That's not that great of a discount, and the tax consequences make it less attractive than that.
Basically, the employee discount just covers the depreciation hit from driving it off the lot.
The benefit is greater than not having it.
Depreciation is a fact of life but it's real impact is if you trade early and often. The insurance to stay legal cost me more every year than the depreciation on the car.
Again you harp on taxes as though the company has any control over that. BTW, can you cite the section of the tax code that covers this tax?
Why do you look a gift horse in the mouth? Can't you just appreciate the fact that you get the benefit of a few thousand dollars in savings that others don't?
I'm trying to remember the last 'employee purchase' that I handled. I'm going back 10 or 12 years, so the memory is hazy, but IIRC, the total discount was about $6000 on a $25,000 car. Complain all you want, that's a damn good benefit that wasn't available to me as a dealership employee but was available even to the cousin of a guy who worked for a supplier. And the last time I looked, auto workers were not underpaid.
I find it hard to believe that this is a conservative board where this discussion is taking place.