Rox,
Thank you for your reply.
My solution is only ‘half baked’. It won’t be a voucher, it would be motability saying that for you full DLA/PIP a month it would afford you a vehicle to the value £Xk pounds; say £27k. You would still get the full service of motability and you wouldn’t own the car at the end – all of the same as what we get now.
The outstanding balance between the ‘voucher’ (that isn’t a voucher) and the listed value of the car (excluding VAT) would get paid to the dealership.
Like I said, everything would be the same just a different route to purchase.
If you really wanted a £50k car for 3 years you could.
Motability wouldn’t need to list out all the cars available they would just need to list the approved manufacturers. Then I would look at what models, trim levels, engines I could afford for my ‘voucher’ and see what extra to my ‘voucher’ I am willing to pay.
Motability would have to work out the value of the ‘voucher’ amount based on the discounts they broker. It would be much more transparent when looking around for a new car and dealers could fight over our custom for the extras thus making thing better for us. We would feel more like a ‘normal’ car customers and get treated better by dealerships (I know it can be hit and miss, some are good and some not so). You would not be prescribed as to which exact trim/engine levels you had to choose.
I’m no expert but maybe some thinking outside the box like this might improve the motability experience for everyone.