More reputational damage to the VW brand. Less choice for motability customers.
It will probably hit Motability’s ‘brand reputation’ more than VW.
Not all Motability customers read/use this forum. Hence one/a few/many could have pre-booked to test drive one of the removed vehicles only a matter of days ago, when they were showing as available on Motability’s website.
They turn up for their test drive (and to potentially to order the vehicle) this morning, only to be told ‘Motability pulled that model last night sir/madam’. Or the customer test drove it a few days ago, made up their mind and returned to the dealership to order it – same result.
I doubt a salesperson would be so open as to directly blame the manufacturer for the overarching issues – it is much easier to deflect the ‘blame’ onto Motability. That way the salesperson may at least have a chance to sell a ‘still available’ vehicle from the same stable.
Plus, it does not look good that just 22 days ago, Motability heralded in the new quarter with publicity stating there were (to quote) ‘over 1400 vehicles’ available on the scheme – only for there now to be more than 58 vehicles less available (circa 5% of scheme vehicles). I suppose it makes it more obvious when it is a relatively popular volume manufacturer such as VW (had it been SsangYong vehicles removed, no one would bat an eyelid – well, perhaps one member hereabouts would lol)!
Overall, I don’t know what the answer is.
Should Motability only market vehicles which manufacturers guarantee will be available to order for the whole quarter? This would obviously (and currently) cut down the overall number of vehicles on the scheme.
Or should there be some indicator to customers (on the Motability website) that certain vehicles (or end of line vehicles) could be removed if waiting list times increase significantly or stock runs out. At least the customer would have some warning that the vehicle they desire may disappear at short notice.