New Vehicle

[Marc Lewis]

Do you do mainly tree work. I don't think I have ever had 10 weeks lead time. Half my customers baulk when I say 3-4 weeks..

 

Yeah, i wonder how some are booked up 4 to 6 months agead. When i tell a customer anymore than 3 or 4 weeks, they baulk. Sorry for derail.

 

I'm suprised that you have a problem righting the 4x4 off as business. might pay to double check that in the industry you are in.

[jose]

Hi guys

Yes i checked and got my accountant to double check. Because its a 4x4 but all enclosed ( jeep commander) the tax man classed this as a car.

I knew it when i bought it but i was going through a low after losing my brother and it was a bit of an impulse buy tbh but ive no regrets.

 

Yes last year i had 8-10 weeks constant, and that was with a lot of saturdays too. When i got to 10 weeks i started telling people before coming out to quote as about 50% would say not to bother as they dont want to wait that long.

 

Its good to be busy but that busy was getting stressful.

Flip side is having anything less than 3 weeks i start to worry too. Cant really win lol.

[Mountain man]

put your prices up.

[Hodge]

put your prices up.

 

 

Ditto. Are you vat reg? Might be worth it if buying a new vehicle. As the vat is a big extra chunk of not reg.

[dig-dug-dan]

I always lease a vehicle, its 100% tax deductable, I do it over three years, keep it a fourth wth no payments, then put it against a new one. Done it like that for 20 years now, and have never regretted it. Truck is always in warranty, with hardly any maintenence.

[Ian C]

Ditto. Are you vat reg? Might be worth it if buying a new vehicle. As the vat is a big extra chunk of not reg.

 

Same here, if your that far a head your too cheap,like others if I say a month domestics nearly choke.

[jose]

HI guys

I am VAT registered and was charging a minimum of £600+VAT a day which i didnt think is/was too cheap.

 

crappy thing is ive maintained my prices this year and i am not getting half the work i price. Even if i give keen prices i seem to be undercut to the point i think its just not worth it.

 

I am not going to work just to keep working, i am in this game to earn a profit to pay for other things in my life (taxes most likely lol).

 

Not thought about leasing, ive always normally bought outright and then look after it and keep it for as long as it earns its keep.

[gensetsteve]

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes I am financially doing well, last year was my best so far. This year is slow to get going but I'm doing well enough to pay the bills and have left over.

 

I am ok at fixing things but don't have the space or time to do much. Definately not a mechanic but can get by with the smaller stuff. Bigger jobs I find garages have better set ups and by the time I've spent money and time on the tools they would have had me fixed and on the road again.

 

2nd truck would have been handy this week as my main truck was off for a warranty repair and had to hire s truck In (a damn ldv).

 

I've been tossing and turning over this for ages but I think I will have to got for it! If I get a 4x4 truck I can then sell my 4x4 have have a cheaper smaller runabout whiich will save me quite a bit of £ because I can't claim business use as its a 4x4 which the tax man calls a car as opposed to a pick up.

Cheers guys

 

You should be able to claim for the 4x4 although they have changed the rules. Most are high on emmissions so you can only offset 8% of the value per year but if you keep it a few years you will get it back. The pick ups are commercial so you get 100% of the value in the first year so very good at taking chucks out of a big tax bill. If you are limited then avoid cars full stop better to own them privately and charge the business 40 p a mile for business use.