I will save the reader work and give the answer right away. Companies think about many things when they buy cars. More than the normal consumer. But they think and decide everything in a format that leaves little room for doubt. They think in numbers.
Of course, I'm talking about companies with organized accounts. Forget the figure of the businessman who set up the company to buy the car. Or the boss who puts the Mercedes in the company's accounts.
Strict and organized companies only buy cars because they need to. And for them, cars are a cost. They are not an object of desire. Think about it: have you ever seen a company communicate models of its fleet with the same pride with which it tells its neighbor that it has bought a new car?
So let's see what numbers companies think:
Taxation: A car is subject to many taxes. And its use too. Vehicle taxation is in itself a science. Autonomous taxation, which focuses on the price, makes it, nowadays, one of the main criteria for choosing the acquisition. They are also accounting issues that make you decide on leasing or renting financing.
The amount: Companies don't buy cars one by one. They buy lots. Quantity is price and companies do their best to obtain discounts. Companies also try to concentrate acquisitions as little as possible to take advantage of economies of scale.
Uniformity: Why have the cars all different from each other? The same cars make it possible to better understand the fleet in the car park and get better deals for services, such as maintenance or tires. On the other hand, the distribution of vehicles to employees becomes fairer.
Time: Companies don't want cars forever. They just want to use them until it's cheaper to get a new one. Usage periods normally vary between 36 and 60 months, depending on whether it is leasing or renting. Before they receive a car, they already know when they will have to deliver it.
Miles: Likewise, companies make a prediction of how many kilometers the car will make. This is particularly important, as it will have an effect on the price of the loan's income.
Residual value: Cars are “allocated” for a certain period (see Time). But after that, they still have value and enter the second-hand market. Companies only pay for the car for as long as they are in it. What is left is called Residual Value. The smaller, the higher the rent for the car.
Consumption/CO2: One of the biggest costs can be fuel. Companies look for models with lower consumption, not least because this also translates into lower CO2 emissions, for which they seek to have environmental commitments. As diesel is deductible from company accounts, gasoline vehicles are rarely sought after.
There is a lot to learn from the way companies buy cars. Starting with the way in which costs are faced. This is common sense, but the cost of the car is not just the purchase price. It's all the times you spend money on it.