Losing Money on Company Car, advice?

akira181

Work sent me travelling a bit the last few days so haven't had a chance to check the forums

comeandgo wrote: »

The revenue rate is reviewed every three months. It does increase at times. Try and get some training on better driving techniques to increase your miles to the gallon. As we don't get anything from employer for private mileage there is a tax benefit. You could be the same.

Is it reviewed as often as 3 months? I don't recall the 9p a mile having changed since 2006, although I haven't been travelling for every job I've had in the last 12 years. I got one of those VW OBD data plugs that monitor your driving style via a bluetooth app and it gives me 90% to 95% for most trips (unless I've had heavy traffic or speeding to make up time). How accurate it is though is anyone's guess.

What do you mean by a tax benefit because you don't get anything for private mileage?

Zero_Gravitas wrote: »

I too drive a VAG 1.6 diesel - although in my case it's in a Skoda Octavia. However, having recorded the mileage for every single tank of fuel for its 34000 miles so far, I can say with absolute certainty that the weight of a full tank of fuel makes no discernible difference to the consumption, let alone 6-10 mpg. Assuming you have a 50 litre tank, then the weight of a full tank of fuel is about 45kg, which is not even the weight of an average adult. Do you get the same mpg change with a passenger in the car? If so, I'd suggest getting the car looked at, because there is clearly something wrong with it.

I done a very rough test when I had a frequent 300 mile trip to make for a few months. I checked my average MPG with the onboard computer with a quarter tank until the fuel light came on, and then again with a full tank to 3/4 of a tank. I done this a couple of times and each time with the full tank quarter, the onboard computer went from high 50s to low 50s. Maybe I'm a bit harder on acceleration when the car is heavier, when there is a passenger in the car, it's slow off the mark so it's possible. But my "test" wasn't particularly scientific and I pass a petrol station on my way home, so stopping for fuel a little more often isn't much of a hassle.


I pay tax on the car and easily 75% of my personal mileage is from home to the office and back portion of the trip, which my company won't reimburse. My old job with my personal car and the 45p a mile rate; that was enough for fuel, servicing, and minor repairs because I don't do much driving other than for work. And the £50 a month I think the work mileage to be costing me easily covers insurance.