Buying or having a car for business purposes is quite different to having a car for personal use. There are more factors to consider before you make your decision on a vehicle, as the chances are you’ll be using this a lot more than your standard family runabout. Equally though, there’s other things like the image you want to portray for your business and of course the expenses element and what you can realistically afford.
All in all, without the right guidance or understanding of such matters, you run the risk of selecting a vehicle that either isn’t the right fit for your company, or is purely something you really don’t like and regret buying. Help is at hand however in this useful post, you will find five aspects you need to consider when buying a car for business. With this information you can put yourself on the best road to success.
#1 Do you want to go for the professional look?
Looking smart is something that can apply to several parts of your business. For example, if you were meeting with clients you’d be wearing suits or other formal attire because it reflects well and demonstrates a professional standard. You can of course apply the same criteria to your company car.
Imagine if you saw an approaching client or business partner and they were driving in a second-rate, small or old car? It certainly wouldn’t leave the best impression. To avoid this then, consider a large estate car or new saloon for a quintessentially prestigious look.
#2 What about being eco-friendly?
Along with the right physical look, another feature is the eco-friendliness of the car or cars you choose. This again comes back to the image you want to portray; a large gas-guzzling car with high emissions won’t look good, especially given the importance of making your business greener overall.
On top of this, there’s also the cost; the higher the emission the bigger the tax bill will be, which when multiplied across a fleet of vehicles, can start to significantly add up. Remember though that lower emissions, electric and hybrid cars are now still large and are starting to offer the same quality performance you’d expect from an equivalent diesel or petrol model.
#3 What do you actually need the car for?
Before choosing you also need to look at what it is you intend to use the car for. If it’s for personal and business use, you’ll want something with decent mileage from a brand known for producing reliable cars. What’s more if you’re going to be ferrying clients around will you need a bigger people carrier?
#4 Will you purchase the car?
Next comes how you intend to finance your vehicle. Can you afford to purchase the vehicle outright or will you look to invest in lease cars that you exchange on a contractual basis. Each aspect has pros and cons, but if you’d prefer to buy the car you can get a loan specifically for this reason from lenders such as Secure Trust Bank for instance.
#5 What about the resale value?
Should you choose to buy the car(s), before you confirm, it’s also worth looking at what you might get in terms of resale value. Certain makes do hold their value better than others which could make a big difference in future, especially if you’re planning on using it a great deal.
With all this in mind, you should be able to find the best car for your business. Be sure to take these five points into consideration and soon you could be driving a vehicle that you’re proud to say represents your company.