You have any examples of bigger sports cars that were once available on the scheme?
I’ve no idea about sports cars as I don’t look at them. My wife is a full time wheelchair user so we need something more practical! A few years ago I remember @wmcforum posting some old Motability price lists. Some of the AP’s were eye watering (£10-15k from memory) but you could get cars like the VW Touareg and Land Rover Discovery, if my memory serves me. Certainly cars that, at today’s prices, would be over £50k. You might be able to find it if you search.
Do any cars like that need to be on Motability? The idea behind Motability is that you can get a car that suits a disabled persons basics needs and allows you to not have to worry about insurance/servicing/road tax costs. I can’t see why a £50,000 car would be needed.
Personally, I don’t agree that disabled people should be restricted to ‘basic needs’ as you describe. That sounds very discriminatory to me. As Azzy says, there is no reason why there shouldn’t be more desirable cars for those who would like them and are prepared to pay for them. As long as all the additional costs of more expensive cars are covered through the AP, then I see no reason whatsoever why there needs to be a price cap, or at least one at the level that we have. I’m not talking daft numbers here but, as an example, many of us drive SUV’s as they are particularly useful for those with disabilities. However, in the main, the price caps mean we we are restricted to quite small ones. If we have to have price caps, if they moved up to say £50k it would open up a reasonable choice of larger SUV’s that many of us would find extremely useful. These cars used to be available through Motability years ago but aren’t any more. Nobody would be subsidising anyone else as long as the AP’s reflect the additional leasing and running costs. It’s then a matter of personal choice if people are prepared to pay the higher AP’s for them. If they are not, there is no less choice for them. If I am being honest, it seems to me that the true reason why some don’t want to see more expensive cars in the scheme is jealousy. “If I can’t afford one, why should somebody else be allowed to?”. I think that’s a very unfortunate trait. I would love to be able to afford a Bentley, but I can’t. When I see one on the road, I think “lucky person”, whereas others may make resentful comments. I guess we are all different, but I think it’s a shame when disabled drivers are restricted in their choice in a way that others aren’t. I am fortunate that, if the scheme doesn’t offer something that we would like, I can take my money and go elsewhere, but many disabled drivers aren’t in a position to do that and I will defend their right to be able to choose something that they would ‘like’ as well as something that they might ‘need’.