Chris, their behaviour is no direct fault of your own, however… motability customers putting up with and accepting vehicles like this reinforces their behaviour as dealers. Sadly, it perpetuates the problems.
Being a disabled driver with a car that needs adaption before I even get off the starting line puts me at a disadvantage.
This was back in 2018 when we we’re playing the WLTP waiting game (much the same as now with the micro chip waiting game) and the car I had on order was one, if not the last model in the VAG to get its WLTP ticket but was told the waiting time would be 5 months. 4 months go by and it had changed to 9 months so had no choice but to cancel a car that would have been 100% perfect or as near as dam it.
My disability never changes, doesn’t get worst or better so at least I know where I stand with it. My carer wife who is not disabled but like me ageing and so getting weaker with age was struggling to get my scooter into a standard car without a hoist.
The cars I need generally have to be seven seat cars for which I keep seat six and seven folded so to allow to carry a fully assembled pavement scooter on board and these type of cars are hard to find at an affordable AP price, hence, being in the situation of take it or leave and just walking away from a car knowing there’s not a lot out there that can take its place.
Apart from the EHB the car is a very usable car even with one of those old fashion levers and a two second auto-hold that I can live with but now with seven seats and a hoist under my backside I can tell and will tell the dealer where they can go should the car not be as expected next time but yes, I agree it lets them off the hook though I made them well aware of my disappointment.