Can’t say it’s not fit for purpose. Looking at cars from NIL to 500, there are frontiera, capri, dacia spring, peuguot 2008, Kona, Nero, Ford Explorer. All very good cars. Mobility is a lifeline, it’s not a trifling organisation.
With Ford you miss out on HUD, Active Park Assist, 360-Degree Parking Camera and Hands-free Power-operated Tailgate, with the latter two being top of list for disabled drivers.
Here’s the problem For some the car itself being brand new and reasonably well put together is enough, for others there’s some necessary items you need to have included in the car (360 camera and hands free powered boot) and for others again that list increases depending entirely upon disability (comfortable seats for spinal injuries, huge boot for scooters or large door openings) for some these ‘extras’ are absolutely essential, for others a ‘basic’ car will do and what’s offered for free is by far enough for their needs and they’re more than grateful.
Then you add in the ‘Petrol Head’ or the automobile connoisseur. Those of us who are on here to use our expertise in cars, for we’ve studied them for far too long and have plenty we can share but also have a certain standard that we maintain in our own vehicles. Those who have an image to maintain or who would have cars that represent a certain social standing (or any other external expectation on why we buy cars in the first place). Not having suitable cars would exclude these people from the scheme completely, which is unfair.
However, the scheme has previously been painted very successfully as an example of the benefit scrounger rubbing our noses in their ability to have cheap motoring the working middle class reader couldn’t afford. This is why the scheme dropped from thousands of cars to having a thousand in a very good month. Is it right? Of course not but there again, should someone who could otherwise have purchased a vastly expensive car not be required to fulfill their esteem needs with their own and not the public money? Could it ever be right to have a new 7 series BMW on the scheme again? Would that not immediately attract the attention and public (press) outcry and we all find that the, at best, thousand cars becomes 500 or less while the heat dies down, again…
There’s no right answer, there’s always someone who wants more, more choice, more money, more car. Then there’s those who complain that there is a top limit of £8,000, some because ‘How the hell is that justifiable for a lease?’ others because ”How am I supposed to get the right car when what I need costs so much more?’ (Excluding WAVs) but where does that limit go? Which ever way it’s moved the end result will just be a different number in the same pair of complaints.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.
Mark