cycle commute and company car

waytogoyet

Morning all,
started riding a few days a week over summer, then got a new road bike. Love it. Now coming in 2 days per week. More necessity as mrs passed her test and needs the car tues and thurs. We have plans to buy a 2nd car soon but the financial bobbins has messed up our proposed remortgage.
Anyway I have a company car, and there are various mutterings about me having it and not even using it.
Where do I stand?
anyone with experience?

linsen

My OH has a company car and never drives to work in it.

As it's a taxable perk in most cases surely it doesn't matter?

gtvlusso

Hiya,

I have had company cars for year - my wife has always driven them with no issues, even when she was my girlfriend - even my dad was insured to drive it! Just get permission from company and photocopy her driving licence - only thing they may not like is the fact that the driver has little experience! However, no point in you paying tax (through your salary) on the vehicle or even having it if you don't have the benefit of it outside of work.....Just takes up driveway space!

I may have missed the point with the above!! Anyway, if you are not using it, I would see if a car allowance is available and take that. I get £550 per month now ontop of my salary, instead of the company car, and run my own dodgy old BMW (car is supposed to be less than four years old, but f*ck that!!) - I cycle everyday and my wife uses the car everyday, I never go anywhere for business, it is not a business needs vehicle like a service engineer's would be or a sales person, it is simply a status vehicle....

Big Red S

My dad has a company car, but gets to work most days by motorbike. I've not known anyone mention much.
His argument generally goes along the lines of him not using so much petrol (he has no allowance, all petrol for the car's paid for), not needing so much in the way of servicing, and that the company car's part of his salary, and so if he didn't have it he'd expect a substantial monetary replacement.
But, like I say, he's not had much call to voice his argument, so I don't know how strong it is.

Partners are 'allowed' to drive it almost as standard - there's a standard procedure for getting them insured.

Bassjunkieuk

Similar position here, I also have a company car but mainly commute in via bike.
This week as the exception as I'm working down in Woking and don't currently have a viable route worked out for getting here. My best estimate is 25 miles each way at present, however I hope to try and ride in a few days over the summer if I'm covering down here!

During the day the wife normally uses it as with 2 of the 5 kids at school (3 during the afternoon) it has enough seats for them to get around in and is much more economical for the around town errands then the family "mini-bus" (a Prius vs. a 8 seater Toyota Lucida!!)

Yes it is still seen as a taxable benefit but as the emissions are so low (104 i think) it's in a fairly low bracket for the tax purposes. I can claim back my mileage when I do use it as my role is field based (even though I work on a single site for a week or 2 at a time) and my home is considered my start point!

Some of my colleagues have suggested the car allowance but with the hassle of sorting insurance, servicing, flat tyres, tax etc. I just find it easier to have a car provided by my employer!

Bagman

linsen wrote:

My OH has a company car and never drives to work in it.

As it's a taxable perk in most cases surely it doesn't matter?

At last someone thinks of a company car as a perk. Most of my mates moan about the associated costs and how the tax is too high etc. etc. I just tell them that if they think it's too expensive then do what I have to do and buy and run their own. Funny thing is, they all stick with the company deals!

Clever Pun

We've just had our HR department removed... there is no HR at our company!!!

Bagman

Clever Pun wrote:

We've just had our HR department removed... there is no HR at our company!!!

Does HR stand for Hairy Roadie? Therefore have you been sacked?

waytogoyet

I agree linsen I'd like to tell the to fcuk off whining, but I don't know if that leaves me open to having the car removed?

GTV, 2nd part is more prudent, thanks, no mention of allowance here just loads of moaning. I quite like having it, but I prefer my kids to go to swimming lessons on a friday in it and my wife to uni on a tues. Plus I get 40 miles of cycle training in for free each time I do it. GIven the choice, I'd let mrs have it full time, and I'll cycle everyday and people at work would STFU!

bassjunkie, 5! Stopped at 3, makes such a difference to wife her having the car

Breathless Commuter Man

I'm no expert, but i think that there will be something in the Company Car agreement that states the car will be available to travel to and from clients and for various other business use. So as long as you keep it serviced/available for use on such occasions it should be ok.

I get a car allowance rather than a car, but the terms are similar to above. I am thinking of dropping my car altogether and hiring a car/borrow my wife's car on the rare occasions I "need" one.

gtvlusso

I was up to 72 miles a day commuting - but it near killed me by Friday!! I do between 12 and 25 now depending on route.

At the end of the day, you have earned or negotiated the car as part of your job and beneficial pay. Would they prefer you got a payrise to cover it's loss? Therefore it is no one else's issue - feck them! Although, I am in a very big company so it is kinda the norm and people whine about everything here - sadly, allot of them have never worked anywhere else, so don't actually know that they are on a good deal at this place! I understand the conscience thing though if you are being moaned at - not a nice place to be. People moan at me as I get the allowance and a fuel card (cheaper to pay the tax than pay for fuel nowadays) - my wife gets the total benefit of it as I never use the car. I get moaned at, but don't really give a shit....If they want more benefits, work hard and move up the ladder, change jobs or ask their boss for a payrise or better benefits....

dirk_van_gently

The only objection I could see, is if you have the car to enable you to do your job, like a field service engineer or rep (shudder)
This happened to me some years ago, the commute into the office in Birmingham was Hell, so on the days I knew I had no calls to do, I was using my Motorcycle. WELL, the CR@p that kicked up was unbelievable.

Harry B

Guys guys guys...have you worked out what it's costing you in tax to run these cars without doing any business mileage :?

I have company cars for a number of years and in the end it just wasn't worth it. I moved to a car allowance which worked out much better plus you get to choose your own car rather than the bog standard eurobox. Buying an ex demo saves a lot of dosh.

Sadly my job now involved no such perks so I have to pay for my own X5

coffeecup

I've a company car and commute every day by bike. The wife uses the car every day. There are no issues at all for me in terms of having a company car and not using it (our scheme even allows you to have multiple company cars if you're prepared to fork out)

Only issues:

- the wife needed to be added to the insurance
- she also needed to be included for business use in case she needs to use it for work (rather than just going there and home again)
- i think the excess on the insurance is slightly higher for additional drivers if she wraps it in tescos