[firewallguy]

Hi All,

I've had company cars for the last 8 years, and never had a BMW due to the lack of standard kit. With the way BIK tax is going, even on hybrids, I decided a while ago to take the available cash allowance from work and purchase my own car when my current Evoque was due for renewal (November).
Fortunately this has coincided with a new scheme at work whereby we can purchase a private vehicle through the fleet company and take advantage of their discounts.
So I have put in an order for the following:

BMW 3 Series Diesel Touring 335d xDrive M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Estoril Blue- Metallic Paint
Aluminium Hexagon Interior Trim/ Estoril Blue Trim Finisher
Black Dakota Leather with Blue Stitching

Interior Comfort Pack
Media Package
M Sport Plus Package
19" M Double Spoke Style 442m Alloy Wheels Bicolour Orbit
Head Restraints, Rear and Folding
Active Cruise Control with "Stop and Go" Function
Driver and Passenger Electric Lumbar Support
Adaptive M Sport Suspension

All at a better discount than any dealer/broker could manage.

Only downsides are that the fleet company will be the registered keeper for the first 6 months (hence higher insurance) to prevent people just selling on at a profit, and they've quoted a 22 week lead time!
The latter seems a bit excessive as the configurator quoted 16 weeks, so hopefully will arrive sooner.

For various reasons, I'm also going to be selling my weekend car, TVR Cerbera 4.5, so hopefully having the 335D for everyday will soften the blow somewhat.

[CazuaLLUK]

Awesome man, congrats. The wait begins.

[MashinBenzin]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on what sounds like a great car and spec

That said, it's incumbent on us forum members to spend more of your money, or at least to encourage you to spend it!

I will start with three meaningful letters....HUD

[Grant_7]

Congrats

However...

Originally Posted by firewallguy

For various reasons, I'm also going to be selling my weekend car, TVR Cerbera 4.5, so hopefully having the 335D for everyday will soften the blow somewhat.

...you're going to miss that beauty! Got any pics?

[firewallguy]

If you insist:

[firewallguy]

As for HUD, I was reaching the limit of my budget and it was a toss up between that and ACC
With the amount of stop-start traffic on my daily commute the ACC seemed liked the best option.

[AlfaM]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

As for HUD, I was reaching the limit of my budget and it was a toss up between that and ACC
With the amount of stop-start traffic on my daily commute the ACC seemed liked the best option.

You still have to tap the accelerator when the car stops to reinitiate the ACC - it's OK for cruising on the motorway, but I find it far too jerky for stop start traffic. I wouldn't spec it again, but the HUD is superb and I will spec it on every car I buy from now.

+ it keeps turning your interior lights on.

[73henny]

Congrats.

I can't see it taking that long. I've a 335d on order too and it's looking like 6-7weeks from order to delivery so I see no reason why your car wouldn't arrive around the turn of the year. Unless of course the fleet order means the car isn't ordered immediately. Do you have a BMW order number yet?

[Steces]

Originally Posted by 73henny

Congrats.

I can't see it taking that long. I've a 335d on order too and it's looking like 6-7weeks from order to delivery so I see no reason why your car wouldn't arrive around the turn of the year. Unless of course the fleet order means the car isn't ordered immediately. Do you have a BMW order number yet?

Another 335d ordered here too - but leased this time for variation

I am almost 6 weeks down the line from having everything confirmed

When I ordered the BMW configurator suggested 12-16 weeks

My broker wont give me the order number (although I havent pressed them) but still assures me that it will be nearer to 12 weeks than 16. Even if I dont have the order number I assume they do so can track this accurately.

So how did you manage 6-7 weeks from order to delivery for a factory car??

Cheers

[225]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

Hi All,

I've had company cars for the last 8 years, and never had a BMW due to the lack of standard kit. With the way BIK tax is going, even on hybrids, I decided a while ago to take the available cash allowance from work and purchase my own car when my current Evoque was due for renewal (November).
Fortunately this has coincided with a new scheme at work whereby we can purchase a private vehicle through the fleet company and take advantage of their discounts.
So I have put in an order for the following:

BMW 3 Series Diesel Touring 335d xDrive M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Estoril Blue- Metallic Paint
Aluminium Hexagon Interior Trim/ Estoril Blue Trim Finisher
Black Dakota Leather with Blue Stitching

Interior Comfort Pack
Media Package
M Sport Plus Package
19" M Double Spoke Style 442m Alloy Wheels Bicolour Orbit
Head Restraints, Rear and Folding
Active Cruise Control with "Stop and Go" Function
Driver and Passenger Electric Lumbar Support
Adaptive M Sport Suspension

All at a better discount than any dealer/broker could manage.

Only downsides are that the fleet company will be the registered keeper for the first 6 months (hence higher insurance) to prevent people just selling on at a profit, and they've quoted a 22 week lead time!
The latter seems a bit excessive as the configurator quoted 16 weeks, so hopefully will arrive sooner.

For various reasons, I'm also going to be selling my weekend car, TVR Cerbera 4.5, so hopefully having the 335D for everyday will soften the blow somewhat.

Nice!.
Selling the cerb though you will miss the petrol!
My last petrol car before the 340 was a chimera 4.5 and while not as quick as the cerb I loved it, so happy to be back in petrol again.

You will love the 335 though im sure and nice spec!

[robbiep]

Do be aware that, if the car is registered to the lease company for 6 months, then technically YOU may well be commiting an offence under S.43C of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. Whilst it's unlikely you'll be prosecuted, the risk is there.

