Boro

iTrader: (1)

Something diesel, saloon and tax friendly.

My initial thoughts were something like the VW Passat/Jetta, etc.

Any suggestions upto about £19k.

what would scooby do

..suicide

or take the car allowance and buy a real car

charlieogden

Whats the going rate for a second hand D3 Alpina? or one of the Mercs but again you would have to take the allowance and buy second hand...

Charlie

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Unfortunately there is no option of a car allowance.

what would scooby do

D3's are still just under 19k second hand IIRC

Plenty of Merc diesels under £10k/£5k etc to smoke around in

richs2891

All depends on what your looking for in said car - motorway mucher ? some thing that a bit of fun on A / B roads, some thing very ecomical but dead slow and very low company car tax ? Some thing to to pile the miles on going to work and back and not bothered about the image ?
VAG group of cars have some safe choices in the compnay car sector, as do Honda etc.
Have to be honest the thought of a diesel 4 door saloon if I wasn't doing many miles to justy a diesel would have me looking at taking the cash if possible and buying / easing something I do want.

Richard

what would scooby do

OK


*spits* -
Vauxhall Insignia Saloon 2.0 CDTi 130 Exclusiv

Steve vRS

I imagine that if it's a co. car it will have to be new.

Octavias spring to mind. I've got the vRS but if I were to do the co. car thing again I'd go for the smaller engined diesel version. Well under budget, good economy and build quality. Not exciting in the slightest but that wasn't on your criteria

Steve

richs2891

mmm thats a bit of a shame that cant take allowance!

Richard

Hysteria1983

Octavia vrs would be a great car, and well worth the money! As it's VAG you can't really go wrong, and the build quality speaks for itself.

Also a Leon Fr diesel for the same reasons as above really. A great car when on the motorway, Mr P has averaged about 46 mpg but the newer ones are 'supposed' to be averaging 50.

Just look at what you want/need from the car, does it simply need to do what it says on the tin, or do you want something with a bit more sophistication and style?

Steve vRS

Most of my colleagues have the 140bhp Passat or an even more poverty spec A3 or A4. I have the Skoda which has a little less street cred but a lot more gubbins for the money and it is quite fast. Not so great as the others on the juice though but I can get 50+mpg on a good run.

Steve

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Ford Mondeo TDCI, just rates better than the vag equivelent by quite some margin (and they dont put pistons through the block or have injectors go wrong nowerdays )
2.2 if you can afford it

Tony

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

A Saab,


On second thoughts....

Hysteria1983

Yeah they are a good car. Before the Leon the other half had the estate, and to be fair it was a great mover. It did get worked hard though. Being a fleet vehicle we used it all the time, and travelled many a mile in comfort.

You could literally fit the kitchen sink in the boot!

douglasb

Bear in mind that Subaru introduced a new Legacy around September last year.

I'm sure that many Subaru dealers have demo pre-reg old-model Legacy diesels at "very negotiable" prices.

what would scooby do

"very negotiable" prices = £1

Jaybird-UK

Im just sorting my next company car out btw, Im going for



But seems I can have any colour other than a white one right now so Im having to wait as STI's in white are

Petem95

What's are the other restrictions then? I'm guessing it's got to be new, or can it be second hand up to a certain age?

My firm has just decided to start giving me a car allowance from next month, and for the moment I'm taking the allowance - but there are a lot of things your car must be - ie be under 4years old (they seem to bend this rule if you go for something nice tho), must be 4 door, must 'fit the company's image', etc.

+Doc+

928

Gordo

We had a Seat Exeo in Scotland at New Year and were hugely impressed - having found out it's effectively an Audi A4 for less money, I can now understand why. It was a diesel estate which was great in the Snow. Review here:

Seat Exeo is based on an Audi - but A4-dable - Cars and Motorbikes - Mirror.co.uk

T.C

I had a Mondeo on an 08 plate as a company car which was a half decent drive but it became tatty very quickly with bits falling off.

I opted out of the company car scheme and looked at just about every car on the market, Audi, BMW, Mercedes C Class, Vauxhall, VW, Saab, Volvo and all the Japaneses marques, I now have a Jag X-Type. Brilliant car!

The build quality is superb, road tax is £120 per year and like the Mondeo it is personal tax friendly, but the level of equipment in the base level Jag which I have far exceeds tghe mid range Mondeo I had before and it is superbly comfortable. On top of that, I have the diesel 2.0 and I am averaging 52 to the gallon.

The 2.2 has a 6 speed box where I have the 5 speed, but the difference is marginal, but here is the best part, I got mine in August for £16,100 new on the road.

Production ceased in December, so there are probably soem brilliant deals to be doen on the higher spec cars such as the SE, maybe even the Sovereign.

3 year unlimited mileage warranty, servicing costs not too bad, and when mine went in for its service in November, I was given a brand new XF for the day as a loan car.

15,000 miles on, still (touch wood) so far trouble free and I am still really enjoying driving it. Also quite a head turner, and when people ask what car you have and you say "A Jag" they don't tend to ask what model, they just say "Nice!"

Just a thought anyway.

MMT WRX

That's funny! My OHs Mondeo Estate has just gone in for repair (somebody ran into the back of it) and were given an X-type Jag 2.2 estate 6 speed, heated leather seats etc. TBO we really didn't like it. It feels cramped inside the cabin. The load space, which is important for her business, is tiny compared to the Mondeo. The drive just doesn't feel comfortable, we were really disappointed. Thankfully, there was a problem with the tailgate glass keep opening every time you closed the door or started the car. So they've exchanged it and with a little persuasion - we're going to Centreparcs tomorrow - for a Transit van So we'll be able to get all our stuff in easily.

I actually think the Transit is nicer to drive than the Jag, although you dont get the 'nice' comments obviously

T.C

You are right, the back of the car is more cramped than the Mondeo, but at 6 feet 5, I have more room in the drivers seat than the Mondeo, and too be fair rear passenger space was not a consideration as I don't carry passengers very often, although the boot is considerably bigger than some other cars of similar size.

I am led to believe that there are also significant changes for the better to later cars (08 onwards) than on the earlier cars.

MMT WRX

The one we had was a 57 plate. It had electric seats, so dont know if that has any impact, just couldn't get in a comfortable driving position. I agree the boot is reasonable in size, its just the Mondeo spoils you a bit and you know what 'womens' are like and the amount of crap they like to take

PaulC72

Another vote for the Octavia Vrs, and I don't think they are boring ;-)

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Have looked at a few of the cars mentioned. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Anyone running a 1-series BMW 116D ES 5dr? Maybe just the badge snob in me lol.

IanW

I thought the 118D was better on emissions/tax than the 116?

Boro

iTrader: (1)

It could be but I think the 118 would be over 19k?

I've just been on bmw's website and spec'd up the 116. The standard spec is pretty poor.

Aircon would be almost a must and Bluetooth would be handy too.

IanW

Remember if you add options this affects teh P11D value.

BMW Bluetooth is what £300? A Parrot after market Bluetooth is far cheaper.

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Im guessing the P11D price is the OTR price less registration and road tax?

At the moment i'm looking at list price but would any deal/discount be taken into consideration or is it based on list price only, regardless?