Baby RR

Getting an SUV with a 6 cylinder petrol engine into the 6% tax bracket is seriously impressive.

The two people I know who ordered a 330e back in Jan/Feb have been given a delivery date of December.

Just seen that the LCI 5er Touring is now available in 530e guise. W2.1 asked when I’m going to get rid of the Gorilla as she dislikes it so I’m going to give it some serious consideration.

Just specced a 520i (can't do  530e yet) to £57k so I assume a 530e would be £60k in the same spec. Still 10%, 11%, 12% tax over the next three years.

Sacrilege! Why does she dislike the Gorilla?

I think it may be the fact I enjoy the acceleration, something that won't change with whatever car comes next and indeed even the MINI offers. The fact I put both the Gorilla and the MINI in sport including the gearbox which is something she is completely unaware of doesn't help. I'm certain the Electric motor assistance of the BMW e engine will not help reduce that effect.

I mentioned at breakfast that I'd want a Classic Car in the garage as well if forced to get rid of the Gorilla was lead balloon stuff as well. It's currently full of staircase parts so she has a point on space.....

I also think living here we live having a hybrid is a bit more socially responsible in terms of looks (if not in reality)

I’ve spent some time in a 530e and it does the usual 5 series stuff well (comfort, space, refinement), the switch between electric and petrol is smooth and the way it manages the electric is smart. But, you lose a lot of boot space and a lot of the time you’ve got a 4 pot petrol. It’s a good upgrade if you’re used to a 520d company car, but would feel like quite a downgrade from the B5, even if you spec it up.

Why don’t you just drive a bit slower when the family are in the car?

I get the appeal of a new car and the low tax, but I wouldn’t change and it would save me money as I mentioned earlier.

Just configured one of those to £80,580: probably fits the bill of being a less sporty car to hoon in and is less in personal tax per month (mental!). Depends on the lease cost for the business but as John pointed out that's a before tax expense. It also has the petrol 6 which the LCI 5er only has in the saloon and not in the UK by the looks of it.

I'm afraid what I consider to be gentler driving with the family on board still doesn't cut it!

Financially look at it like this: The Gorilla is mine, so owes me nothing but is a chunk of cash tied up. If I sell it I can justify that classic car. Any new car would only be a PHEV because it would be a lease through the company with the added tax cost to me personally. The business has enough to sign up to a multi-year lease and even if I never worked for the entire lease it would be paid plus I have another income source from property. The personal tax cost is relatively negligible for cars in this £RRP bracket plus (and here's a financial consideration you'll appreciate....) the boys were 18 this year.

Does she spend much of any given journey eyeballing her phone?

I've noticed that my wife tends not to object too much to acceleration when she's not eyes glued to her phone, but if she is (as she frequently is), then the slightest sudden movement gets complaints. I think it's down to anticipation. 

I feel I'll looking at my phone on the move, but fine looking out of the window. Just ban their phones and keep the Alpina 😆

Or hide some sort of switchable interference device in the car that you can use to disrupt the signal to all devices within the cabin...

I never ever used to get car sick as a passenger. But since the advent of phones I have found that if I look down to check a message or map, then I feel car sick. Whilst I suspect that the driving style may be a contributory factor, if they're looking down as phone screens the whole time, they'd probably complain in a 1.0 Nova.

Hmm company car scheme new orders on hold whilst we go through the big reorg that was in the papers last week.

Nothing confirming it officially and had an email last week saying it was approved.....so may just sneak through.

I'm going to leave it a few days to take its course, before calling up to check progress.

Possibly, that said they signed off my project on Monday, which is part of the recovery plan, so fingers crossed they will want me to stick around and deliver it. But you never know!

I wondered too Bryan but hoped the silence was good news.

.