The case was Regina (House of Cars) v Derby Car and Van Contacts Ltd, Derby Crown Court before HHJ Burgess on 12-6-2012.

“A consumer that purchased a car from the Defendants would own and use the car from the outset, however the vehicle would not be DVLA registered in the consumer’s name and address until a period of 4 to 6 months had elapsed.

“The Defendants failed to warn purchasers that during this period they were at risk of being prosecuted for an offence under section 43C of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (as amended) or that a claim made against a car insurance policy might be prejudiced by the commercial practice.

"It was held that there was a risk that a driver might be prosecuted for an offence under section 43C of the 1994 Act. There was equally a risk that a claim on a car insurance policy might be prejudiced.

"Not informing the purchaser of these risks was deemed to be a misleading omission, contrary to Regulations 6 and 10 of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008."

[philiper1]

Hi and welcome

Love the colour of that TVR

[Grant_7]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

If you insist:

Lovely!

And the length of that bonnet!

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

If you insist:

Now that is a proper car. Stunning.

A Cerbera (or Griffith) is an itch that I will sadly never get to scratch I suspect. For me, one of the most iconic cars of the 90s.

[firewallguy]

Thanks for the comments on the Cerb, it's been epic for the 4 years I've had it but I can't justify keeping it for the amount of use it gets compared to the considerable outlay to keep it on the road.
I do have a thing about blue cars, my company Evoque is blue as well, so EB II was a bit of a no-brainer for me.

That's interesting about the law on registered keeper. According to that the company cars should be registered to the user as well, and I know ours aren't, but the Police haven't questioned it the 2 times I've been caught speeding in them

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

That's interesting about the law on registered keeper. According to that the company cars should be registered to the user as well, and I know ours aren't, but the Police haven't questioned it the 2 times I've been caught speeding in them

That's because company cars are owned by the company, so the law allows the company to be registered as the keeper. The same applies to rental cars. The judgement specifically states 'purchasers'. If, for example, a car moved between different members of staff, it would be plainly ridiculous for it to be get a new keeper each time.
This is a case of you are buying/leasing the car, hence purchasing it, so you are the keeper, and should be registered as such.
But hey, it's your licence / potential rejected insurance claim, not mine.

[firewallguy]

Originally Posted by robbiep

That's because company cars are owned by the company, so the law allows the company to be registered as the keeper. The same applies to rental cars. The judgement specifically states 'purchasers'. If, for example, a car moved between different members of staff, it would be plainly ridiculous for it to be get a new keeper each time.
This is a case of you are buying/leasing the car, hence purchasing it, so you are the keeper, and should be registered as such.
But hey, it's your licence / potential rejected insurance claim, not mine.

Jeez, you guys are touchy on here I wasn't questioning your advice.

According to this link https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q743.htm it does apply to company cars:
"This is particularly true with a company car which is owned by the company, however the registration document should show the registered keeper, i.e. the day to day user (this may be an employee who has it as a permanent perk with his/her job)."
So I was confused by the Police's apparent lack of interest.

Regarding insurance, the quoting tools on the insutance sites specifically let you put a leasing company down as the registered keeper so not sure how they would subsequently reject a claim.

Anyhow I'll be querying this with my company's fleet manager and the leasing co.

[AlfaM]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

Jeez, you guys are touchy on here I wasn't questioning your advice.

I wouldn't worry, most of the legal advice dished out on here is nothing more than personal opinion, the rest is just a lucky guess.

[XK140]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

If you insist:

Very nice,similar to the '98 4.5 I had quite a long time ago,but mine was the darker Imperial blue (a Ford colour I think).
They look so much better with those dual headlights.
An exciting car to drive,but demanding of your total care and effort at all times...too old for that now,I'll stick to a modern BMW

[73henny]

Originally Posted by Steces

Another 335d ordered here too - but leased this time for variation

I am almost 6 weeks down the line from having everything confirmed

When I ordered the BMW configurator suggested 12-16 weeks

My broker wont give me the order number (although I havent pressed them) but still assures me that it will be nearer to 12 weeks than 16. Even if I dont have the order number I assume they do so can track this accurately.

So how did you manage 6-7 weeks from order to delivery for a factory car??

Cheers

I think about 8 weeks is the norm at this time of year. My dealer had a build slot but a fresh order like mine had the same delivery date anyway.

[stu14t]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

If you insist:

That car is completely dateless. it wouldn't be out of place in a new car showroom today. Well before their time

[Drek]

Originally Posted by firewallguy

For various reasons, I'm also going to be selling my weekend car, TVR Cerbera 4.5, so hopefully having the 335D for everyday will soften the blow somewhat.

I had a play with a Griffith last week. He came onto a slip road at a fair old lick just in front of me and whilst he didn't exactly cut me up it was a little close. I wasn't bothered and I just thought that by the way he's driving he's going to floor it when the traffic in front of him clears so I'm going to do it as well, just for funsies. Sure enough car enough in front of him pulls over and he floors it and so do I. At first, nothing in it and then he starts to gradually pull away (which is no surprise given the weight advantage he's got) until we got up to ludicrous speed and I started to close the gap a little. I think it was at that point that we both must have had the same thought as we were in license losing territory big time so we stopped arsing about. Got to a roundabout, he went straight on and I went left with the abiding picture of his passenger gawping at me just to make sure I wasn't plod. Fun times.