Other half is getting a company car and we can't decide on a winner from this shortlist. She's going to do quite a lot miles in whichever.

* Alfa 156 1.6 Twin Spark Lusso with lovely red leather interior.
* Golf GTi 1.8t (150PS version)
* BMW Mini Cooper with bonnet stripes and a few other choice extras!

 

Alfa - will break down (trust me - we've had them removed from our company car list because they so unreliable) - damn shame because I love the cars - but I wouldn't want to rely on it.

Golf - nice - going to cost you shed loads in Co. Car tax though as its petrol - and it will increase over the next couple of years.

Cooper - lovely little car. Test drove one. Nice but I think the ride is too harsh for lots of miles.

My choice would be either the 130 or 150 bhp diesel Golf. Quicker than the petrol - 45+ mpg and lower co. car tax.

Slightly cheaper option would be to look at the Seat alternatives - same engine - less money. The new Cupra R diesel with the 150bhp engine looks good too.

Chris

 

I'd go for the Cooper, since the cost of ownership will be low - good residuals and low servicing costs. And then there are loads of mods that can be done.

Agree about the Alfa reliabilty and I just can't get on with VW's image (and I can with a Mini )!

 

Luckily she gets a car allowance and then leases a car through a company car ownership scheme - so income tax is paid on the allowance and not company car tax based on the value of the car and emissions. She will also have a fuel card so economy not a massive problem. Also if the Alfa breaks down all the time she will get a hire car whilst it is being fixed.

Main criteria from my point of view are style, comfort, practicality and cost of repayments which all of these cars meet in one way or another. Think the Golf is the sensible all round choice but it has no actual WOW factor. Mini is a great laugh but small and noisy. Alfa is the nearest we can get to an executive type car for the money and it drives nice too.

Also has to look good mext to DBM MY00

 

Mini MINI Cooper. Everytime

I got one and its great. Unbelievable handling for a small car. More fun than a couple of cars I've driven with twice the power. The ride can be, very bumpy especially if you go for 17" alloys (go over a 50p and you can tell if its heads or tails ). But the feedback through the wheel is excellent, Can be tiring but the grin more than makes up for it.

 

Ah - now I understand.

I do love the Alfa - it's a very nice looking car. Loved the interior. I came close to having one as a Co. car a couple of years back - I just got put off by the horror stories (I think,as a company we had 6 or 7 off the road in about 6 months - all for similar problems - a couple were terminal). Most of the other 'normal' co. cars were either German or Japanese and they didn't stack up.

I guess things have improved a little. If you were going purely on looks then the Alfa would be the choice. Overall most practical choice would be the Golf. Test drive a Cooper before you decide and see if you can put up with the harsh ride.

Chris

 

I'd go for the Mini or the Golf... probably the latter if I had to buy one myself. Having said that, my Alfa was fault-free for a year - I've just bought a W-reg Passat and I'm having to replace the water pump already!

 

If it's that kind of company car, you want something daft which guzzles fuel and depreciates like b8ggery.
Renault Vel Satis? Alfa 166? etc.

 

A Cooper WITHOUT bonnet stripes. Awful things!!

Lovely to drive, feel solid, mucho fun.

Rich

 

I think I read somewhere that the 156 is to be replaced soon (this year or next), if that makes a difference

How about a 147 GTA, I've just seen one at the Motor Show here in Canary Wharf and they look nice

 

Cooper S

 

alfa sounds good, my uncle's got one 90k on the clock, had no probs other than any other car would have. and if it's a co car who cares? they will fix it and return it. Mini is nice thou (not so mini), golf yawn.
Si

 

ditto MINI Cooper S. You won't find a more enjoyable ride

 

Mini Cooper S is towards the top of our budget like Golf/156 but the Mini is really a bit too small for all the stuff she needs to carry around. We can excuse this inconvenience in the Cooper because it is so cheap but to justify paying top dollar we would want something bigger I feel.

Infact the quotations haven't come back yet but in terms of what we would save each month with the Cooper the comparioson is more like being given
a) Alfa 156
b) Golf GTi
c) Mini with £2500 in the boot.

(if £2500 would fit )

Of course it did cross my mind to sell our MY00 and buy a second car - then get a new MY03 on the company - then I saw the repayments for a Scooby

Seems like a bit of a majority for the Cooper so far........