Where have all the Motability Cars gone?

ColinJ78

My first post after being a member for a while. I didn't know whether this should go into the Motoring sector or the Disability sector so I hope I am posting in the right part of the forum.

Not to put too finer point on it, my current Motability car is coming upto three years old and I have been sent the necessary paperwork if I wish to select a new vehicle on the Motability leasing scheme.

Having had a look on the Motability website and in the price booklet I was sent, I see there is a huge discrepancy between the number and quality of the vehicles, particularly with Automatic transmission, that were available three years ago and what are now available on the scheme. There also seems to be a 'glass ceiling' on the advance deposits other than for the wheelchair cars.

I was hoping to renew my contract with the same vehicle and same trim/engine specification as I currently drive as it meets all of my needs, however there is only a basic model now available with an advance deposit of just £1k which doesn't have the specification I need. Even looking at other potential vehicles they seem to be relatively basic models with an advance deposit of circa £1k.

Are Motability trying to deter customers from using the scheme nowadays?. I feel there is now a total lack of choice of vehicles, particularly in the larger automatic car sector (which I need). Is there any alternative scheme as I feel none of the vehicles presently offered are a suitable replacement for my current vehicle.

Colin

pstuart

We are in the same boat as you.

The advance on the 'same' version as ours is prohibitive, so we have a choice, either leave the scheme (quite cost effective) or go to a manual.

New list comes out at the end of this month so we'll see.

Richie-from-the-Boro

ColinJ78 wrote: »

Not to put too finer point on it, my current Motability car is coming upto three years old and I have been sent the necessary paperwork if I wish to select a new vehicle on the Motability leasing scheme.

Having had a look on the Motability website and in the price booklet I was sent, I see there is a huge discrepancy between the number and quality of the vehicles, particularly with Automatic transmission, that were available three years ago and what are now available on the scheme. There also seems to be a 'glass ceiling' on the advance deposits other than for the wheelchair cars.

I was hoping to renew my contract with the same vehicle and same trim/engine specification as I currently drive as it meets all of my needs, however there is only a basic model now available with an advance deposit of just £1k which doesn't have the specification I need. Even looking at other potential vehicles they seem to be relatively basic models with an advance deposit of circa £1k.

Are Motability trying to deter customers from using the scheme nowadays?. I feel there is now a total lack of choice of vehicles, particularly in the larger automatic car sector (which I need). Is there any alternative scheme as I feel none of the vehicles presently offered are a suitable replacement for my current vehicle. Colin

There was a change announced in the selection criteria for cars in late 2010. The cars available were changed to be below an AP of £2,000. The limit will not apply to WAV. I see nothing wrong with that :

- plastic~pigs went out in '77, so they've been around for 33 years
- there are over a half million Motability MOTA's on the road
- the SVF has been around for 20 years to pay for bigger / adapted MOTA's
- most of the MOTA's they supply are 8 grand less than the UK average

The intention was to clamp down on those who want a premium MOTA costing 25 grand or more from Dec that year ;

- those with needs above 25 grand will still get their MOTA
- only accept nominated drivers who live within 5 miles of the customer
- a Statement of Responsibilities must be signed at the beginning of each lease by the customer
- no drivers under the age of 21 on the Scheme from January, unless they reside with the disabled customer
- and restrict drivers under 25 to cars in Group 16 or lower which also have a power output of 115 BHP or less

It all seems perfectly reasonable to me, I mean there's so much in the pot and always more need than money to supply that need. It seems to me that insurance costs for [nominated] people under 25 / cutting down on fiddlers / and reducing how the car may be used [ abuse detection has to be paid for out of the pot ]and by whom is perfectly sound as a policy from a disabled persons point of view.

