Motability versus buy a car?

minimadtrix

Are we missing something here? If I take our car to work whilst my disabled husband is at home and he needs me (his carer and designated driver), a quick phone call and I'm home in 5 minutes, otherwise it would be a 30 minute walk home

TOBRUK

donnalove wrote: »

TOBRUK, you say yourself in your last sentance "unless it is for my benefit" that could mean a whole world of things as long as it is close family(or a named driver) doing something for you whether you are in the car or not.

donnalove you seem to be cross that I said this unless I have taken it the wrong way, but I only discovered this myself a few months ago at the time of renewing my car tax and read the info that came with the form.

When I said 'unless it is for my benefit' - this isn't the exact wording in the rules/document but I haven't got a copy of the leaflet on me at the moment to check! I was shocked and went weak when I read it as I had lent my car a couple of occasions to my sister.

There has been a discussion somewhere regarding the ruling about car tax for disabled because it is unworkable in many cases, it really doesn't make sense.

Morglin

minimadtrix wrote: »

We always found this was an extortionate amount - alright cheaper buying from Motability rather than a garage, but why buy a car after you've hired it for 3 years - you may as well buy it from the start!!!

I got offered my Picasso for a very reasonable rate - but, after consideration, I decided to just go and lease another one.

I did (a few years back) buy a car through Motability instead of leasing, but I found it was more aggro and cost than it was worth - it was amazing how the "normal" costs of a car (which I'd forgotten) mounted up!

I think it's a great scheme, especially now you can do 45,000 miles over 3 years instead of the old 36,000.

Lin

donnalove

TOBRUK wrote: »

donnalove you seem to be cross that I said this unless I have taken it the wrong way, but I only discovered this myself a few months ago at the time of renewing my car tax and read the info that came with the form.

When I said 'unless it is for my benefit' - this isn't the exact wording in the rules/document but I haven't got a copy of the leaflet on me at the moment to check! I was shocked and went weak when I read it as I had lent my car a couple of occasions to my sister.

There has been a discussion somewhere regarding the ruling about car tax for disabled because it is unworkable in many cases, it really doesn't make sense.

TOBRUK i think you have taken it the wrong way, i am sorry if thats the way it comes across.

Of course if you lent your car to your sister and she wasn't doing anything for you or to benefit you and was using it for her own personal use then yes she would be in trouble and so would you.But if you lent your sister your car to take something or someone somewhere FOR YOU, or even fetch something, then that would be ok.

There are lots of things that you perhaps don't think about that do benefit you, but you don't think about them.As in Hapless case her husband going to work, benefits her as it pay's the bills of the house(just);)

In the certificate you sign to get your tax disc it say's "the car will only be used FOR me" or "will only be used FOR the person named below".


i'm just trying to give examples

donnalove
xxx

Penny-Pincher!!

We bought a BN car back in July 2006. We weighed up the pros and cons and decided to buy the car ourselves would make more sense and have no restrictions set on it. As I am registered disabled we were able to buy the car VAT exempt and had a small modification done to it. All future repairs, tyres etc are all VAT exempt too.

We bought the top of range Citreon Picasso Diesel Exclusive 110BHP with all extras and paid 10k after special offers and VAT excluded. Book prices was 18k. On the forecort were 2-3 yr old second hand cars and they wated 9k+ for them. Even at car auctions a 3yr old car we have are selling for around 7k, so if we sell in 2 years we wouldnt have lost much money.

When we looked into Mobility, we didnt like the T&C's as they were so varied. I dont use the car personally (only as a passenger) and I rarely go out apart from hospital visits and the occasion drive out somewhere. It would have meant that OH couldnt have used for taking DD to school etc-or they could ahve been funny about it.

HTH

PP
xx

TOBRUK

donnalove wrote: »

TOBRUK i think you have taken it the wrong way, i am sorry if thats the way it comes across.

Of course if you lent your car to your sister and she wasn't doing anything for you or to benefit you and was using it for her own personal use then yes she would be in trouble and so would you.But if you lent your sister your car to take something or someone somewhere FOR YOU, or even fetch something, then that would be ok.

There are lots of things that you perhaps don't think about that do benefit you, but you don't think about them.As in Hapless case her husband going to work, benefits her as it pay's the bills of the house(just);)

In the certificate you sign to get your tax disc it say's "the car will only be used FOR me" or "will only be used FOR the person named below".


i'm just trying to give examples

donnalove
xxx

Thanks for that donnalove, sorry I took it the wrong way!;) I only noticed this in January when my car tax was renewed and came out in a cold sweat! It has only happened on two occasions when I went to visit my parents for the weekend or longer where I asked my sister if we could take my car (as it is only used a couple of miles a week I thought it could do with a long run, home is 100 miles away) so she drove my car home. However when we were home I let her use the car while we were there.

Another time when my MOT was due (I have it done back home) and I wasn't well enough to travel, my sister offered to pick the car up and drive it back home for the MOT (at the same time visiting my parents), yes this was for my benefit but at the same time using it other than for MOT reasons - I genuinly wasn't aware of the rule (I know perhaps I should have) and I wonder how many out there are unaware.

1leg4toes

Have sat and read through this whole thread and eventually come across what I was going to sya.

It is worth buying your car, as you are registered disabled you dont have to pay the VAT also there is no longer on the limit of cars you can bu in a year.

so you could in theory buy a car and sell it again in 6 -12 months and not lose money on it, if you go back to the same dealer you bought it off you can part ex on a new car of the same type or towards better car.

Al depends what car you buys but you can also gain a few quid as well.

This is what i plan to do next when I send my car back to motability, ive done 47k miles and it goes back in Oct.

Again though it all depends what car you chose and how they hold their value.....>!

peterg1965

I have a Motability car for my son, it is used as a family car within the 'spirit' of Motability T&C's. We have a Land Rover Discovery 3 which had a £10K advance deposit. It is due for replacement early next year and I was thinking of asking for a price to buy it at the end of the lease. Dependant on what the price given I could then trade it against a new motablity LR Discovery and reduce the amount of advance deposit on the next one, assuming that the buy out price would be lower than the trade in price. Has anyone done this?

Morglin

No, I haven't, but give Motability a ring - they are always very helpful.

Lin

don9999

1leg4toes

I believe you only get tax relief on a vehicle purchase if you are a regular wheelchair user. My disabled daughter is not in a wheelchair, so this relief would not be available to us.

peterg1965

I am effectively doing what you are describing. My current motability contract ends at the end of this month, but I have just purchased the vehicle - it effectively becomes mine at the end of the contract. My purchase price was below market price, I believe. Somewhere between £500-£1000. I 'could' have sold it privately, and used the profit to reduce the Advance Payment of my next motability car. However, in my case; assuming I will buy a car privately rather that through motability; I will continue to drive the ex-motability car whilst I await delivery on the new car. I will then sell the old one, and use any profit to reduce the loan taken out on the new car.

Having said that, I've heard that the purchase cost at the end of the contract can vary, and sometimes be at, above or below market value.

Another question for you peterg...Was paying £10k Advance Payment, worth it? I apreciate that you had use of an expensive car for three years, but it did effectively cost you about £17k over the three years for the privilege (though this may reduce a little, if you bought and re-sold the car at a profit). It's a quewstion I am pondering right now - do I pay an Advance Payment of up to £4.5k (for a top-of-the-range Ford Galaxy)?

Don