Thursday 16 May 2013

Things To Consider When Choosing A Company Car

A lot of people think that choosing a company car is all about image, well, it isn't. In fact there's a lot more to think about if you want to get the best deal for your money. As a business owner your hope, when buying a company car, is that you'll get a good deal, it won't be expensive to run and it will last at least a couple of years - whether you're buying for yourself or your employees.
When you're shopping for company cars therefore there are a number of things you should consider before buying.
Size:
The first thing to think about is the size of the car. Company cars are generally used by employees for getting to and from work but they are also needed to make deliveries - depending on the industry of your company. You should consider the things that you need to transport and make sure the company cars you choose are suitable for that purpose. Jaguars for example won't be suitable for a building company but they could be perfect for a car showroom. No matter how much you love a car there won't be anything that you find more frustrating than not being able to do what you need to because you're limited by size.
Power:
The amount of power that your vehicles should have will ultimately depend on their purpose. If they're intended to transport heavy loads on a daily basis then they'll need a sufficient amount of horsepower to accomplish this. If however the company car is intended purely for commuting then although you might want a high speed sports car you should consider the cost of the fuel if you choose to buy one.
Fuel:
The choice between petrol and diesel is a big one because this choice will ultimately decide your running costs. If the vehicle is intended purely for commuting and will only be travelling relatively short distances then petrol will be fine as, compared to diesel, it's cheap and will last; if however the vehicle is being used on rough terrain, to transport heavy goods or for travelling long distances then diesel is definitely the fuel to go for. Although diesel costs more initially it is also lasts longer if you're travelling a long way.
Miles per gallon:
Although a big gas guzzler might be appealing they cost a lot so if you're looking to keep your profits high then they're not a great idea. Before buying a company car you should research its efficiency to see how many miles you can expect to get to the gallon. However, no matter how many miles you should get, if you're using your car on the wrong terrain then you can't expect it to perform with power or efficiency so it's important to factor this in as well.
Reliability:
Although you want a vehicle that's affordable you also want one that's reliable and is likely to last so it's important to consider a car's reputation when looking. Although you want to save as much money as possible, the buying process might not be the best place to do it. If you know that a certain car is known for its reliability and stability then you'll generally be better off paying that little bit more for it rather than buying a cheaper car that constantly needs to be repaired.

Martin Emery is the director of a family car business but always sorts out his employee's company cars with Signature Company Car Leasing because of their great offers.