Motability Advance Payments.

Can anyone help !!

I recently ordered a motability car ( June 2012 ) as my car is due to be renewed in September.

The advance payment was £599. Price list April -June

The new price list July -September shows that the vehicles' advance payment has now been dropped to £150.

I was unable to use the July - September price list, as my car is due for exchange on 1st September, and the dealer said they would need 12 weeks notice for delivery.

I contacted motability regarding this price decrease hoping that they would give me the new advanced price of £150.

The advisor stated that this would not be possible :mad: as the prices are guaranteed against increase in advance payments, I explained that this was not an increase but a decrease, but she said it makes no difference.

Has anyone had the same problem and what was the outcome !!!

I have lodged a complaint with Motability but I am not confident of a positive result.
«1

Comments

  • kingfisherblue
    kingfisherblue Posts: 9,203
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Xmas Saver!
    Forumite
    As far as I am aware, you have entered into a contract with Motability at an agreed price, and therefore that is the price that you have to pay. Advance payments do change every three months and it's just a chance that you take. Some months they will be lower and other months they will be higher.

    If you had paid £150 advance payment and then the price had increased to £599, you wouldn't expect to pay the increased amount.
  • tony1954
    tony1954 Posts: 5 Forumite
    As far as I am aware, you have entered into a contract with Motability at an agreed price, and therefore that is the price that you have to pay. Advance payments do change every three months and it's just a chance that you take. Some months they will be lower and other months they will be higher.

    If you had paid £150 advance payment and then the price had increased to £599, you wouldn't expect to pay the increased amount.
    This has happened to me once before, I was pleasantly surprised when the motability rep' said "I have some good news for you Tony, your advanced payment has been reduced from £600 to £250" this was on my second motability vehicle 9 years ago. I think the car I ordered is worth the advance payment of £599, but it makes my blood boil thinking that I have paid well over the odds. Just have to see what attention my complaint gets. Why can't advanced payments be set for the year?, surely this would cut down on the paperwork generated every three months
  • The_mangler
    The_mangler Posts: 275 Forumite
    Same thing has happened to us a number of times, last occasion was three years ago when we ordered at £695, 6 weeks later the new quarter prices came out and that same vehicle was nil! Couldnt do a thing about it so this time around we gambled and waited, now got a fantastic car for £300, a drop off about £700 I think.

    Someone suggested to me that we cancel the first order, then re order again at the new price. I know it means a delay in receiving your new car but your motability dealer will arrange for a cover note to extend your present car until your new one is ready.
    I don't know if I'm getting better or just used to the pain.
    Bipolar for all
  • CTcelt1988
    CTcelt1988 Posts: 257 Forumite
    tony1954 wrote: »
    Can anyone help !!

    I recently ordered a motability car ( June 2012 ) as my car is due to be renewed in September.

    The advance payment was £599. Price list April -June

    The new price list July -September shows that the vehicles' advance payment has now been dropped to £150.

    I was unable to use the July - September price list, as my car is due for exchange on 1st September, and the dealer said they would need 12 weeks notice for delivery.

    I contacted motability regarding this price decrease hoping that they would give me the new advanced price of £150.

    The advisor stated that this would not be possible :mad: as the prices are guaranteed against increase in advance payments, I explained that this was not an increase but a decrease, but she said it makes no difference.

    Has anyone had the same problem and what was the outcome !!!

    I have lodged a complaint with Motability but I am not confident of a positive result.
    I'm afraid that is the chance you take. Same thing happened to me. I ordered my car in March with the advance payment at £1,049. But it went down in price for the Apr-June list to £699. There is nothing you can do about it, Motability will just say that is accordance with the t & c's.
  • dave030445
    dave030445 Posts: 1,001
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    tony1954 wrote: »
    This has happened to me once before, I was pleasantly surprised when the motability rep' said "I have some good news for you Tony, your advanced payment has been reduced from £600 to £250" this was on my second motability vehicle 9 years ago. I think the car I ordered is worth the advance payment of £599, but it makes my blood boil thinking that I have paid well over the odds. Just have to see what attention my complaint gets. Why can't advanced payments be set for the year?, surely this would cut down on the paperwork generated every three months
    And I bet you said no no I will pay the £600 come on swings and roundabouts you cant have it both ways.
  • tony1954
    tony1954 Posts: 5 Forumite

    Someone suggested to me that we cancel the first order, then re order again at the new price. I know it means a delay in receiving your new car but your motability dealer will arrange for a cover note to extend your present car until your new one is ready.

    If I was to cancel, Vauxhall said they would charge a cancellation fee of £350 and that under Motability's t & c they would not allow me to order that same car.
  • The_mangler
    The_mangler Posts: 275 Forumite
    tony1954 wrote: »
    If I was to cancel, Vauxhall said they would charge a cancellation fee of £350 and that under Motability's t & c they would not allow me to order that same car.

    Ah fair enough, I didnt know about that.

    Sticks in the throat a bit though doesnt it, money's tight enough as it is without having to spend more money than is strictly necessary
    I don't know if I'm getting better or just used to the pain.
    Bipolar for all
  • tony1954
    tony1954 Posts: 5 Forumite
    Just had a phone call off Motability and they have agreed to reduce my advance payment to £150:00 ........ a saving of £450, so it is worth haggling :-)
  • easy
    easy Posts: 2,516
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    It certainly used to be in their Ts&Cs that you would pay the lower amount if the advance payment dropped in the quarter between your order and delivery - I hadn't realised it had changed, didn't check last time I changed my car (11 months ago), my A P was only £95 anyway.

    Just shows that you should read the contract before you sign EVERY time you sign. 3 years between contracts is plenty long enough for several changes to be made.

    Come to think about it, I seem to remember that salesmen used to make a point of saying "but if the advance payment amount falls before you take delivery, it's guaranteed that you'll pay the lower amount". I don't recall that being mentioned this time.

    I've just checked the motability website. in the Advance Payments Q&A section it says
    What if the Advance Payment changes after I’ve ordered my car?
    The Advance Payments are calculated every quarter. This means the Advance Payment on a car can change throughout the year. We operate a price guarantee, which means the Advance Payment of the car on the date you order it won’t change, even if it changes while you are waiting for the delivery of your car.


    So you have done well.
    I try not to get too stressed out on the forum. I won't argue, i'll just leave a thread if you don't like what I say. :)
  • tony1954
    tony1954 Posts: 5 Forumite
    easy wrote: »
    It certainly used to be in their Ts&Cs that you would pay the lower amount if the advance payment dropped in the quarter between your order and delivery - I hadn't realised it had changed, didn't check last time I changed my car (11 months ago), my A P was only £95 anyway.

    Just shows that you should read the contract before you sign EVERY time you sign. 3 years between contracts is plenty long enough for several changes to be made.

    Come to think about it, I seem to remember that salesmen used to make a point of saying "but if the advance payment amount falls before you take delivery, it's guaranteed that you'll pay the lower amount". I don't recall that being mentioned this time.

    I've just checked the motability website. in the Advance Payments Q&A section it says

    [/COLOR]

    So you have done well.

    Motability however did state that this was a "one-off" consideration, and wouldn't be able to help me again :)
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards