Heart v Head conundrum

[Foxy367]

My CS is just 8 months old. My company have car allowance and to date my fuel has been manageable as I have only done 4500 miles since I picked it up. I have the opportunity to take a Tesla Model 3 company car (Dual motor) which I'm beginning to consider Cost v P11D tax on the Tesla would be around £50-60/ month in favour of the company car when you factor in the allowance and tyres servicing etc then circa £40 a month additional fuel I put in myself over the mileage allowance I get. There is also the small fact that from the WBAC price compared to my settlement I will have a small £2k profit on my original deposit

My head says take the company car, trouble free motoring (servicing tyres and the like) and bank the money but my heart says I have a great ICE car which could potentially be my last.

I know this is a GTI forum and please don't shoot me for asking but welcome your thoughts! 

[ar899]

How does the Tesla suit your motoring needs? ie range? I've discounted fully electric at the mo as the range just doesn't suit the type of trips I regularly do.

[Foxy367]

My role is a director across a few Construction projects, the furthest away is 35 miles the regional office only 8. The Long Range has a full charge range of 374miles even factoring in a reduction of cold days and motorways this is still 250-300miles which would nearly see a week of site and back. We have chargers at work so free power too so I wouldn't be overly concerned about range

I rarely do long runs and if I do I have the wifes diesel family bus to take the strain

[fredgroves]

Depends I guess what you use your clubby for really....

I know its a company car, but it sounds more like a toy than a work tool.

Such toys are expensive as a company car, you'd definitely find a milkfloat much cheaper on your P11D... even cheaper still if you didn't choose the Tesla.

But even the Model 3 Performance isn't really the equivalent of a hot hatch. Sure its a great car, in a straight line its a missile, but a clubby isn't all about straight lines.

If you can afford it, I'd hang onto the clubby a bit longer. Sure we will all be electric soon, but not today.... well that was my thought when i swapped to a GTI for one last blast (well, maybe one last time.... we'll see)

[Foxy367]

Depends I guess what you use your clubby for really....

I know its a company car, but it sounds more like a toy than a work tool.

Such toys are expensive as a company car, you'd definitely find a milkfloat much cheaper on your P11D... even cheaper still if you didn't choose the Tesla.

But even the Model 3 Performance isn't really the equivalent of a hot hatch. Sure its a great car, in a straight line its a missile, but a clubby isn't all about straight lines.

If you can afford it, I'd hang onto the clubby a bit longer. Sure we will all be electric soon, but not today.... well that was my thought when i swapped to a GTI for one last blast (well, maybe one last time.... we'll see)

My wife calls my Golf my mid-life crisis!!! It absolutely is a toy as well as the daily work charabanc though it seems to get less use in the fun sense and more trundling up and down motorways. I suppose part of me thinks to cash out while the going is good and there is still money in it rather than hang on with the unknown as to what it will be worth in the future.

I've always been ruled by the heart when it has come to buying my own car and taking an allowance but as the business clearly are trying to get us into company cars anyway (the car allowance hasn't increased since 2008!!) and the cost of normal cars has increased far beyond the reach of the monthly allowance, I always suspected this would be my last ICE car and likely the last one I bought myself for work.

[Splashalot]

As a general comment, for what it's worth, every time I've bought a car by following my head instead of heart I've regretted it.

I jumped ship to a Mini EV, which luckily for me, fulfills both the head and heart's criteria.  Have you driven the Tesla? It may be that it fulfills both roles.  But if not, stick with where your heart is (ie. the Clubsport).  Enjoy it whilst you still can.

[Carl_45]

I had a similar conundrum, I’ve opted for cash allowance over company car. Our company car scheme isn’t great, but the cash allowance is pretty good, so my choice was clearer. I did debate GTE or ID3 from company car list vs cash, but that choice is much easier than yours. The ID3 would also have required a small salary sacrifice due to lease costs.

To throw a spanner in the works, could you afford/have the space/have the need for a little toy? Perhaps take the Tesla company car as your daily, and buy an older sports car for fun? (I’m biased as I love TVR) I’m thinking a Chimaera or series 2 Boxster S?

[phope]

I can thoroughly recommend having an older Boxster for a fun/weekend car

[clubsport]

If I didn't need the practicality of a hatchback, I would go for the Model 3 and a toy.
My own Mk7 CS is the sensible car alongside a few 2 seaters, purely for the reason of practicality.

[Foxy367]

As a general comment, for what it's worth, every time I've bought a car by following my head instead of heart I've regretted it.

I jumped ship to a Mini EV, which luckily for me, fulfills both the head and heart's criteria.  Have you driven the Tesla? It may be that it fulfills both roles.  But if not, stick with where your heart is (ie. the Clubsport).  Enjoy it whilst you still can.

I've not driven the Tesla yet, would need to first (then again I didn't drive the Clubby either!!!  ) would want to first to make sure I could live with one I think though