LEASECONTRACTS' new 1997 Company Car Cost Calculator underlines the importance for fleets of basing company car buying decisions on total operating costs.

The new Calculator was published yesterday (Thursday) and compiled by Geoff Becque, who has been producing the Calculator for 12 years for Leasecontracts, which is now part of GE Capital Fleet Services.

More than 280 models are covered in the guide including 50 diesel variants split into 19 categories based on their monthly operating costs over a three year/36,000 mile lifecycle. Depreciation, vehicle licence, funding, maintenance, temporary replacement vehicle, AA Relay Plus membership and fleet administration are all factors included in the figures along with an annual insurance premium and fuel consumption. Benefit-in-kind taxation is also included for the first time.