Should you provide any of your staff – directors included - with a company car? Good question. Why? What's the need?

According to some research I came across from B2 Group, only 40% of those SMEs they surveyed provided company cars (B2 Business Voice business to business tracking study).

Many motorists with vehicles under manufacturers’ warranty are under the misguided impression that any servicing, maintenance or repairs must be carried out by the authorised dealer otherwise their warranty is invalidated.

When money is tight and you need a new vehicle for your business fleet, it is always worthwhile considering contract hire. There are five reasons why it may make sense for your business, but don’t forget to shop around to get the best deal.

Remember that contract hire is like hiring a vehicle for a longer fixed period, at an agreed annual mileage, and you can also build all routine servicing and maintenance in as well.

All those attractive options look so inviting, so necessary (and soexpensive) when you start buying business cars.

But you could be throwing away money the moment you pay for your new business car and those delightful extra options – if you haven't chosen the correct model.

Apparently, choosing a car and then loading it up with options is not always the best course of action if you want to retain value in the business car when it is time to remarket it.

The new advisory fuel rates (AFR) for company cars can be used immediately, although companies are under no obligation to do so until the beginning of January.

The new fuel figures replace those advisory rates which have been in place since the beginning of July, and generally increase the amount payable per mile for diesel company cars. The latest AFRs are tabled below and are based on engine size.

We tend to think of car accidents as major collisions involving thousands of pounds' worth of remedial bodywork attention.

But, in fact, the bump in a car park, the broken door mirror, the ding in the door, are actually the most common type of collisions experienced by firms around the world.

A parking fine means you are needlessly wasting money - as well as involving time-consuming paperwork. The PCN – or Penalty Charge Notice (that's a 'parking ticket' to you and me) - is often an inevitable consequence of client visits or business van deliveries: sometimes your meeting continues longer than anticipated; other times delivery drivers have little option but to make the drop and risk the ticket.

Having survived two recessions and read about many more, writes David Rawlings of www.businesscarfinanceltd.co.uk, I know that this industry is one of the most cyclical. Typically we all become depressive as sales slow and costs increase, then we toast our amazing foresight when residual values improve and interest rates fall.

So instead of ignoring or joining in with the doom mongers use the current financial situation to your advantage and enjoy the benefits of good fleet management.