what car thread- a good choice for a sales rep

[colin1]

At some point in the future, I may be doing a job as account manager for an IT reseller (computers and IT support for businesses).

Most of their customers are fairly local to the midlands. The office in tipton, and typically customers are within 30 miles with a few 100 miles away or more.

There is a £300 a month car allowance. 2 account managers go for 2 litre diesels about 5 years old( an x type jag, and a bmw 320) but they probably have a bigger car allowance.

If I get to do it, I may be tried out doing new business for a bit so only a few visits a week, if I get given accounts, it could be 30,000 miles a year.

There is a account manager who has just joined who had a 1.6 civic in his last job and intends to get similar for this. He's on the lower £300 a month car allowance I probably would get if I get it.

My current thinking is soft comfy largish cars like rover 75 2ltr diesel or a vauxhall omega 2.5 litre diesel. The omega is a bit old, I like the idea of the bmw diesel engines they have.

I've also thought maybe something smaller like a bora either petrol or diesel might be worth thinking about.

Nothing too bling, mpg needs to be in the 30's or better.

I'd like suggestions from different suggestions, so if you reckon small and nippy is good, tell me why, and if you think a comfy one is good, say why.

I also like the idea of citroens as they depreciate a lot, so I'd get more car for my money.

I'm inclined towards older cars (my current one is 15 years old) but think that maybe newish ones 10-5 years old may be more reliable.

It's unlikely I'd get something less than 5 years old, but if I did, I might think about leasing or buying out someones existing lease.

So give me suggestions.

As a guide I guess I'd buy something between £2k and £3k.

thanks
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[tvchimp]

higher end of the price scale... but:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201029363933434/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-to/3000/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/model/octavia/make/skoda/page/3/radius/1500/postcode/ng77ar?logcode=p


Skoda are owned by VW... who make excellent cars. I've been in a friends Octavia, and even though it 'slightly' known like an old persons car (no offense to any that own a skoda) It shifts fairly well.


a bit further down the price:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201028363525794/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-to/3000/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/model/vectra/make/vauxhall/page/2/postcode/ng77ar/radius/1500?logcode=p

Vauxhall Vectra. Don't know much about them, sat in that particular model a few times and didn't think much about it. Fairly nippy for a 1.8 though.


bottom end of the price line:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201028363679022/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-to/3000/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/model/passat/make/volkswagen/radius/1500/page/1/postcode/ng77ar?logcode=p

VW Passat. Old, but imo, amazing car. A work colleague has a 2001 reg 2.0ltr diesel, and it shifts, not to mention he gets about 50-60mpg when flooring it.

[mistergixer]

Firstly, are there any conditions/restrictions attached to the allowance? For example, in previous jobs i've had that came with a care allowance i was restricted by age (max 5 yrs), number of seats (no 2 seaters), engine size (2l max for petrol or 2.5 for diseasal) etc etc
Obviously, if so, this will affect any suggestions.

If not, i'd be tempted to look for an old-ish high-spec tidy-looking Repmobile (Mundano, Vectra etc) with history and a long MOT and tax. Spend as little as possible for it and on it, and you might just turn a 'profit' on the allowance. Scrap it when it becomes too costly to keep, and repeat the process.

By the sounds of it, you're not too bothered by the driving 'experience', so anything 'mainstream' will fit the bill. I chose the standard repmobiles because there's plenty around (wider choice, lower prices).

Bangernomics FTW.



However, as an acc manager (and therefore 'face of the company') i'd be surprised if your company would accept/tolerate that sort of approach.
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[colin1]

I've had mixed messages about restrictions.

The senior sales guy said as long as its not a banger, and does more than 30mpg he's not too bothered, and hes a lot more picky about high 30mpgs as a minimum, as company pays for business mileage.

But junior sales guy said he had the impression from medium sales guy that it couldnt be older than 5 years old.

Good point about reminding me about no 2 seaters, they did say that. I've been eyeing up a slk230 which is appealing but probably completely unsuitable.

It's possible that driving experience type cars might be a taste I could aquire, but mostly I want something comfy I think, so for me an avensis wins over a bmw 3 series.

Having said that a friend has an old 5 series and thats very comfy.

I quite like the idea of having something a bit different, but I can see the sense in going for what reps usually use, but towards the comfier end of the spectrum. Wider choice and lower prices sounds good.

I know skoda are vw, so maybe I should think about them, but I tend to think the old image clings to the badge a bit, so I would probably pic a citroen before I'd pick a skoda.

One thing I've read is high spec french cars all have small engines due to some french law, so a premium french car thats depreciated a lot and is a palace inside appeals, but I'm guessing reliability may be an issue.

I probably should be putting reliability before comfort, but maybe if everything is serviced it would be ok.

I've heard the quality of vectras is a bit iffy, so might be more tempted by a mondeo, but i've also heard they are cheap, so maybe.

I guess I should try a few out some time maybe, just in case.

