Motability cars - toyota or renault - can anyone recommend which one to go with?

Dainty1976

Hi there

I was wondering if anyone has experience with Motability Cars from either Toyota or Renault or both?

I am going to order my first car through Motability shortly and as I need a big car, have been mulling over the Toyota Verso or Renault Grand Scenic - both in Automatic models - does anyone have experience of driving either of these options? How do they run? Are they costly to keep, by that I mean fuel costs? Whats the customer service and repair experience like?

I have never had a brand new car before either so am feeling a bit overwhelmed with making such a big choice. I dont want to regret having chosen a car and being stuck with it for 3 years.

All the reviews I find are fairly similar no matter where I look for them. The user reviews I'm coming across are not positive about the Grand Scenic's reliability but cant find much on actual drivers experiences of the Verso.

I have taken a test drive of the Verso in Auto, which was lovely to drive but have only managed to take a test in a Manual Grand Scenic as the dealership doesnt have an Auto to test drive.

Can anyone help?

Gemstar30

Dainty1976 wrote: »

Hi there

I was wondering if anyone has experience with Motability Cars from either Toyota or Renault or both?

I am going to order my first car through Motability shortly and as I need a big car, have been mulling over the Toyota Verso or Renault Grand Scenic - both in Automatic models - does anyone have experience of driving either of these options? How do they run? Are they costly to keep, by that I mean fuel costs? Whats the customer service and repair experience like?

I have never had a brand new car before either so am feeling a bit overwhelmed with making such a big choice. I dont want to regret having chosen a car and being stuck with it for 3 years.

All the reviews I find are fairly similar no matter where I look for them. The user reviews I'm coming across are not positive about the Grand Scenic's reliability but cant find much on actual drivers experiences of the Verso.

I have taken a test drive of the Verso in Auto, which was lovely to drive but have only managed to take a test in a Manual Grand Scenic as the dealership doesnt have an Auto to test drive.

Can anyone help?

Hello,

you are very lucky that you can have the choice of a new car!!

And, if you don't really like it, exchange it for a different one in three years.

Most of us have to spend our savings - not a bank loan or finance - on a second hand one costing in excess of £10,000, and hoping and praying that it suits, because there is no going back.

Yes I have just done that with a 3 year old Ford!!

Gemma
x

snoopy89

i have a 10 year old yarus verso, still drives like new, no rust just 100% reliable the 3 1/2 years i have had it. i have had other toyotas and they have all been dam good. as for renalt cant say from what i know , reliablity is not as good as toyota at all. but u will always find someone who loves them. check the reliability charts, see where they are placed.;)

Dainty1976

Gemstar30 wrote: »

Hello,

you are very lucky that you can have the choice of a new car!!

And, if you don't really like it, exchange it for a different one in three years.

Most of us have to spend our savings - not a bank loan or finance - on a second hand one costing in excess of £10,000, and hoping and praying that it suits, because there is no going back.

Yes I have just done that with a 3 year old Ford!!

Gemma
x

Am I reading this wrong or are you having some sort of sarcastic dig at me for simply asking for some needed advice?

You dont know my background - you dont know why I have the choice of getting a MOTABILITY car - not just waltzing into a showroom with a nice and tidy credit record and the capacity/income to pay massive monthly amounts for a luxury item.

Believe me if I could swap a new car for being disabled for I WOULD!

And as for "most of us having to spend our savings" I'm sorry you feel hard done by for living the same way as most people - I have done the same all my life however I havent even had the luxury of having 10,000 quid to spend, all my cars have been bought outright and always in bad condition due to a small budget of around 600 to 900 pounds a time. My post was not to boast about the fact I am going to use my HMR to contract hire a car - it was asking for advice due to the fact I dont know much about cars and dont want to choose a car that may cause more problems in my situation (for example unreliability and constant faults - having to send it back to the garage on a regular basis) as I cannot - practically and in everyday life - be without a car due to both my DISABILITY and my SONs DISABILITY!!!!!!! Believe me there is no joy or pleasure in being disabled - this is a tough decision for me because choosing the wrong car has far reaching implications for me - its a shame you seem to have misconstrued or misread my post - or maybe you didn't!

Dainty1976

snoopy89 wrote: »

i have a 10 year old yarus verso, still drives like new, no rust just 100% reliable the 3 1/2 years i have had it. i have had other toyotas and they have all been dam good. as for renalt cant say from what i know , reliablity is not as good as toyota at all. but u will always find someone who loves them. check the reliability charts, see where they are placed.;)

Thank you for a worthwhile and helpful reply!!!

Brassedoff

If I may help you in a cack handed sort of way. I had the same choice. I have severe back problems use a chair or crutches. I have two kids. We were going for a citroen c4 picasso or the Toyota, but in the end we had a Nissan Quasi +2. it fits all my needs, I don't have to bend down to get in (I can slide in), but the most important was the fuel economy. The 1.5 diesel. It literally runs on fresh air. The economy is great, 6 speed and has great motorway legs. The panoramic sunroof is about the best internal feature.

Indie_Kid

Gemstar30 wrote: »

Hello,

you are very lucky that you can have the choice of a new car!!

And, if you don't really like it, exchange it for a different one in three years.

Most of us have to spend our savings - not a bank loan or finance - on a second hand one costing in excess of £10,000, and hoping and praying that it suits, because there is no going back.

Yes I have just done that with a 3 year old Ford!!

Gemma
x

But someone with a motability car is spending £7.5K + and gives the car back after 3 years. You can get a car for that and keep it.

Are they costly to keep, by that I mean fuel costs?

I think on the Motability site it gives the spec of the car, including the mpg. (miles per gallon) Have you looked at this yet?

Dainty1976

sh1305 wrote: »

I think on the Motability site it gives the spec of the car, including the mpg. (miles per gallon) Have you looked at this yet?

Thanks, I have and but some reviews say different to the listed mpg as to the "real life" mpg so wanted a real drivers opinion, plus any user experience of what happens if the car packs up at some point into the lease.

Maybe I'm making to big a deal of this!
Just dont want to make the wrong choice and then be thinking "I should have gone with the other car" for 3 years!

pwales_2

my motability car is in excess of 20 grand ....... if i was paying ....motability is a life saver for phyisicly disabled people, dont let them knock you for getting a car on the scheme all the best with the new car
enjoy it

kpwll

We have a Toyota Verso on Motability, and find it great. I can't help with fuel consumption, sorry. It is comfortable to sit in, we find that there is adequate legroom and pretty good all-round vision. We have also found the Toyota dealer great to deal with (better than we found VW).
Have a good test-drive of ALL the cars you are considering, load up what you will need on an everyday basis, then weigh up the pros and cons.
I hated driving the VW, can't tell you why, just never got on with it. That is not saying it wasn't a reliable car, just that it wasn't a good 'fit'. The 3 years goes pretty quickly though. Good luck with your choice and happy, safe motoring.

It is not an automatic though, sorry.

Chorlie

I've only had Vauxhall and Ford on Motability, both were fine. If there were any problems you can always speak direct to Motability.

Out of your 2 Toyota Verso or Renault Grand, if i was to buy one of those than for me it's Toyota everytime, granted they had a bad press of late, but that can only be a good thing.

Toyotas are built better and last longer, but since you've only got it for 3 years, get which you like best.