Opinions on Best Car for a Sales Rep

[Dr.Midnight]

There's an opportunity on the horizon for me to possibly change careers and get into outside sales. I haven't gone through anything official yet, but the only thing remotely negative I can see about the position is that I'll have to purchase my own vehicle. I've been a truck guy all my life, and know very little about cars, so I thought I would reach out to the INGO community and see if anyone has any recommendations for a fuel friendly car that won't get me stranded or killed in the Winter. Thanks in advance for the input!

 

[42769vette]

Diesel truck?

 

[planedriver]

How or are you reimbursed for auto expense? It will make a lot of difference in making your selection.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Subaru? AWD.

 

[gunowner930]

Budget? MPG requirements? new? used? does it matter? Will you be seen in the car by your target buyers? If so, you don't anything resembling a POS.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

How or are you reimbursed for auto expense? It will make a lot of difference in making your selection.

My understanding is that I will be reimbursed for mileage. What I don't know is how much per mile at this point.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

Budget? MPG requirements? new? used? does it matter? Will you be seen in the car by your target buyers? If so, you don't anything resembling a POS.

My only requirement is that it not be a hunk o junk. I'm just starting my homework on this part of the job, so I welcome any and all suggestions.

 

[88GT]

Diesel truck?

Maintenance costs generally off-set the cost of fuel economy (assuming it's there, and I'm not sure it would be). Not sure what kind of image OP would need to be presenting, but big trucks say different things to different people. Could potentially be a drawback.

My vote is for a Toyota (and as a big truck lover, it pains me to say that). For the nearly 3 years we had ours (a '98 4Runner), it needed nothing but oil changes.

The other option is a diesel passenger car.

 

[HoughMade]

Golf or Jetta TDi Nice cars, great mileage, run FOREVER.

 

[42769vette]

Maintenance costs generally off-set the cost of fuel economy (assuming it's there, and I'm not sure it would be). Not sure what kind of image OP would need to be presenting, but big trucks say different things to different people. Could potentially be a drawback.

My vote is for a Toyota (and as a big truck lover, it pains me to say that). For the nearly 3 years we had ours (a '98 4Runner), it needed nothing but oil changes.

The other option is a diesel passenger car.

Could be, after I got done with everything on my truck I get 22MPG in town, and up to 26 on the interstate. Not to many full size 4x4 trucks will do that. I pay roughly 10% more per gallon of gas, but I get 40% better mileage. Maintenance costs would have to be outrageous for me not to be saving money, but Ive only had the truck for a few months, so I cant speak on that as there have been no maintenance costs (outside of initial oil change).

 

[planedriver]

You need a lot more info. Although the IRS allows 56.5 cents per mile that doesn't mean your employer is going to pay that. If you are on straight mileage It may be best to find 5-7 year old Toyota or the like that will get good mileage and low insurance rates. If you pay $5,000 as an example, drive 15,000 miles at 35 mpg you will have about $1,500 in gas and $700 in liability insurance for the year, $7200 total for the year less maintenance. At 56.5 your company will have paid $8,475 and you will have a car leftover.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Buy something used you can destroy. They will use IRS rates for reimbursement and you could do well as supplemental income as long as it's not going towards a lease payment or car note.
a $4000 cash car every year is better than a $25k car with payments.

 

[88GT]

Could be, after I got done with everything on my truck I get 22MPG in town, and up to 26 on the interstate. Maintenance costs would have to be outrageous for me not to be saving money, but Ive only had the truck for a few months, so I cant speak on that as there have been no maintenance costs (outside of initial oil change).

Depends on the truck. And I don't mean model/year, I mean the truck. We have an '07 350 with a tune that is supposed to help. We had an '06 350 stock. The stock truck got better fuel economy than the tuned one. Go figure. I don't think most diesels get your kind of mileage. Unless they are the newer ones. And then we have to factor in the purchase cost.

And I don't limit maintenance to oil changes and the like. I include repairs. I guess I should rephrase that to "cost of ownership." The cost of replacing things on the big trucks is far higher than replacing analogous items on passenger cars (for the most part).

 

[jbombelli]

Budget? MPG requirements? new? used? does it matter? Will you be seen in the car by your target buyers? If so, you don't anything resembling a POS.

You also don't want anything that makes you look wealthy.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

Maintenance costs generally off-set the cost of fuel economy (assuming it's there, and I'm not sure it would be). Not sure what kind of image OP would need to be presenting, but big trucks say different things to different people. Could potentially be a drawback.

My vote is for a Toyota (and as a big truck lover, it pains me to say that). For the nearly 3 years we had ours (a '98 4Runner), it needed nothing but oil changes.

The other option is a diesel passenger car.

The image issue of a truck is something that has entered my mind. That's why I decided that a nice plain car would be the way to go.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Golf or Jetta TDi Nice cars, great mileage, run FOREVER.

This

 

[SEIndSAM]

Buy something used you can destroy. They will use IRS rates for reimbursement and you could do well as supplemental income as long as it's not going towards a lease payment or car note.
a $4000 cash car every year is better than a $25k car with payments.

This is what I do, I have been in outside sales since 90 and drive 50-60K a year. I buy a $10,000 car every three years and bank the difference between my mileage reimbursement and my real cost. Every 3 years I have enough banked for a new $10-12K car and get rid of the old one.

Also, it is local or a large territory. I have had multi-state territories since about 98 and buy a big car that has a nice ride. A small car will beat you to death if you regularly have to make 200-400 mile drives.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

This is what I do, I have been in outside sales since 90 and drive 50-60K a year. I buy a $10,000 car every three years and bank the difference between my mileage reimbursement and my real cost. Every 3 years I have enough banked for a new $10-12K car and get rid of the old one.

Also, it is local or a large territory. I have had multi-state territories since about 98 and buy a big car that has a nice ride. A small car will beat you to death if you regularly have to make 200-400 mile drives.

I will have a relatively small geographic area to cover with a high number of stops. I think a smaller car would do well in a terriorty like this.

 

[saleen4971]

want something reliable? stay away from VW, BMW, or GM.

 

[hornadylnl]

I agree that vehicle choice is important. A clunker screams you're unprofessional and a luxury vehicle screams that you're charging me too much. I about **** when a concrete subcontractor showed up in a brand new F450 King Ranch edition with 22" duallies on it.

If you're looking at a new car, I just got a 2014 Nissan Sentra SV and have been very pleased with it. It's rated at 38mpg and I've been getting 36mpg. I drive a lot of highway but still enough town that my average speed is still less than 40mph so I'm doing pretty good on mpg. I paid less than $20k out the door and I have pw, pd, keyless with door button and keyless start (never have to get your keys out of your pocket) cruise, ac, push button trunk release on the lid, etc. We just took it on a 2000 mile trip to the Upper Peninsula and got along fine. Only ride complaint I would give it is it has 16" aluminum rims with low profile tires. It'd ride better with 15" steels.

I think it's a sharp car and for the features, mpg's and price, there's nothing that compared when I was searching.