The ultimate driving machine

I'd driven company cars for the past 10 years, but the ever-increasing taxation levels made me decide to opt out of the company scheme and take a monthly allowance, writes Mark from Seisdon.

I'm happy to say here I am six years down the line and I don't regret that decision for one minute.

Don't get me wrong - anyone with this choice should consider the equation carefully as all circumstances are different.

And it's not all positives – there's a lot to be said for the peace of mind of having your tyres changed the moment they show signs of wear, never seeing a service bill and never having to encounter an MOT - most company vehicles are exchanged every 3 years.

But on the plus side, I was able to choose the car of my choice with no restrictions on the number of doors, or whether it had a removable roof.

I can keep the car for as long as I deem appropriate and the resultant reduction in tax means I have more cash in my pocket!

Which brings me onto my vehicle of choice - a brand new BMW 320Ci Convertible, in Silver (or 'Silber' as they say in Munchen), which I bought in November 2001.

It had 81k on the clock and was still as crisp and lively as they day it was born at Bayerische Motor Werken.

Along with the racy performance, respectable fuel consumption (27mpg) and fabulous handling, there is one thing that really puts a smile on my face - press a button and some 28 seconds later, the car changes from a practical four-seater saloon to an open-top, fully fledged 'wind in the hair' roadster!

Such fun was forbidden in my choice of company vehicle.

Thus, forget what I said about the economics of the decision and let us enjoy the sunshine (all 100 hours per year!), the rain, and the snow.

Just be sure to turn the heater onto full!

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