Anyone ever managed to negotiate any optional extras on motability car?

easy

Hi,

Well my difficult search for my next motability car goes on, difficult cos no one can offer me test drives in automatics (except Vauxhall, unfortunately the Astra wasn't suitable, I need to be an inch or 2 taller).

However, I think I might go with a Renault Clio Sport Tourer - if my scooter will fit in the boot, hope to find out today.

Just looking at the specs - can get the Dynamique Auto -so good spec- with Nil advance payment. But parking sensors would be an optional extra, £315 (if motability would allow me to specify them ??) .

I just wondered whether anyone had ever managed to negotiate such extras in with the deal? I know I would have done if buying the vehicle myself.

intranicity

All depends on the dealer, but I understand that their margins are tight on Motability cars, but they would say that lol

I've had no luck getting extras, I've heard of women getting a bunch of flowers, or sometimes having the advance payment paid by the dealer (very small amounts though like £99) thats about it.

Ford I think automatically fit reversing sensors to motability cars if they aren't standard for the spec

fadetogrey

Look at a vw golf match 1.4 tsi.it come with lots of extras including front and rear parking sensors.

intranicity

fadetogrey wrote: »

Look at a vw golf match 1.4 tsi.it come with lots of extras including front and rear parking sensors.

The OP is after an automatic and nil or low deposit, the Golf, with an Auto box is £999 deposit, so little point in that suggestion?

Mupette

I have a nissan note, it is automatic and a mini mpv, can get electric wheelchair in boot and still have legroom in the back

fadetogrey

intranicity wrote: »

The OP is after an automatic and nil or low deposit, the Golf, with an Auto box is £999 deposit, so little point in that suggestion?

O.P seems to be willing to spend £315 for optional parking sensors on renault?:question:

easy

fadetogrey wrote: »

O.P seems to be willing to spend £315 for optional parking sensors on renault?:question:

Noooo, this O P would like parking sensors, but won't have them if they're going to cost £315 - I have managed to park cars without them over that last 32 years, and a clio isn't exactly large, but I do like quite them when I park DH's car.

Back in the days when I used to buy a car myself, it's the sort of thing I haggled over (and I was pretty good at it), but I have never haggled hard about a motability deal - seemed a bit cheeky. I got a set of proper megane mats last time, but this is bigger stuff.

intranicity

easy wrote: »

Noooo, this O P would like parking sensors, but won't have them if they're going to cost £315 - I have managed to park cars without them over that last 32 years, and a clio isn't exactly large, but I do like quite them when I park DH's car.

Back in the days when I used to buy a car myself, it's the sort of thing I haggled over (and I was pretty good at it), but I have never haggled hard about a motability deal - seemed a bit cheeky. I got a set of proper megane mats last time, but this is bigger stuff.

Some people can't read I guess....

I feel the same though about the haggling, worth asking, they can only say no after all, but the deal we get in the first place is great, my local dealer even tops up my oil in between services

easy

intranicity wrote: »

Some people can't read I guess....

I feel the same though about the haggling, worth asking, they can only say no after all, but the deal we get in the first place is great, my local dealer even tops up my oil in between services

That's the problem, the deal we get on motability really is pretty good VFM. During some idle time at Christmas, I did a few searches over some leasing companies, but couldn't match the deal we actually get for HRM DLA, bearing in mind the servicing, tyres & insurance (altho I guess that's mainly because going through the private lease, we would have to pay VAT, which we avoid thru motability).

Sure, if motability didn't exist, I would buy a 2 or 3 year-old car instead, and fund the loan with the DLA, but you still run the risk of expensive mechanical problems cropping up, don't you?

I'm VERY appreciative of the motability scheme.

I'm just a bit frustrated this time, because the dealers seem less able/willing to go the extra mile to get demonstrators/organise test drives. I kind of thought the manufacturers would be falling over themselves to get sales of new cars ATM, but it seems not. 6 years ago, when it was time for me to look for my new car, dealers were offering to bring cars to me for test drives . Now they can't even get an example of the vehicle I want to test to the dealership (and that includes Ford, Renault, Skoda). I only managed to get a test in an Astra because the dealer had taken delivery of an automatic for a customer the day of my enquiry. I drove somebody's new car before they did (blimey I was nervous, what if I'd damaged it ?).

sardine

I am very surprised that dealers are taking the attitude of not allowing the potential user to have a full road test.
I don't have a motability car, I buy my own every 3 years. But every time I look for my next one I demand to have the vehicle for the weekend FOC! Many is the time that I have driven out with a fairly new (up to 2 months old) costing in excess of £20,000. Of the two I had decided on last year was an Alfa Romeo 159 Ti 2.4 diesel. I was just given the keys on Friday night and brought it back the following Monday. My attitude is that if they don't provide that service, I don't buy from them. I actually bought the Alfa, and managed to reduce the price new from over £26,000 down to the max I would pay £20,000 and that included all the servicing for 3 years!!

easy

sardine wrote: »

I am very surprised that dealers are taking the attitude of not allowing the potential user to have a full road test.
I don't have a motability car, I buy my own every 3 years. But every time I look for my next one I demand to have the vehicle for the weekend FOC! Many is the time that I have driven out with a fairly new (up to 2 months old) costing in excess of £20,000. Of the two I had decided on last year was an Alfa Romeo 159 Ti 2.4 diesel. I was just given the keys on Friday night and brought it back the following Monday. My attitude is that if they don't provide that service, I don't buy from them. I actually bought the Alfa, and managed to reduce the price new from over £26,000 down to the max I would pay £20,000 and that included all the servicing for 3 years!!

Sardine I agree with you. But none of the dealers are keeping automatics in stock as demonstrators any more (unless you go to the upper end, mercs & Beamers of course). They claim they don't sell enough autos to justify tying up money in a demonstrator. But I argue they won't sell them if no one can test drive them.
One dealer - only one - says that every time he gets one in as a demonstrator, it sells straight away, so then he has to wait 3 months for another ...

Whatever, the dealers aren't holding automatics as demonstrators, and the manufacturers don't give a stuff. Personally, I believe that Motability should insist that manufacturers make sure potential Motability clients can get test drives in the vehicles they require, but that seems to be impossible.