jwoody

I've been offered a company car but I'm undecided whether to take it or not. It would be nice to have a vehicle with no innitial financial outlay but there's a lot more to it than that.

I've had company cars in the past and one particular incident left a sour taste, which may be clouding my judgement. This clerical error at my previous employer meant I was left with humongous tax bill which took years and a lot of hardship to pay back.

Another aspect to consider is that, if I was choosing a car, the Hyundai Getz wouldn't be anywhere near the shortlist.

Then again, it isn't every day you're offered a life of carefree motoring.


Talk to me please. I've got until Friday to make a decision one way or the other.

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I'll save between £30 and £40 per month on insurance.

I'll save £100 per month on fuel costs.

I'll save £125 per month. The cost of replacing my current vehicle. I had planned to spend roughly £1500 on a banger which would, hopefully last 12 months.

I'll save roughly £20 per month in servicing and repairs.

Total: + £280 per month.


I'll lose between £106 and £136 per month in taxes.

I'll lose between £75 and £100 per month in 'expenses'.

Total: - £207 per month.

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MooseMan3000

So you get paid (about) 73 pounds per month to drive a car. (In expenses saved)

The problem is that you don't like the car, right?

Which would you prefer having: a shitty used car or a shitty new (free) car? The decision seems fairly obvious to me. Call me crazy, but I'd take the Getz.

Jinn

Take it, and read all of your contracts and state your concerns explicitly. If you avoid the tax-rapage that you felt last time, this looks like a win-win situation.

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Redlemon

One big disadvantage to a company car - if you get laid off, you don't have a car, and that makes the job hunt more difficult.

Oh, perhaps you could get two of those Getz, one for each foot?

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.

Jinn

And yea, it's not exactly a sexy sports car..

http://www.autoexpert.bg/free/graph/...tz_2002_02.jpg

But it's not really UGLY.. like a sporty-ish station wagon..

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Charlatan

Take the car... put the money you saved into an account to save for the car you want. Pay cash.

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jwoody

Hmm. I think agree with the general consensus here.

The way I was, sort of, looking at it was: I'll be paying (via tax) for a car I don't really want without factoring in the money I'll be saving on owning my own car.

I think I'm going to..... take the car.

Thanks for the comments, your opinions are all very helpful.

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Charlatan

Now... jwoody of Newcastle, England... do you want to keep the car or trade it for what's behind door number three?!!?

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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Daoust

DOOR 3!!!! DOOR #3!!!!!!!

(just kidding. take the car, you silly bunt.)

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jwoody

That's the general gist of it.

I think you're right.

I hate the tax man for what he done to me. Hate him, passionately. Every time I look at my pay note, a little piece of my heart will turn to coal.

So long as I don't fuck up, my job is safe until at least 2012.

I'd better 'Getz' used to comments like this one.

I hadn't thought of that at all, and with the money I have now I could get myself a decent summer car.

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cyrnel

Exactly what I was thinking.

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Scorps

Why are european car so damn ugly?

Willravel

Would I? Hell no. Should you? Hell yes.

cyrnel

What do you want in exchange for 49 quid and a bus pass? Anyway, it's not European, it's a Hyundai. All the S. Korean econos look like shoeboxes.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

Dragonknight

Exactly!! save up and get a better car when you need one. Don't let a free ride pass you bye.

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Freedom is NOT Free.

Charlatan

umm.... Hyundai is a Korean car maker.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Fly

bingo!!!!!!!!


good luck buddy.

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BASTARD

SterlingStudios

silent_jay

As Charlatan already said they're Korean, and it really isn't that ugle when you consider the hatchbacks we have here. Matrix, Swift, Mazda 3, Echo RS. The getz is far better looking IMO than any of the cars I mentioned.

I'd take the Getz.

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder

jwoody

The Getz was ordered today. I should have it on Monday or Tuesday.

The tax I'll pay is based on a percentage of the car's value relative to the carbon emmisions (grams per kilometre, or something like that). The Getz is possibly the cheapest car there is and it has the lowest emmisions, therefore the lowest taxation.

I intend to plant trees with the money I save and single-handedly save the planet.

Either do that, or spend it on drink.

I'll update the thread with a review once I've had a good go.

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Scorps

Yes I know, I forgot still ugly and gunk!!

silent_jay

I'd hardly call them junk (I think thats what you meant to type) Hyundai has come a long way since the days of the Pony. If I'm not mistaken they're one of the top 5 automakers now.

At least they have some kind of choice in their line, rather than the same car only rebadged, much like the American automakers seem to like to do.

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder

merkerguitars

Looks like a good cheap reliable car, hell people would kill for a car that got that good of gas mileage over here. Hell $355 in savings a month is WELL worth it.

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rideough

I'd take a Korean or European car over any of the crap produced in North America. Seriously they've been pumping out hideous monstrosities like the Malibu since the mid 70's and I've yet to see any of them stir any passion in me.

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oane

Take the Getz but read the paperwork properly.

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Make me Mad.
Make me Sad.
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MSD

[Insert generic blanket dismissive response to generic blanket hatred of American cars here]

Charlatan

like it's any different from the blanket hatred of so-called foreign cars...


By the way, jwoody did you getz your Getz yet? We want a review!

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Ishmal

i second that...

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jwoody

Because I can't do my job without a car, and because I still have a load of holiday to take bafore January, I've had a week off work.

I'll be picking the car up on Monday morning.

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