Cash or car?: real reader case studies

Jackie Winter: 'I took the car'

When Jackie Winter changed jobs, she decided to take a company car in place of the Mini she was financing privately on a PCP.

'The real appeal was peace of mind,' she says, 'because I'd had quite a few unexpected bills with the Mini.

'The tax and insurance were okay with the Mini and I opted for the all-in service package, but I had to have three new tyres in my last year and that was expensive.'

However, Jackie also thinks she's cut her outgoings substantially, possibly halving the monthly cost of her motoring.

She switched to a BMW 116i, which she runs on a three-year, 20,000-miles-a-year contract.

Penny Pickles: 'I took the cash'
Sales manager Penny Pickles ran a company-funded Mini for four years, which she bought outright when the contract ended.

'I used to be in the company scheme,' she says, 'but now I've decided to run my own second-hand car instead.'

Penny took six months off work and needed to cut her motoring costs, so she sold her Mini and bought a high-mileage, M-Reg Volkswagen Golf.

'I took the car allowance instead and saved a lot of money on my motoring costs,' she says.

She's already considering going back into the company scheme, however, even though her company approves only a restricted list of models.

'When my Golf finally dies, I'll see what cars are available on the lease list.'