New Company Car - BMW IX v RR Sport Phev or Etron GT?
Discussion
Hi All
looking some advice here (I checked and couldn't find anything specifically on what I needed on this forum, sorry if it is somewhere here).
I am moving to a new company and they have a range of options for their company cars.
I think their budget is around £60k list for their leased cars and also a car allowance but other car models can be added through a salary sacrifice arrangement so for example, I could opt for an IX, RR sport Phev or a Etron GT potentially. I may also hold on to my Q7 and wait for an EV X5 or the new Porsche Macan when they arrive.
I currently have a Q7 Audi 3.0 Diesel which I own but was looking at changing anyway to a new X5 BMW diesel until this job came up.
I appreciate the tax is more on the PHEV than the others but I wondered what other things I should be aware of to consider and if anyone here has gone through a similar experience, and hopefully explain what they decided and why.
thanks in advance.
looking some advice here (I checked and couldn't find anything specifically on what I needed on this forum, sorry if it is somewhere here).
I am moving to a new company and they have a range of options for their company cars.
I think their budget is around £60k list for their leased cars and also a car allowance but other car models can be added through a salary sacrifice arrangement so for example, I could opt for an IX, RR sport Phev or a Etron GT potentially. I may also hold on to my Q7 and wait for an EV X5 or the new Porsche Macan when they arrive.
I currently have a Q7 Audi 3.0 Diesel which I own but was looking at changing anyway to a new X5 BMW diesel until this job came up.
I appreciate the tax is more on the PHEV than the others but I wondered what other things I should be aware of to consider and if anyone here has gone through a similar experience, and hopefully explain what they decided and why.
thanks in advance.
I have an EV company car (Volvo XC40) which I did purely to benefit from the BiK. I really like it, but have other petrol cars also. If you're travelling a lot for work, EV can be a pain. I use mine as much as I can, but if I've got back to back meetings in different locations requiring a charging stop it can be difficult as you can't always guarantee how long a charge stop will take - chargers are more often now already in use resulting in waiting around. Thankfully I rarely have to do this so it's not a major issue and if it's going to be I just take my petrol car instead. If I was, say, a travelling salesperson on the road a lot then I definitely wouldn't bother with EV, it's too much hassle (I'm sure others have a different opinion, but I've had a long range EV for 2 years now and this is mine).
As for the cars, I had the previous RRS hybrid, it was the worst car I've ever had - totally unreliable, hybrid/electronics were always faulty and my local LR dealership are a nightmare. I'd never go there again, but appreciate the new one might be better? In all the 10 miles hybrid range wasn't worth it, and actually wasn't that much cheaper than petrol mileage after doing the maths.
Porsche is a difficult proposition as a company car, as just about everything is an option. I currently own a Macan, thought about changing for a PHEV Cayenne also through the company, however the options spend to get anywhere near what my current Volvo has is shaping up to be around £15-20k (you really don't get anything as standard) and you pay the entire cost of options over the duration of the lease, so for a company car it's a no-no. The EV Macan would be the same, my current one is a GTS and I still chucked almost £20k of options at it as you don't get really anything as standard (even the dash is plastic!)
I have no experience of the IX or Etron, but can say that my Volvo has been really good as a company car. Volvo have pivoted to the company car market so don't do options, only 3 trim levels. If you go for the top one, it's not loads more and you get everything you could want included. They have PHEV's in the 8% BiK bracket, and they do direct leases that when I was looking around were better than I could get from a third party. I know a Volvo doesn't quite have the kudos of an RR or Porsche, but as a company car you can't really go wrong.
As for the cars, I had the previous RRS hybrid, it was the worst car I've ever had - totally unreliable, hybrid/electronics were always faulty and my local LR dealership are a nightmare. I'd never go there again, but appreciate the new one might be better? In all the 10 miles hybrid range wasn't worth it, and actually wasn't that much cheaper than petrol mileage after doing the maths.
Porsche is a difficult proposition as a company car, as just about everything is an option. I currently own a Macan, thought about changing for a PHEV Cayenne also through the company, however the options spend to get anywhere near what my current Volvo has is shaping up to be around £15-20k (you really don't get anything as standard) and you pay the entire cost of options over the duration of the lease, so for a company car it's a no-no. The EV Macan would be the same, my current one is a GTS and I still chucked almost £20k of options at it as you don't get really anything as standard (even the dash is plastic!)
I have no experience of the IX or Etron, but can say that my Volvo has been really good as a company car. Volvo have pivoted to the company car market so don't do options, only 3 trim levels. If you go for the top one, it's not loads more and you get everything you could want included. They have PHEV's in the 8% BiK bracket, and they do direct leases that when I was looking around were better than I could get from a third party. I know a Volvo doesn't quite have the kudos of an RR or Porsche, but as a company car you can't really go wrong.
Thanks both, that's really useful.
A few things, I have a few petrol cars already and don't use them for work but want something decent to drive when I drive the company car, especially as I'll spend more time in it.
My ideal car would be the X5 EV but there isnt one yet and the looks of the IX..... I am still considering this.
The RRS Phev, reliability for RR is shocking and I had a RR before and that along with their servicing partners is horrendous.
The E tron GT is a change as I normally drive SUV's daily and was open to it.
BIK wise the IX appears to be the logical choice but interested to hear other experiences, thanks!
A few things, I have a few petrol cars already and don't use them for work but want something decent to drive when I drive the company car, especially as I'll spend more time in it.
My ideal car would be the X5 EV but there isnt one yet and the looks of the IX..... I am still considering this.
The RRS Phev, reliability for RR is shocking and I had a RR before and that along with their servicing partners is horrendous.
The E tron GT is a change as I normally drive SUV's daily and was open to it.
BIK wise the IX appears to be the logical choice but interested to hear other experiences, thanks!
IX50 would be my choice, cavernous, capable and in the right colours it's really growing on me. The range is respectable and it's not too hard to find a spec that delivers everything you could want.
E-Tron GT feels like a nice car, however every time I see one I just end up thinking it's almost a Taycan but with less of a driver focus.
Choosing between these two I'd be swinging towards the IX, purely for the interior comfort and style. I can't get along with the current audio setup, whilst their virtual cockpit is unbeatable, the centre screen is just a fingerprint magnet and doesn't work for me.
E-Tron GT feels like a nice car, however every time I see one I just end up thinking it's almost a Taycan but with less of a driver focus.
Choosing between these two I'd be swinging towards the IX, purely for the interior comfort and style. I can't get along with the current audio setup, whilst their virtual cockpit is unbeatable, the centre screen is just a fingerprint magnet and doesn't work for me.
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