Haggling with a motability dealer?

happycatuk

Thursdays_child wrote: »

Do any of you have a crystal ball or inside information on the April new deals please for motorbility cars?

Love to hear your views.

I have no crystal ball, sadly (well ok, I do but I don't know how to use it for such things..)

I fear that upfront payments are generally on their way up . There will still be a selection of 'no upfront payment' cars, but which ones all depends on the overstock that's sitting unsold, I'd imagine. Add in the sad fact that many factories are either closed or working short weeks, and it may take longer for a car to reach the buyer, perhaps?

I'm hoping for a Honda Civic 5 door 1.4 petrol Auto, at a price I can afford .. I'm sending small prayers to the Angels Of Such Automotive Matters, but I'm trying to think of other choices too ...

nickc25

I got a free upgrade on my vw golf last year. I got the mach version diesel for £399 insead of £599 plus I got some other option thrown on. It was Mid July so nearing the end of the 08 cycle and he was happy to get a car sale. He told me it does not matter the car, each car they get £510 off motability operations, so a polo or a luxury car they get the same payment, very nice guy too though. It was my 3rd car on the scheme and 2nd time I had any sort of discount, last time it was from citroen.

SuzySF

dont suppose anyone can explain to me why the Motability downpayments are rocketing up (i fancied a BMW1 series originally it was £999 downpayment, when i finally ordered my car, not BMW, the downpayment had gone up to £2000 !!) when the costs of cars on the forecourts are plummeting, with amazing deeals. If it was getting a car NOW I would purchase privately and subsidise with DLA, as the costs are less even factoring in, tyres, insurance, recovery etc.

It just does not make sense at all. I realise they have more Zero downpayments but these cars are all small, and underpowered, and not suitable for my needs.

any ideas anyone ?

CE08_LDB

I got to say my Citroen Dealer is great. Ive gotten them alot of bussiness over years from myself, my brother, my friend and also 2 non motability sales for my sister and her friend so they like me alot.

On my 1st Motability car a 05 C3 1.6i 16v Exclusive SensoDrive the dealer got me a great deal with the Hand Controls Company as I was paying for them myself.

A year later someone ripped my mirror off so I baught a new one from the dealers Parts Dept and when I went to pay the Service Dept the £20 fee to have it fitted they waved the fee which I was really pleased about.

When I came to renew I wanted another Citroen as I am a big Citroen fan I ordered another C3 1.6i 16v Exclusive SensoDrive but a day later there was a problem. Citroen had stopped doing that model and the only choices I had was a C2 1.6i 16v VTR SensoDrive at £95, C4 1.6i 16v SX Auto £295, C3 1.6i 16v Exclusive Auto £395.

The dealer knew I didn't have alot of money so he checked his stock to se if there was a C4 SX Auto there and was going to try and sort me out a deal on one but he didn't have none so I decided time was getting on so I went for the C2. The Colour I wanted was Poseidon Blue and that was being discontinued on the C2 VTR but neatherless my dealer felt bad over the C3 order falling through so he went out of his way and made sure he got me the last Blue C2 VTR left in the UK.

Also as long as they arn't really busy I can call in anytime to have the car washed.

I can't grumble about the dealer at all. The Motability Deposit are rediculos on some cars I know. Id love a C4 5 Seat Picasso EGS but id never be able to afford one at the Deposits on them at the moment. I wouldn't pay alot as you only get the car for 3 years. My friend his brother had a 06 Xsara Picasso 1.6HDi 110BHP Exclusive on Motability paid £1,000 Deposit then last year its written off so then he had to pay another £750 Deposit for a C4 Grand Picasso 1.6HDi 110BHP VTR+.

baccyman

since i made my last post i have had a look at the advance payments and the prices have shot up,
i am seriously thinking about going to a dealer when the time comes and see what sort of deal i can get by buying the car from new or failing that get Dom Litttlewood to sort a deal out for me LOL, (dont get done get dom)

happycatuk

I'm lucky; on paper at least, the cars I'm interested in are all under £1k .. but finding versions with an auto gearbox may be harder, and more expensive, groan ...

baccyman

because i have got a lot of problems with my back i need a car with a higher seat than a saloon car and that is why i got a zafira as my first motability car.
i used to have a rover 620 and the seat in that was so low i was getting a lot of trouble with my back i can remember getting out of it to put some petrol in and my back went as i was getting out of the car on the forecourt i was in agony because my back went into muscle spasm,
so no sporty cars for me they are too low.

covlass

vauxhall have an offer on the Antara on 08 model only does any know if they would reduce the downpayment if i took an older model ?

happycatuk

covlass wrote: »

vauxhall have an offer on the Antara on 08 model only does any know if they would reduce the downpayment if i took an older model ?

Have you thought of phoning around different Vauxhall dealerships (perhaps excluding your nearest/most likely choice), to see what they will offer, then using the info to negotiate with your local dealer? HTH

happycatuk

baccyman wrote: »

because i have got a lot of problems with my back i need a car with a higher seat than a saloon car and that is why i got a zafira as my first motability car.
i used to have a rover 620 and the seat in that was so low i was getting a lot of trouble with my back i can remember getting out of it to put some petrol in and my back went as i was getting out of the car on the forecourt i was in agony because my back went into muscle spasm,
so no sporty cars for me they are too low.

Have you tried the Honda Jazz, that has an unsporty seat (or getting a grant to have a swivel front seat installed)?