It’s sad that a lot of people will have no choice but to just absorb these additional costs, as they don’t have the financial means or confidence to go elsewhere, but then how will these same people be in a position to pay thousands of pounds excess mileage charges at lease end, and what happens if they can’t? It doesn’t seem very well thought through to me.
I have decided to terminate my lease before the changes come in effect and avoid VAT on the early termination fee. For now I’m likely to use the 220d, but seen a 540i Touring I quite like (ex demo) To highlight the extreme end of excess mileage charges, my last reply to Fartoostrong ( Mileage cap now going to be only 10,0000! topic) is eye watering!
Speaking as one of those with very little options, it’s frustrating just how much the Scheme has changed since I started looking at it just 5 years ago. To some extent, there’s been an increase in choice for the BEV driver, we had the Ariya at £9,500, the Kona/Niro and the Enyaq. However, the cost has been all over the place and is very likely to remain as inconsistent. The choices are now decreasing and costs increasing. The new rules still feel like a starting point for things to get worse from, that damn Drive Smart feels inevitable and will be the kiss of death for so many of us.
The alternatives are incredibly limited though if you can’t get credit at a decent rate. I will have to look at seriously saving hard throughout this lease (or winning the lottery) to be able to leave the scheme, even then I’ll be returning to used cars and all the risks that come with them. The upside is that I’ll be looking at increase choice there, too. Financing, even if I can save a very decent deposit will be impossible unless I can find work I’m actually capable of physically doing as there’s not going to be great rates for people classed as unemployed, even if it’s through medical necessity.
If I was in the position where I could leave the scheme at the end of this lease, I really would, there’s plenty of cars around that are 1 year old and would be suitable (I still can’t see why people lease a car for 12 months, that’s the most expensive time). For the retail price of the EV5 on the Scheme I could get an EV9 with all the space that offers, even at more realistic values, there are plenty of options that would equate to the choices I made when I leased this car but at 3 years old and still warranted for 4+ years.
Anyhoo, I’m digressing. With a 10k limit, any disabled person will struggle to find work that sits within their allowance. While the job centre pushes you to open your prospects (look further afield) Motability have just forced you to do the exact opposite. I’m sure that wasn’t the government’s plan.
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