As your company grows, the next step you might need to take is to get yourself a company car that you can use to provide on-the-go services to your clients or make transportation easier for your employees. With this, getting a regular car shouldn’t be an option as this is the perfect opportunity to promote your business without trying too hard.
Getting a company car isn’t a walk in the park. You don’t just go to a car dealer, pick a car, purchase it instantly. There are plenty of factors that you should consider that can provide the best service and comfort for your company. Moreover, listed below are some tips when getting a company car:
1. Check The Materials Used
Picking the materials that a car uses is generally applicable to any car purchase, whether for personal or company use. The last thing you’d want to happen is to see your vehicle shattered into pieces just because it uses a cheap material, making its body weak, allowing for accidents and breakage. You can begin by checking every material right from the body, wheels, and windshields.
Apart from the body, your car’s windshields are highly as important because they could break easily even with a sudden temperature change or applying pressure on its surface. However, if you find the perfect car but are not satisfied with its windshield quality, you can always opt to have a windshield replacement in Portland Oregon, from professional experts who customize windshields based on the features that you want.
Related: How to Make Money Online with Cars
2. Set Your Budget
Before you go and start shopping for your new company car, you should set a strict budget about how much you’re willing to spend, don’t forget to deduct the cost of the legal documents and insurance. This will help set and filter which type of transport unit would only be applicable based on your company’s budget.
You should ensure that you set a reasonable amount and see if it’ll benefit your company, especially if you plan to spend more than a regular company vehicle to serve as company representation.
3. Ponder About A Used Vehicle
If you don’t have much of a budget for buying a brand-new car, you should consider purchasing a used vehicle instead. Besides, there’s no rule stating that a company car should be brand new or not with a limited budget. Purchasing a used vehicle would be your second-best option. As long as it can do its purpose, it’ll bring wonders for your company.
When going with a used vehicle, you should be extra careful before giving your payment right away. While their low prices can be inviting, you should check its condition first to see if it’s worth every penny you’re going to spend. If you don’t know how to check the physical and mechanical condition of a used car, you might want to consider bringing a trusted mechanic with you so they can fully assess the quality of the vehicle. They could help you decide if it’s still in workable condition or will it cost you more due to the repairs you need to manage.
4. Determine If Buying Or Leasing The Car
There are two methods on how you can own a car. You can either pay it in full or lease it for a lighter option. With a leased car, you don’t have to worry too much about pulling up a large amount of money in a single day wherein you can distribute the payment in years, allowing for flexibility for your company. You can even deduct it from your company’s monthly income to make the expenses lighter.
However, if you’d like to free yourself from worrying about the monthly payment methods and avoid any interest rates, buying a car in full would certainly take any headaches and worries away from you. Moreover, with a leased car, you may have the fear of not paying in months, because the failure of payment might cause the company to tow away your vehicle from your property.
5. Consider The Company Image
When getting a company car, you shouldn’t forget that the car should reflect the company’s image. With this, you can further promote your company by either showing off a high-quality or luxurious car or by simply adding a logo on the doors so you can emphasize the use of the vehicle. With whatever car you choose, understand that it’ll reflect who you are as a company.
If you’re a luxurious brand, going for a top-of-the-line car would be the best option for you. Moreover, you should also go for an elegant color such as jet black or pearl white. Alternatively, you can use your branding’s shade for your exterior. To help effortlessly promote your business, you should add your company’s logo on both sides and at the back so people would know that it’s yours. You can even add your contact number, especially if you provide services to other people.
6. Confirm Seating Capacity
If you’re planning to purchase a company car to service your employees as you need to drop them off from one point to another, you should consider the car’s seating capacity. If you’re expecting to bring plenty of people with you, you can opt to use a large van or a bus to accommodate all of your employees. However, if you’re a small company, purchasing a minivan or an SUV would be an excellent choice for you.
In cases where a bus still cannot accommodate the number of employees that you have, you might want to consider purchasing more than one vehicle, especially if you’re highly positive that all cars will be in use during business hours. Just ensure that your company has enough parking space to avoid any possible complications once you bring it to your office.
7. Does It Fit Its Purpose
When buying a company car, you should always contemplate if it fits your company’s purpose. This will help put you right on track and avoid checking into other vehicles that look extremely good but will not benefit your company to their maximum extent. You should begin by listing why you need a company car and what features you need.
If you’re planning to buy a company car to transport your employees alone, you should go for a bus or a van. However, if you need to bring plenty of items to your company car, you should consider getting a truck that has a large storage capacity for convenience. You should also consider the bulkiest thing you need to bring and see if it fits comfortably inside your chosen vehicle.
8. Check Fuel Usage
Apart from the initial cost of the car, another thing that you shouldn’t miss out on is the running cost that you need to shoulder, such as the fuel cost. With a car, you cannot avoid refueling it, or else it will not be able to serve its purpose. While you can always opt to refuel with cheaper gasoline or diesel, you should check the car’s fuel consumption and see if it’s economical.
Since your company car will be using the company’s money for its fuel consumption, it would be best if you don’t have to refuel as often as possible. To ensure that you’re saving money, you should check how the car’s fuel consumption is and check if it’s worth it. To guarantee its fuel-saving feature, you can look for reviews online and read opinions from people who already own the car. This will help you decide better when shopping for your company car.
9. See Maintenance and Insurance Cost
Once you purchase a company car, your expenses don’t stop there. Every year, you need to bring your vehicle in for its yearly maintenance so you can allow your vehicle to function as perfectly as possible. With annual check-ups, you can prevent any potential problems such as a broken or loose item that could lead to accidents and bigger issues.
Since you’re going to bring in your car for its annual check-up, you should prepare enough money as they don’t come cheap. Moreover, you should also prepare for insurance costs as every car should have one. It’ll help save you from expenses when you get yourself in an accident, plus the fact that it’s also illegal not to obtain insurance for your car. Along with this, insurance has quarterly or yearly payment terms that you should prepare for.
10. Compare Various Models
Looking at various cars for a company car might get you confused about which one you should get, especially with the competitive market nowadays. To keep yourself on track and avoid missing out on the best car that your company should have, you should make a list of your preferred vehicles, compare them regularly, and see which one would be the best for your company, budget, and requirements.
Ideally, you should create a table that indicates every feature and specification of a car vehicle. This’ll include the machine and special features. Furthermore, you shouldn’t forget to include the price as it could be a great deciding factor about which vehicle you should get. With the right planning and comparing, you can buy the best possible car for your company.
The Verdict
Picking the best company car isn’t an easy task, especially since there are plenty of options out there. But with the right planning, budgeting, and comparing, you should come up with a list that you think would serve your company the best. After all, a company car will help make your employees feel better as they can feel more comfortable and at ease during work hours.
