I would contact Motability about this. They have a fining system for dealers who do daft things, and I would have thought that registering a car on 30th August would be one of them! That being said, we are picking up a new car tomorrow, just 2 weeks before the 74 reg, and it hasn’t been queried. I would have left it until 1st September (which the dealer was happy to do) but we are away that week and want the new car as we are having a person hoist for the first time and having it for our holiday will make life a lot easier for my wife. However, to answer your question, the dealer is wanting to get the car in to their August figures but, as others have said, you are the customer so if you want it on 1st September they should agree to it – and Motability will thank you for it as it will add around £1k more to the residual value at the lease end!
This is incorrect. The same happened to me with our i4 this year. It was ready on February 24th, I said we’ll pick it up the first week of March with a 24 plate.
Initially the dealer wouldn’t play ball, the salesman actually said his boss wouldn’t allow it.
When I phoned Motability and put the common sense argument forward that their car would be worth more at least end on a 24 compared with a 73 I was met with total disinterest and was told in no uncertain terms that waiting a few days for a plate change was not a valid reason for delaying the collection of a new car!
So do not get Motability involved is my advice.
Instead, ask to speak to the decision maker, in this case the Sales Manager or Dealer Principal and insist that you will collect the car in early September with a 74 plate.
I had a robust discussion with the Sales Manager which resulted in us picking up the i4 at midday on March 1st.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
P. S. If it is indeed a case of them meeting the August sales targets, you could always offer to pay the AP on 31/8, but make sure you negotiate the 74 plate in with that
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