Buying motability car as well as ordering a new one

Hominu

A friend has come to the end of his 3 year motability lease and decided on a new car.

I wouldn't mind buying this car, but I've no idea what happens when the car is "given back". Do I approach the garage they bought the car from, or motability, or is it taken to auction and I need to attend that ?

rogerblack

As I understand it, it's auctioned.
There is no special treatment given to the original owner, or anyone acting on their behalf.

pstuart

rogerblack is correct, as usual, there seems to be a deal kept 'in house' by the Motor Trade - the return dealer will have first dibs before going onto a 'trade only' sales website. If there is no take up, it will then be auctioned.

Please be aware though that most leasing companies, including Motabilty, agree to the bare minimum of servicing.
Some Motabilty diesels supplied with long life oil, don't need a service until 18k, meaning that barring any problems any low mileage vehicles will not have seen the dealer for 3 years!

Sister has a VW and was told by the dealer that they wouldn't see her again, when she picked it up last year.

CTcelt1988

If you want to buy the car off Motability, you have to phone them 2 months before the contract ends. They will then send you a quote as to how much the car will cost. Beware that they will want a top price for it, it won't be discounted. If will depend on the milage how much they want for it.

To pay for the car, you have to pay for it in one lump sum, they don't do car finance.

Morglin

Things may have changed, but I bought one of my Motability cars, after the lease had expired, it was a bit cheaper than through a normal sale (not much though), and I bought it through their Motability Finance (although sometimes a bank loan is cheaper).

Get the claimant to give them a ring to find out what schemes are currently in place.

There woukd be nothing stoping them buying the car, and then selling it to you.

Unless something else has also changed, all of my Motability cars were fully serviced, yearly or after 12000 miles, whichever came first.

Lin

citykid5

I'd also be very interested to know about this subject. As it's always been my intension to buy my mobility car at the end of its 3 yr lease . Does anyone have any recent knowledge on the current process?

Rodders53

citykid5 wrote: »

Does anyone have any recent knowledge on the current process?

http://www.motability.co.uk/search-results/?query=buying+my+motability+car The Motability site says

We will no longer accept new applications for Hire Purchase from 1 July 2014, however customers who are currently on a Hire Purchase agreement will see no change and will be supported through to the end of their current arrangements. Motability customers will still be able to buy their car without using the Hire Purchase option at the end of their lease, and can ask for a quote around three months before the end of their Contract Hire agreement.

So if you want to find out more than that ask Motability.

Penny-Pincher!!

Lots of the garages actually put them in their forecourt for a while to see if any members of public want them. May be an idea to contact the dealership and ask what they do with ex cars.

citykid5

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Lots of the garages actually put them in their forecourt for a while to see if any members of public want them. May be an idea to contact the dealership and ask what they do with ex cars.

Thanks penny pincher. It's 18mnts before it's due to go back, but as I said this was my first mobility car I'd had and also was a new car I was considering buying outright at the time. The car model isn't made anymore so hopefully I'll find a way to buy it at the end of its lease

CTcelt1988

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Lots of the garages actually put them in their forecourt for a while to see if any members of public want them. May be an idea to contact the dealership and ask what they do with ex cars.

Thats not true. Motability decide what they want to do with the car. They offer it first to the garage, if they don't want it,then it goes to auction. Motability pick up the car when it's returned to the dealership where the customer gets their new car from.

CTcelt1988

citykid5 wrote: »

Thanks penny pincher. It's 18mnts before it's due to go back, but as I said this was my first mobility car I'd had and also was a new car I was considering buying outright at the time. The car model isn't made anymore so hopefully I'll find a way to buy it at the end of its lease

You have to contact Motability 3 months before the lease ends to ask them for a quote. They will then send you a quote based on the mileage of the car.