Company Car Advice!!!

declan77

Can anyone offer their opinion on this -

I started a new job last yr. The package included a company car Volvo S40. I was told that initially I would be using a 2nd hand one that was due to be changed in 08.

Now they are telling me that my car will be getting changed this year but that someone else would be getting the NEW CAR and i would be getting ANOTHER 2nd hand car!

Sickening part is that I have to pay BIK on the original value of these damn cars!!!

Is the company in the right or am I entitled to the new car????

Comments PLEEEEZ

tech

they can give you what they want to I reckon !

-Chris-

Check your contract.

If your contract says you're due a car worth a certain value, then you should be getting that car, you're paying BIK on that car and if you didn't take it you'd get paid a car allowance on that car (if they pay car allowances). Your company car is as much a part of your benefits package as your pension contributions or your salary.

If they said "Declan, we've decided to pay you €50,000 this year instead of €60,000 because we're already paying someone else €60,000" would you entertain them even for a second?

A really well designed fleet policy that I administered said something like:

- Declan is the Area Sales Manager, on the organisational chart he's above the Sales Reps and reports to the Sales Director. The car allowed to Declan as ASM is a Volvo S40, which will be kept on fleet for x years or x thousand miles (whichever is sooner) at which time he will be allowed to order a replacement car.
- If there is a free company car suitable for an ASM at the time of Declan's joining of the company he will be allocated that until it hits its replacement date/mileage, at which time he will be allowed to order a replacement car.
- If the car Declan is driving hits its replacement date/mileage and there are cars available in the pool, Declan will be requested to drive one of them, but where possible will be allocated a car from one grade above his current job title.

That company was fair and equitable in it's dealings with it's employees and they were happy with this arrangement. You should fight for an arrangement like that or you should throw the toys out of the pram. Even if you're the most junior person at your grade, you still can't be given sub-par cars - it's part of your pay and you're being taxed on it!

-Chris-

declan77 wrote: »

Now they are telling me that my car will be getting changed this year but that someone else would be getting the NEW CAR and i would be getting ANOTHER 2nd hand car!

Also, why are you getting the other driver's car? Either it's reached the end of its operating life and should be sold off or the driver should stay in it.

If your car has reached the end of its operating life, it should be replaced with a new one.

I would find it utterly unacceptable to be given a "hand me down" twice while another driver gets to change to a new car before they're due.

lafors

AudiChris wrote: »

Also, why are you getting the other driver's car? Either it's reached the end of its operating life and should be sold off or the driver should stay in it.

If your car has reached the end of its operating life, it should be replaced with a new one.

I would find it utterly unacceptable to be given a "hand me down" twice while another driver gets to change to a new car before they're due.

As AudiChris said, I wouldn't accept it either.
The S40 you got originally is understandable, we have pool cars too that have been used like this when someone started. But to renew your car then give it to someone else and give you another old car is no good.

Do you have anything in your contract about it? I'm sure your HR dept have something on the company car policy. Also do you not have the option to take the car allowance instead? That could be the way to go about it.

R.O.R

That pretty much sucks, but it may well be written in to the company's car policy that they can re-assign any spare cars that they have rather than providing you with a new one. It makes much more financial sense for the company to re-assign a spare car rather than send it back and order a new one (early termination penalties etc.), doesn't do wonders for staff moral though.

The person who is getting the new car may be in the same boat as you, but with the company even longer. They may even be on their second "second hand" car - I've seen that in a few companies, particulaly where there is a set car list rather than an open choice.

I would check your car policy carefully and if it doesn't state that they can re-assign cars to you, take it to HR. If the policy does state they can re-assign cars then explain your displeasure to HR, check how long you will be in the "used" car before it is due for return and make sure it gets a full Valet before it's handed over to you.

On the plus side, you'll get to change cars sooner and it's likely that the BIK value of the car you are going to be assigned is less than the equivalent new car.