I can confirm the dire fleet position. I purchase the fleet cars for my firm, its basically the same as Motability with fewer cars available, long lead times – up to and over 12 months. No one knows when things will return to normal & pricing is volatile.
This is absolutely normal, and the roots can be traced to “normal” circumstances (as “normal” as you could argue with a worldwide pandemic). The issue is that quite a lot of people here are hellbent on arguing that it’s “LIES” and no such thing as a crisis exist. Ignoring the fact that no fleet operator can get cars, to the point where some operators can’t even put up an order with certain manufacturers (SIXT doesn’t get Mercedes’ anymore for the mean time). The facts are all out there, the problem is that a lot of people (including quite a few of the “main residents” in this forum) are too lazy or ignorant to actually inform themselves.
So keep your realism, it’s not welcome here. People love their tinfoil hats, every customer waiting four months or more is being discriminated against, manufacturers are evil, etc pp.
Prior: SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux 1.5 TSI DSG MY19, VW Golf GTE PHEV DSG MY23
Current: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
Next: we'll see what's available in 2028.