lease car advice

[Mordante]

There is a chance I'll be getting a company car. But I'm not sure what to get. My first thought would be a 100% electrical car.

In the Netherland you have to add a percentage of the new price (MSRP) to your income. Since a car is provided by a company is basically income in kind. Zero emission cars below 50k add 4% to your income all other cars add 22% to your income.

So what are your thoughts on cars like a BMW i3, Opel Ampera, Nissan Leaf etc.

[Mordante]

No one with experience with these kind of cars?

[CPP]

Well it all depends on the amount of miles you think you could be driving in the lease period. Are you charged for any miles over the allotted # of miles you are allowed to drive as noted in the lease agreement. The maintenance requirements you must follow with the lease dealer or you could jeopardize your lease. And it depends on "ego" cool car or practical work car that will not nickel and dime you during the lease period. .

[nicoff]

In the USA, the Opel is not sold. Could that be the equivalent of the Chevy Volt from GM? If so, be aware that the Chevy is being discontinued in USA.
Between the three, I would pick the BMW, but that is based on the brand.

Is the i8 an option? If so... THAT would be it!

[Mordante]

Well it all depends on the amount of miles you think you could be driving in the lease period. Are you charged for any miles over the allotted # of miles you are allowed to drive as noted in the lease agreement. The maintenance requirements you must follow with the lease dealer or you could jeopardize your lease. And it depends on "ego" cool car or practical work car that will not nickel and dime you during the lease period. .

If I use the lease car 100% for business I won't have to pay anything. Regardless of kilometers driven. As soon as I want to use the car for private use as will I will have to add 4% or 22% of the new price of the car to my income. That means I will have to pay anything between euro250 to euro1000 per month for the private use. That is more than my 10year old BMW 325i touring is costing me now. So I don't gain much for driving a company car.

In the USA, the Opel is not sold. Could that be the equivalent of the Chevy Volt from GM? If so, be aware that the Chevy is being discontinued in USA.
Between the three, I would pick the BMW, but that is based on the brand.

Is the i8 an option? If so... THAT would be it!

The i8 is way way out of budget. Most company will not allow a lease car over euro40k to euro50k. That means a i3 is just within reach or something like a Skoda Octavia.

The most basic BMW 320i costs before any options euro49k.

[CPP]

If I use the lease car 100% for business I won't have to pay anything. Regardless of kilometers driven. As soon as I want to use the car for private use as will I will have to add 4% or 22% of the new price of the car to my income. That means I will have to pay anything between euro250 to euro1000 per month for the private use. That is more than my 10year old BMW 325i touring is costing me now. So I don't gain much for driving a company car.



The i8 is way way out of budget. Most company will not allow a lease car over euro40k to euro50k. That means a i3 is just within reach or something like a Skoda Octavia.

The most basic BMW 320i costs before any options euro49k.

Until I went back and read the first post, I was thinking you were located in Leyden Ill in the US, but I see you are in the Netherlands.

In the US the BWM lease program is 36 months. https://www.bmwusa.com/special-offers.html, and the driver is responsible for miles over the lease contract,

[Mordante]

Until I went back and read the first post, I was thinking you were located in Leyden Ill in the US, but I see you are in the Netherlands.

In the US the BWM lease program is 36 months. https://www.bmwusa.com/special-offers.html, and the driver is responsible for miles over the lease contract,

In the Netherlands the company that provides the car (your employer) will give you a certain budget, often a monthly lease price. Depending on the rules you can get any car within budget. Some employers have a deal with certain distributors meaning you can only chose say French cars or only from the VAG groups etc.

If you chose to also drive the company car privately you have to add a percentage of the cars new price to your income, normally 22%. But if you don't drive it at all your don't have to do that. However if you get caught driving it to say the cinema you can expect a huge fine, a few thousand euro's depending on how long you have drive a company car.

Not sure if I would want to drive a company car privately because of the costs. It used to be that hybrid cars were giving a discount for tax purposes. But now it's only pure electrical cars that costs less then 50k euro.

[nicoff]

I am surprised that they don't give you an option to keep a mileage log and then you can pay taxes based on percentage of company vs personal use. In the USA the government uses a rate of about 54 cents per mile. So you can pay taxes for personal use using that rate. Every country is different I am sure.

[Mordante]

I am surprised that they don't give you an option to keep a mileage log and then you can pay taxes based on percentage of company vs personal use. In the USA the government uses a rate of about 54 cents per mile. So you can pay taxes for personal use using that rate. Every country is different I am sure.

The government allows you to have a mileage log. For a maximum of 500km. Above 500km you add 22% of the cars worth to your income. They don't do a fixed km price because running costs for each car is very different.

But I had a second chat yesterday wit my potential new employer. I don't think I'll be switching jobs.

[jadedavid]

TOO MANY rules, laws, Taxes, Fines etc for my taste.
Best of luck on your decision.