Hi BigDave Is that something new as I’ve always thought the AP received on the Motability order form a week or so after you order was Gospel. This sort of leaves we disadvantage folk at the mercy of the dealer / manufacture. It’s one thing going into Dixon/Curry’s asking for one of those coffee machines they’ve been advertising at £30 for months only to be told “sorry we sold the last one yesterday but we’ve got this brand new model just come in for £50”. Easy to take your business elsewhere with washing machines and TV’s but not when it comes to cars that we have no say on T&C.
Hi ChrisK,
It has been around for a few years at least.
I fell foul of it about 6 years ago, when I ordered a vehicle on the scheme (factory order) and shortly afterwards the manufacturer announced a ‘facelift’ with different specifications for the facelift.
By the time my build slot came around, they were only producing facelifted versions (with much less kit and different nomenclature for the trim levels).
Bearing in mind during the wait for the vehicle, two new quarterly pricing periods had started (with much increased AP’s for the facelifted model) I was more or less told to pay the increased AP by the dealer (who were not very good to deal with).
Motability’s view was either pay for the new model or they would cancel the order. I decided to think about it – just until I knew the vehicle was at the dealership – then asked Motability to cancel the order!
I had to start my car search over again. However Motability did extend the lease on the then current car more or less indefinitely until such time as I chose and received a new vehicle.