That passat looked pretty and respectable for the price.
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[Silver]

£300 a month is a piss poor car allowance if you're looking at doing anywhere near 30k miles a year (in a car less than 5 years old). I'd be having a word because that will cost you money...

[jay12329]

I'd check the age restrictions too. My company also state <5 years old... But they also offer a company car option if you don't choose the money. If your going to be doing 30k work miles a year it might be worth considering that route.
I do <5k business miles a year and get the choice of 320 quid (after tax) or a company car. My company also insure my car if I take the money, that many companies will not, so again worth checking.

I run a Golf GT 170, 45mpg and quite quick when you poke it with a stick.

HTH

J

[colin1]

[mistergixer]

[Silver]

[herulach]

Signums are generally quite good cars for the money, they didn't sell well, so they're reasonably cheap (often cheaper than the same vectra) and they tended to get a decent level of kit so the dealers could shift them.

I'd tend to agree with the £300 is shit sentiment though, even if you only pay basic rate tax thats £210/mo net, budget £400/year for servicing, cost of insurance and depreciation (if you're spending 2/3k on a car it's probably going to be worth nothing after 30k).
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[colin1]

Ah right, wasn't thinking about tax on the fuel card and the car allowance.

I'd be ok having an older car and expenses just being covered, but it sound like I might have to be careful that if they insist on a newer car, that the allowance is sufficient.

In which case I doubt they would increase the allowance, so I'd just insist on having an older one.

As we have a few reps in the room, and Im getting more than just car advice...

The guy who has just joined said that a typical target of monthly profit from sales for a rep would be £8k, but he has been given a target of £16k while existing ones are pulling in £25k+

His last place there were too many account managers, and this place only 2 have 100 accounts each where apparently 60 is more usual.

I googled, and £8k target seemed the norm.

Any thoughts ?

This is a small local firm I work for with about 20 employees, owned by a holding company that does property management. The founder and shareolders still work for the company but were bought out.

Recently a venture capitalist has put £5 million into the company for a share.

Any thoughts on that ? good thing bad thing ?
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[colin1]

[Silver]

[colin1]

thanks
commission is 5% of profit on hardware, and 2.5% of profit on support contracts. how does that sound ?
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[mistergixer]

[Silver]

I've seen anywhere from 5% up. Ours currently sit around 10-12% max (was 15% about five years ago). Standard account managers have breakpoints though, so the commission rate rises as the sales figures increase (from 0% to 12%).

[Villers]

If you are contemplating a vauxhall and you have to maintain it with your allowance please visit the vectra C forum and look at the problems the vectra based designs suffer. In particular look at the 'have you had a snapped spring' thread and see how many people, myself included, have had this happen out of the blue! Not saying dont go for one but go into it with your eyes open!
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[colin1]

yeah i've heard about the snapped coil springs which is why im a bit more inclined to wards mondeos than vectras, and im a bit disappointed to find signums are based on vectras when i thought they were based on astras
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[colin1]

[Silver]

Fuel (and car) tax calculator: https://cccfcalculator.hmrc.gov.uk/CCF0.aspx

[colin1]

https://www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/cars.htm
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[mistergixer]

[JonB]

I'm not a sales rep, but I am a representative for a company and cover a region of a the country from Birmingham all the way South to Penzance, as far east as Swindon and as far West as Haverfordwest.

I personally wouldn't take the money option if I were you. I've taken a company car, currently driving a 57 plate 1.9 TDI Golf with 75,000 on the clock , but just in the process of ordering myself a brand new car. Still stuck on whether to go "mental (as far mental as you can go in my car grade and diesel)" with a Golf GTD 170bhp, or go fuel saving and company car tax saving on a 2.0l TDI Bluemotion Golf.

I get reimbursed 14p a mile for business miles. (I've done 400 business miles at 50mpg since Monday) so am making a profit, if only a small profit, but am allowed to use it for unlimited personal use which is nice. If I get a 2.0l diesel I will be getting 17p a mile and the MPG on the newer VW engines is almost better than the ancient 1.9 block so will be "raking" it in.

My current Golf is due a cambelt and a major service. It's nice just dropping it at VW and not having to pay a penny.

If your company offers a CC and you are on basic rate tax band, do it. IMO.
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[colin1]

no company cars at my place, leasing would be an alternative, but only really feasible if it was a larger car allowance really, as even buying someones existing lease would be £300 a month or more
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[Villers]

Mondeos are better on the springs but not immune, big issue on the monds is the dual mass flywheel that can shatter the bell housing when it goes! Like I said earlier, every car has its known faults but make sure you read and read on the owners forums before you commit. When I got my vectra I had told myself before I test drove it that it was a piece of shit, but it was a pleasure to drive and seemed good. If Id known the potential problems I would never had bought it! I had 3 snapped springs in the space of 6 months to put it into perspective it was on a car with 40k miles!
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