For a young upstart, the first company car is a big step. It means that you and your employees can arrive at work in style. You will represent the business and the car must match that professionalism.
Choosing your first company car isn’t easy, however. You’ll instinctively look towards the expensive, flashy designs. But, that’s not always the best plan. Every model has its varying costs associated with it and you need to bear that in mind.
1. Design.
The design of your company car is still very important. A company car must be professional, sophisticated and modern. The car is an extension of the company, it must look smart, just like its employees. With that in mind, most companies tend to opt for the elegant estate cars and saloons. BMW and Mercedes tend to come out on top here. You want to roll up to your next meeting looking the part.
You can add branding to your company car with the use of customised car registration plates. You can buy show plates online at PlatesExpress and design your own number plates as well.
2. Maintenance.
By its very nature, the company car will be used regularly and extensively. It will take trips up and down the motorway to meet clients and other companies. It needs to withstand the heavy use associated with this type of driving. This is where the German manufacturers really excell. This is another reason why you see so many BMWs and Mercedes on the company car list. They are reliable and require very little maintenance thanks to their precision build.
3. Fuel economy.
Looking smart is one thing, but your company car also needs to be a viable business choice. For small businesses, that means avoiding big fuel costs at the pump. When taking long trips up and down the motorways, your company car needs to squeeze every ounce of petrol. Nowadays, modern engines are clean and powerful. Most high quality executive cars can get 50 miles to the gallon or more. Always look for the cars with good mileage.
4. Road tax.
Good mileage is not only good for fuel costs, it’s good for road tax. Cars with good fuel economy often qualify for road tax exemption. This is to help keep down CO2 emissions and good mileage is rewarded. Again, look for the company cars with great fuel economy. This will cut down your road tax payments across the board.
5. Insurance.
Insurance is one of the biggest costs associated with company cars. Naturally, the larger, executive cars fall into a higher insurance bracket due to the size and power. The very nature of company cars means that they are on the road a lot, incurring higher insurance premiums. The good news is that company car insurance can be covered by one policy, bringing the price down. Visit insure-fleet.co.uk for more information on insuring four or more cars at once.
Company cars are one of the executive luxuries when it comes to working in business. However, there’s a fine balance to be struck. You’re looking for a professional design, high performance and reliability. At the same time, you need great fuel economy to help keep costs down. Best of luck with your search!
