Motability Help - Need 8+seater automatic

Aginoth

I'm already a user of the Motability scheme, have a 7 Seater Automatic (SMAX) atm.

Due to change cars in 12 months time so have been taking an early look at possible replacements.

Problem is due to a new addition to the Family (4 children now), the need to acommodate my mobility scooter (Liteway 8 which does come apart for transport), the fact my disability means i can't operate a clutch comfortably, and the need to sometimes take an additional carer for my Autistic son (or seperate him from others) as well as me and my wife; we are in need of a larger vehicle.

So I've had a look at the current available motablity cars and have had no luck in finding any 8+ seater vehicles with Auto transmission.

Has anyone any suggestions? Or has anyone sptted a vehicle I've missed?

The Hyundai i800 looked ideal apart from being manual transmission.

Thanks in advance

sunnyone

Aginoth wrote: »

I'm already a user of the Motability scheme, have a 7 Seater Automatic (SMAX) atm.

Due to change cars in 12 months time so have been taking an early look at possible replacements.

Problem is due to a new addition to the Family (4 children now), the need to acommodate my mobility scooter (Liteway 8 which does come apart for transport), the fact my disability means i can't operate a clutch comfortably, and the need to sometimes take an additional carer for my Autistic son (or seperate him from others) as well as me and my wife; we are in need of a larger vehicle.

So I've had a look at the current available motablity cars and have had no luck in finding any 8+ seater vehicles with Auto transmission.

Has anyone any suggestions? Or has anyone sptted a vehicle I've missed?

The Hyundai i800 looked ideal apart from being manual transmission.

Thanks in advance

Ring Motability and ask them!

Ive had an eight seater auto, it was very expensive and 10 years ago, I had a Toyota Previa, they have changed since then but the price hasnt.

I would also look at commercials like taxi conversions and semi autos/clutchless manuals etc.

jetta_wales

I had a search in both regular and WAV vehicles on Motability but I could find no match for you either. Essentially what you need now is a bus I'm afraid. Could you look at transit type minibuses say 10 seaters and remove two back seats for your scooter? You would need to find a company to fit a ramp or other such adaptation for you. Alternately you do often come across adapted minibuses that have been used by care homes, SEN schools or charities etc that they replace when they're still not very old at all.

Maybe google could turn up a site that specialises in selling them, if not just traul through local adds now and then over the next year and there's a good chance you'll get lucky.

Aginoth

sunnyone wrote: »

Ring Motability and ask them!

Ive had an eight seater auto, it was very expensive and 10 years ago, I had a Toyota Previa, they have changed since then but the price hasnt.

I would also look at commercials like taxi conversions and semi autos/clutchless manuals etc.

Was going to call them wen it gets to 6 months prior to the end of my current contract

Hoping I can get them to cover part of the cost of the vehicle under a charitable grant, as advertised on their main website.

I suppose there's always the option of a trailer for the scooter , thankfully I passed my test long ago enough to have few towing restrictions

sunnyone

Aginoth wrote: »

Was going to call them wen it gets to 6 months prior to the end of my current contract

Hoping I can get them to cover part of the cost of the vehicle under a charitable grant, as advertised on their main website.

I suppose there's always the option of a trailer for the scooter , thankfully I passed my test long ago enough to have few towing restrictions

A grant might not work for you in your siuation, I know of another customer with similar needs and they were offered a grant but grants only cover the cheapest possible vehicle (as they should) and the 8 seater they were told to get was no good for them and you cant use the grant for anything else so they handed it (the grant) back rather than get yet another unsuitable car but hey, you never know things may have changed in the 18 months since then.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Not only hard to find on the Motability scheme, but all auto's are airport bus / commercial vehicles, generally Japanese market, such as - Merc Viano / Toyota Lucida or Previa / Honda Step Wagon / Mitsubishi Delica / Nissan Elgrand.

if you want some idea of auto's with 8 seats.

sunnyone

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

Not only hard to find on the Motability scheme, but all auto's are airport bus / commercial vehicles, generally Japanese market, such as - Merc Viano / Toyota Lucida or Previa / Honda Step Wagon / Mitsubishi Delica / Nissan Elgrand.

if you want some idea of auto's with 8 seats.

My Toyota Pravia was English, not an import and it had 8 seats but that was many years ago and service items and other spares were sooooooo expensive with over £70 for a fuel filter.

Dont touch Mercs, any Mercs from '02 I got a full refund on my last Merc I bought new because it was a lemon which fell apart in months, even the leather seats had wear after under 10k miles.

Aginoth

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

Not only hard to find on the Motability scheme, but all auto's are airport bus / commercial vehicles, generally Japanese market, such as - Merc Viano / Toyota Lucida or Previa / Honda Step Wagon / Mitsubishi Delica / Nissan Elgrand.

if you want some idea of auto's with 8 seats.

Mitsubishi Delica was my previous vehicle before going onto Motability Scheme.

and before that had a Toyota Town Ace for 3 years

I know what's out there in way of 8 seat Autos, problem is none on motability scheme, which has been really useful as on a low income and it's great not to have to worry about insurance/maintenance etc etc

Thanks all anyway, guess i'll have to watch the list of available cars and hope it improves.