The Best Cars For Your Business Under $20,000

In the lead up to the End Of Financial Year, unless you were curled up in the corner of a cave somewhere, you would have heard about the Government's instant asset write off scheme.

Everyone from hardware stores to electronic retailers were talking about the opportunity to 'write off' assets you could buy from them before June 30!

Now, in this new financial year, the policy might be available to even more small businesses. So if your business didn't qualify before 1 July, it's worth checking if it qualifies now!

Already know all about the scheme? Jump straight to our list of the best cars under $20k!

Not up to speed with the $20k instant asset write off?

Here's a quick refresher.

We wrote about the instant asset write off when the policy was first announced in the 2015 Federal Budget. You can read that article here. It explains what you can claim, how much you can claim, and what you needed to qualify.

In short, the instant asset write-off allows small business entities to claim an immediate tax deduction for the purchase of most assets (inst Class Ride, Second Hand Pricluding both new and used cars) that cost less than $20,000.

What's changed?

As of 1 July, the definition of a 'small business' changed, when the annual turnover threshold to qualify for the scheme increased from $2M to $10M. You can read our post about that change, here.

Note: the legislation of this policy may affected by the outcome of the July 2 election. Learn more.

So what does $20,000 buy you?

The following vehicles were advertised on Carsales at the time of writing. We've found cars with Drive Away prices - if you're looking for a car under $20,000 (so you can take advantage of the instant asset write off), be aware the $20,000 threshold excludes GST but includes stamp duty, so be sure to check with your accountant before you make any decisions. The good news is the write-off can be used on both new and used vehicles, so you can look beyond the dealerships to find a car that will do the job for you.

The Roomy

Whether it needs to be big enough to hold a load of kids or a load of boxes, the Renault Kangoo or the Nissan Dualis are each the perfect mix of work and family. Big enough to hold half the soccer team, and all your deliveries and equipment as you go from store to store.

Used
	2015 Renault Kangoo - $19,888 Drive Away - 4 Door - Manual - 4 Star ANCAP Safety Rating
	2013 Nissan Dualis ST J10 Series 3 - $18,000 Drive Away - Automatic - 2WD - 4 Star ANCAP Safety Rating

The Tough

When your business needs something with a little more grunt, it's time to get your hands on a new Ute. You can drive away a new Nissan Navara Cab Chassis for just under $20,000, or choose from plenty of great second-hand ute options that come in under that budget.

New
	2016 Nissan Navara DX (4x2) C/Chas - $19,990 Drive Away - 2 Door - Manual - 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating
Used
	2014 Holden VF Ute - $18,950 Drive Away - Automatic - Reversing Camera and Sensors - 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating

The Lookers

If you spend a fair amount of time on the road for work, you might as well enjoy the affordable comfort and style of these cars.

To get from A to B with minimal fuss and all the comforts, the Honda City and Fiat 500 will make for a great office-on-the-road. These cars prove you don't need to spend a lot of cash to get a good-looking model.

New
	2016 Honda City VTi - $18,999 Drive Away - 4D Sedan - Manual - 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating
	2016 Fiat 500 POP 3D Hatchback - $18,990 Drive Away - 3 Door - Manual - 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating
Used
	2013 Volkswagen Golf 90TSI Comfortline 7 - $19,990 Drive Away - Automatic - 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating

First Class Ride, Second Hand Price

Who says that a work car needs to look boring and mainstream?

With the Asset Write-Off available for both new AND used cars, carsales.com.au has a range of cars to give your daily commute a little more star power.

If you are looking for something with a bit of history, and a lot of character, check out this 1986 Bentley Turbo R. If you're running a business that takes pride in its personality, $18,000 (plus government charges) will buy you a great first impression!

Don't like our suggestions?

Search cars with a maximum price of $20,000 on carsales.com.au (make sure the total price comes in under $20,000, including on-road costs and government charges!).

Rather than come back to check for cars every day, take advantage of the Carsales alert tools. Choose the exact description of the cars you want to be alerted to (in this case, cars under $20k as well as the make/model/vehicle type your business needs), as well as how frequently you want to receive alerts. Then, enter your details, and you'll be notified every time a car is posted that meets your search criteria!

Otherwise, get their smartphone app to get alerts straight to your pocket.

^{*In the 2016 Federal Budget speech, Scott Morrison announced the instant asset write off would be made available to more businesses when the thresholds to qualify as a 'small business' would be extended to an annual turnover of $10M. However, at the time of writing, the policy has yet to be legislated. While there has been bi-partisan support for the small business package to date, the outcome of the July 2 election may impact the legislation of this policy. If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away No More to Pay", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges. If you're planning to take advantage of the instant asset write-off, check with your accountant before making decisions about investment in assets for the purposes of tax deduction and depreciation.}