Many people in this group have MOTS's of £30k or more and need them - they will still be taken care of FOC in the scheme :

- some nice people [STRIKE]braggards[/STRIKE] in this group have MOTA costing in excess of £35k happily tell me its for no other reason than they can
- I cautioned people in this group over two years ago this was on the cards for 2012, much as I also did last year for the not tightened up Blue Badges fraud issue

Many people have needs, the less that's wasted on avarice or fiddlers the more there is for the genuine needy .. .. and in times of rising costs I for one am pleased with the clampdowns on misuse - more for the needy, no one in this rich island we live in should want the disabled to return to the plastic~pig days.

pstuart

You're in fine form today and thanks for that.
The question not answered though is why when a new cars retail cost is increased by 5-10% to make it into an automatic and some on the Motabiliy list are upped by 20 - 40%.

[Deleted User]

our neighbours motability car expired(so to speak) couple of months ago and they just kept it for another 3 years as opposed to renewing it

portly1

woodbine wrote: »

our neighbours motability car expired(so to speak) couple of months ago and they just kept it for another 3 years as opposed to renewing it

Not on Motability they didn't! Unless it was a WAV.

They must have bought it off Motability and financed it privately over 3 years.

Many people that I know are getting out of Motability and buying there own cars instead.

With PIP on the horizon and with short term awards going to be the norm, Motability as it stands now is a dead duck in the water for most.

I could have one if I wanted, but why waste all that money on a car that in any likely event will end up being taken back after PIP goes nationwide. Mugs game now.

It used to be fantastic especially when lifetime/indefinite awards for DLA were the norm for most. There was security in the knowledge that the car would always be available to use throughout the 3 years.

pstuart

Sometimes being married to a pensioner has some advantages - no PIP envisaged as yet.

only_mee

Why not finance a car and use the mobility side of it to use for the repayments, it's what i did.Motability will loan you the money against your benefit, but there is criteria involved in age/miles i believe.

Twisted_Cherry

Someone I knew had to trade in there car early as it became unsuitable for there needs. They switched to an MPV Automatic, and got help for the deposit with a Motability Grant, they paid a grant of £1400!

Financial Help

tomtom256

portly1 wrote: »

Not on Motability they didn't! Unless it was a WAV.

They must have bought it off Motability and financed it privately over 3 years.

Many people that I know are getting out of Motability and buying there own cars instead.

With PIP on the horizon and with short term awards going to be the norm, Motability as it stands now is a dead duck in the water for most.

I could have one if I wanted, but why waste all that money on a car that in any likely event will end up being taken back after PIP goes nationwide. Mugs game now.

It used to be fantastic especially when lifetime/indefinite awards for DLA were the norm for most. There was security in the knowledge that the car would always be available to use throughout the 3 years.

If it's low mileage then they probably did keep it on the scheme, as the scheme used to let you keep your existing car for a further 3 years at a reduced rate of payment if you met the mileage conditions.

ColinJ78

Many thanks for all your replies to my initial posting. Apologies for not replying sooner but I was in the process of a 'seemless' ISP change' which had seems (it seems!).

If I may say the scheme now is a right pain. I found out by visiting a car dealer this morning that there are some car models available which are not advertised on the Motability website, only on the manufacturers websites! What I wonder is the point of the searchable Motability website if it doesn't list all available models!!

Unfortunately the model/trim level I currently have and would like to renew is not available on the scheme now, only an inferior trim level/engine with an advance deposit of only £1k. I would be happy to pay a £2k advance deposit (or even a bit more more) to get the vehicle I actually need. It has the little necessities (note necessities not luxuries) that work with the hand controls and accommodates my powerchair and associated hoist to give me the car I need.

Having checked it would cost a whole lot more to get a WAV, particularly a drive from chair WAV which I could use but really there is no need for it. Plus I would need a grant to help fund one as the AP's are so high and I would not like to take monies away from those who actually need a drivable WAV. I can afford to pay a couple of £k for a suitable 'normal' automatic car however.

I cannot renew the contract for my current car as it is deemed to have travelled too many miles but it does suit me ideally. Although I don't wish to, I feel I am being pushed into buying this car albeit I would dearly love to lease a new one and contribute to the scheme.

For the life of me I cannot see why I am in effect limited to a car with an advance price of only £1k

Sorry for the whinge.

Colin