainly haul a decent size boat.

[Stevem]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

xtrail 1.6d is cracking car, my old man just got one and the 1.6 is very impressive. i had the 2.0 xtrail previously and it is close to it for grunt, would certainly haul a decent size boat.

Are you not up and down the box with the 1.6d?

[Xk59D]

whilst i haven't towed with his xtrail i have drove it and i was really expecting it to be terrible for power and i was absolutely astonished by it.

it felt nearly as powerful as my old 2.0 xtrail and it picked up no issues going up very steep hills in 4th gear with 3 adults in car from 30mph. his model is rated to tow 1800kg but i would stick to 1500kg max and i'm confident it would be great at that.

[Stevem]

Good to know, thanks.

Ive got an old 2006 2.2D xtrail which I think is great and I like the look of the new ones but the 1.6 totally put me off. I've ran 1.6D Vw passats for the last 5 years and though good for economy have no grunt whatsoever, though I know I'm not comparing like for like.
I'm sure the new models are available with a 2.0 or soon to be. Be interested to see what they are like.

[Xk59D]

if you are only towing an aerotec then it doesn't matter, anything will tow that easily.

i never drove a 1.6 passat but i can put hand on heart and say the 1.6 is nearly as good as my old 2.0 pre remapped in terms of torque when not towing.

i was yanking around 2000kg so i just had to change gears regardless.

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by Stevem

The cash option is all about flexibility, giving you the option of getting what you want. You could run around in a cheaper car and keep some of the allowance or put a bit of your own money in and buy something a bit grander.
Usually the cash you get will not get you a new car if paid over a three year term. But once the car is paid for and you decide to sell the cash is yours.

Ive recently took the cash option as had it in the past and works out better for me but if the car I really wanted was on the list I probably would have taken that.

If you take the CX-5 you will get charged 13ppm for private use but how many miles a month do you roughly do privately as 13p may not be the end of the world and the new Mazda 2.2D is a great engine.

Anyhow good luck deciding..

Thanks, the Cx-5 is on the short list, as long as it can tow 650kg unbraked minimum I'm ok for now and anything bigger will be braked anywatpy so gives me up to 1300kg above that I'm pushing the MAM on my post 97 licence.

I hadn't really looked at the xtrail (have a the new Toyota CHR but looks small and like a hairdressers car in real life)

If I took the he cash after tax I would need a decently sized deposit for hp or pcp (pcp not preferred) and the rules are car must be under 6 years old I think


I've never been able/willing to buy a new/decent motor so it's all very new to me lol

[HDAV]

So went for a mooch round some dealers today,

Volvo V40 CC and V60 CC are off the list for now, XC60 out of budget, CX-5 at the top now CX-3 has nice interior up front but too small, and going to take a closer look at the skoda superb.

The Toyota CH-R looked good but not quite right and RAV4 too big and expensive.

A hybrid with an all wheel drive option on loose, slippy surfaces would be perfect

Looked at Pug 3008 funky car but the cockpit design is strange and interior slight let down.

PS looked at the xtrail (are they all 7 seaters?) lovely looking car and proper SUV but even the 1.6 tax is going to sting...

[Xk59D]

no the xtrails are not all 7 seats, my old mans is a 5 seat 2wd model.

cheers

[HDAV]

Thanks drubus is his the new shape? Had a look at the options when I got home, will have another look at them at the moment it's the ch-r or the cx-5 I think need to drive them both and try and sort out the towing capacity on the ch-r if the hybrid can't tow then it's off the list......

[Xk59D]

new shape?

the 1.6 diesel is only available in the new shape xtrail unless there is a very recent facelift i'm not aware of.

my old mans is a 66 plate.

[davej]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Thanks drubus is his the new shape? Had a look at the options when I got home, will have another look at them at the moment it's the ch-r or the cx-5 I think need to drive them both and try and sort out the towing capacity on the ch-r if the hybrid can't tow then it's off the list......

Hello,

I have a 4yr old Nissan Qashqai +2 1,6DCI 4x4 and while its no muscle car it tows our dive club tornado 5,5 fine and in dif lock mode is fine on slippery surfaces.

Same 4x4 system as the X-trail.

Don't know what list price they are but mine is very eco and regularly gets 50mpg indicated on the onboard computer. ( not towing of course)

Davej

[cptsideways]

CX-3 also comes in 4wd but it is a small car, would be my choice if you can live with a small boot but it does have a double floor level

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by cptsideways

CX-3 also comes in 4wd but it is a small car, would be my choice if you can live with a small boot but it does have a double floor level

Ford Kuga? Much better ride when towing than a Mondeo. Lots of power (2.0L, 180HP) and all-wheel drive helps on slips.
When I was looking at a tow car two months ago, the contenders were Kuga, Tiguan and Kia Sportage, all 4x4 diesels.

[HDAV]

Thanks wasn't really looking at qashqai (very common) CX-3 too small, Kuga looked nice nopever been a ford fan tho, is kuga and cx-5 same platform?

Octavia 4x4 is good on co2 (120g) so might take a closer look at that, eceonomy doesn't effect me co2 does so thirpsty with low co2 is ideal hybrid is no benefit cost wise, shame ch-r turbo is so high on co2 in AWD....