So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

[KitKat]

Thanks everyone, have spoken to the accountant, just wanted to have a general feel for a novated lease.
The accountant did recommend a novated lease as I had only small work deductions, so will most likely do a novated lease.

 

[Simo]

So what are you thinking of getting more importantly?

 

[KitKat]

So what are you thinking of getting more importantly?

A 328i..Sport with some trimmings

 

[amaroo]

I've novated three cars - all good, have no complaints.

I like to purchase cars that cost half as much (purchase & service), last twice as long & have double the re-sale value.........that rules out anything that starts with a M, B, P , R etc, etc, etc

 

[Moopere]

Did you mean a non-maintained novated lease here, rather than a "standard" lease (finance lease)?

No, sorry, I meant an operating lease - the type that is essentially a long term rental. Should have been more clear.

I'm by no means an expert at the intricacies of novated leasing, but two comments here:

1) Pretty confident that if you were paying GST on the monthly repayments then either your employer or novated leasing provider was doing something wrong. One of the benefits of a novated lease is that the GST on the monthly finance repayments (and running costs, if fully maintained) produces ITCs that are claimable by the employer, and hence no GST is (or at least doesn't need to be) passed on to the employee.

Yes, I'm aware of this. Some companies return this to the employee, some keep it (as an admin offset or other excuse). I think I got mine back now that you mention it, but its not an obvious saving, or wasn't to me, as the novated lease finance cost was not particularly low.

2) I'm also pretty sure you shouldn't be (legitimately) claiming tax deductions for the repayments on a novated lease. The whole point of a novated lease is that the payments are made from pre-tax income (so no tax on that income - hence not claimable as a deduction), and the post-tax contribution in a fully-maintained novated lease is required (i.e. can't be claimed as a deduction) to offset the FBT liability created by the pre-tax payments.

Yes, this is my understanding. I must not have been clear.

- Novated lease meant my 'tax deductions' were built in to the lease
- Outright purchase allows one to make tax deductions as appropriate for use. From the operating point of view, I can't see a lot of difference between novation and outright in after tax cost at the end of the day. But outright purchase requires the up front lump sum payment, if this isn't savings and comes from a separate loan, then novation is probably either cheaper or on par and easier to manage.

 

[MadFairlane]

Well, down to two cars now... Sold the 67 Fairlane tonight...

Sad to see it go, but glad I can put some money back in the account to help towards the next step in life!

Or, I could just blow it all and go grab a new GT-E... In white with a red interior...

Decisions, Decisions... LOL

 

[leemin]

Currently tossing up between an X3/Evoque or maybe a Q3

So hard to pick they are all outstanding cars!

/rant

I despise the fact that Land Rover has entered this market. They went far enough with the RR Sport. Now you've got all these people going "I drive a Range Rover". Well, no, you don't. The biggest water crossing you can do is a highway pot hole full of water..

/rant over

Note to lovestotravel: Please don't take this in anyway to be a personal attack. I'm just the product of a family of 4WDers who've owned many a Land Rover... and used them

 

[lovestotravel]

Ha - So true though! and I'll be honest I like the badge

Problem is the 2 LR dealerships in Melbourne are not interested in moving on price...

BMW is very happy to go out of their way to get you as a customer! Extended test-drives, and happy to sit down and go through exactly what options/packages you want!

 

[Paddy55]

New Mazda CX-5
About to say goodbye to 4yo Kluger

 

[Deleted member]

New Mazda CX-5
About to say goodbye to 4yo Kluger

As a Kluger ( Grande) driver , I have to ask why?

 

[sail0r]

I've just ordered an Amarok for work - can't wait to take it into the bush

If I ever bought a ute, I think it would be an Amarok. I love the look. I just don't have any need for a ute.

 

[sail0r]

Red MGF 1998, which, sadly needs to be replaced due to us now having 2 children (yay for the children, but will be sad to see her go-Great Ocean Road, Alpine Way, lots of fun drives) looking for a 4 seater convertible that drives like a sportscar and not a family sedan.
Bronze Volvo XC70 2010-great, comfortable, safe car. I quite like the styling. Was going to get the Volvo Ocean Race edition for the bold stitching, but the chrome bits were just too bright.

 

[Paddy55]

As a Kluger ( Grande) driver , I have to ask why?

Don't need such a big car as it's just Mrs Paddy and I tootling around these days.
Will be sorry to see the Kluger go to be honest

 

[Keith009]

The OH traded in his VW Polo for a VW Gold Cabriolet. Very good value and loads of 'look at me' appeal.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Ha - So true though! and I'll be honest I like the badge

Problem is the 2 LR dealerships in Melbourne are not interested in moving on price...

BMW is very happy to go out of their way to get you as a customer! Extended test-drives, and happy to sit down and go through exactly what options/packages you want!

Try the dealership in Hobart. I have experienced this as well.

Subaru were like that in better times as well.

I simply cannot purchase something if I haven't haggled.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Currently tossing up between an X3/Evoque or maybe a Q3

So hard to pick they are all outstanding cars!

If you ever want to go off road.....then the Evoque. A properly kitted out evoque will cost $100k plus.

 

[simongr]

If you ever want to go off road.....then the Evoque. A properly kitted out evoque will cost $100k plus.

And this is why I got a Grand Cherokee Limited. $55K on the road.

Same goes for the Toureg, Q7, X5 and XC90... (though the XC90 can be closer to 80K)

 

[AVC]

Ha - So true though! and I'll be honest I like the badge

Problem is the 2 LR dealerships in Melbourne are not interested in moving on price...

BMW is very happy to go out of their way to get you as a customer! Extended test-drives, and happy to sit down and go through exactly what options/packages you want!

We have a LR Freelander 2 (novated lease). When shopping for it, we found the opposite. The LR dealership was really helpful, and the BMW dealership acted like it was too much hard work to bother.

Having said that, I dont think they need to move on price. We tried to get our fleet manager to get one as a test car before we bought. His reply from LR was "we cant get enough in the country to sell them, let alone fill government orders"

Good thing about LR is they a Corporate Service Plan (i.e. free), so being a leased car, we qualify.

I'm a bit iffy about the new Evouque wearing RR badges. Being that they are only 5 seaters, with generally 4 cylinder engines, calling it a Rangie is a bit of a stretch. IMO should have been called the Freelander 3. But of course now everyone who buys one can say "I drive a Range Rover".

 

[Skyring]

The OH traded in his VW Polo for a VW Gold Cabriolet.

What colour is it?

I love our Golf. Problem is that every second car in Canberra is a small silver car of some description, and in a shopping centre carpark, more than once I've fumbled with the key, trying to unlock someone else's vehicle.

One day I'll succeed.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I'm a bit iffy about the new Evouque wearing RR badges. Being that they are only 5 seaters, with generally 4 cylinder engines, calling it a Rangie is a bit of a stretch. IMO should have been called the Freelander 3. But of course now everyone who buys one can say "I drive a Range Rover".

A stoke of marketing genius by the boys at Gaydon. Regardless, it s a very capable off road vehicle. Given that they have round the clock production to match demand, as we all want to drive a Rangie!!