Sales Rep Car

Biff11

Hi,

Looking for advice. I'm starting a new job and i have been given a car allowance rather than a company car. I will only be covering Dublin mainly and i am looking for advice. I have seen a well priced 2007 volvo s40 1.8se. Would i be mad to go for that?

I won't be doing big mileage and i am to cover the fuel myself with the allowance.


I am looking for something reliable and inexpensive to maintain. Also nice!

Thanks for any help

Corkladddd!!

Need more info...How much did you get?? is it a once off or do you get money every year?? what kind of mileage are you talking?? I wouldn't consider 20k big mileage but some would??

Biff11

I'll be geting roughly €600 monthly to play with. Thats to insure, tax and fuel! Mileage maybe 20k a year miles.

Corkladddd!!

This might seem stupid but do you buy the car yourself and they pay the running costs??
This would have a big impact as if you are to buy the car yourself you'll have to take your monthly repayments into the equation and also budget for upkeep!!!

Biff11

Yes i buy the car myself!!!

If anyone has any helpful input regarding a car choice i would be very grateful.

Thanks

martinn123

Biff11 wrote: »

I'll be geting roughly €600 monthly to play with. Thats to insure, tax and fuel! Mileage maybe 20k a year miles.

glad to hear you have been offered a rep's job, however I do not like the monthly allowance offer.

under Revenue Rules the co can pay you upto .58c per kilometer Tax Free.
WWW.Revenue.ie/tax/leaflets/it51.html

So if you do 25000K they can pay you 1200.00 per month, out of this you will have to finance the car, road tax, petrol and maintenance.

I did this for three years with a moderate car, paid off the finance, and made a small profit each month, now the car is paid for and I can trade it in and get any value for myself.

Calculate your expenses including finance and see if the 600 covers it, or refer your employer to the above revenue rules, and see if they will improve the allowance

EPM

That's 36c a mile...not great to be honest...half that will be taken up on petrol alone...

That's an awful deal, 20K miles / annum I'd defo go diesel anyway.

bazzachazza

martinn123 wrote: »

glad to hear you have been offered a rep's job, however I do not like the monthly allowance offer.

under Revenue Rules the co can pay you upto .58c per kilometer Tax Free.
WWW.Revenue.ie/tax/leaflets/it51.html

So if you do 25000K they can pay you 1200.00 per month, out of this you will have to finance the car, road tax, petrol and maintenance.

I did this for three years with a moderate car, paid off the finance, and made a small profit each month, now the car is paid for and I can trade it in and get any value for myself.

Calculate your expenses including finance and see if the 600 covers it, or refer your employer to the above revenue rules, and see if they will improve the allowance

It says "up to" 58c per K. I wouldn't ruffle your new employers feathers before you even start. Not in this climate.

I wouldn't buy a petrol version of anything with those K's you will be doing, have a look at the diesel version of that car. Volvo do a 1.6 diesel of the same car and it has the same BHP but lots more torque. Will you have to put much stuff in the boot?

The Volvo S40's fuel tank is quiet small at 55 litres bear that in mind for how often you will be filling it.

Try and get something newer with some sort of warranty on it. The last thing you want is to buy a lemon and have it off the road because its broken down.

How about this http://www.cbg.ie/Car_Detail.aspx?ID=3856252# Its 2009/diesel and should have at least a years Ford warranty on it, you should be able to talk at least a grand off that price.

How much roughly are you looking at as a budget for a car ?

martinn123

bazzachazza wrote: »

It says "up to" 58c per K. I wouldn't ruffle your new employers feathers before you even start. Not in this climate.



Try and get something newer with some sort of warranty on it. The last thing you want is to buy a lemon and have it off the road because its broken down.


How much roughly are you looking at as a budget for a car ?

I certainly agree with the above advice.

what if the job doesn't last or work out, and the car is on 2/3 yrs finance.

Do the maths, carefully

dudara

Don't forget to factor in the car depreciation into the monthly running costs.

Corkladddd!!

I was just trying to get all the info OP, seems like a bad deal to me but if you're happy....

for that mileage I'd look at your traditional rep cars, mondeo. passat, vectra, primera in diesel of course what year depends on your own personal finances but like i said it doesn't seem like a great deal, do your sums and make sure you ain't out of pocket!!

Based on 2.0 diesel Mondeo per month

Tax 50
Diesel (40 mpg + 1667 miles per month + 1.30 litre) 270
Insurance 600?? 50
Dep 50??
Maintenance (tyres +service etc..) 70

thats 490 without repayments etc and possibly some conservative figures re insurance etc.


*estimated figures only as a basis

MidlandsM

Also OP, declare to your insurer that you are a commercial traveller, as your ordinary policy will not cover you in the event of a Claim.

Biff11

Thanks for advice folks. As much as i would love to ruffle my new employers feathers it's probably not a great idea. Maybe 3 years ago i would have...

Was looking at the diesel version alright. Will re-evaluate the situation i suppose.

I was budgeting around 10-11k. Maybe i'll drop that slightly...

PaulKK

If you are doing 20k in Dublin traffic, get an auto diesel. Your left leg will thank you.