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As I mentioned a few months back, having ordered a new Landrover Discovery, I will be shortly leaving the Motability scheme as my lease is due to end in a couple of months. I haven’t told Motability as yet as there is no requirement to at this very moment.
I was toying with the idea of buying my current Motability car as a run about, so telephoned Motability and requested a quote to buy it.
I was rather taken aback to be told that Motability no longer permit you to buy your vehicle at the end of the lease.
This seems to be borne out by their website:
https://www.motability.co.uk/contact/faqs/can-i-buy-the-car-at-the-end-of-the-lease
In fact all references to buying a vehicle direct from Motability at lease end seem to have been removed from their website.
I am not sure when this change of policy occurred, but it may have a bearing on some customers choice of scheme vehicle, if they were looking to ‘load it’ with options with a view to buying it direct from Motability at lease end.
Of course, one could try to ‘do a deal’ with the car dealer to whom the vehicle will be returned. However, they may want to ‘add in’ a healthy profit margin (knowing you particularly want that vehicle). Or possibly may want/not want the vehicle themselves, or Motability preferring it goes to the wider trade or auction. In short, a dealer/Motability has no obligation to sell it back to the ‘soon to be’ ex-Motability customer.
My view of this apparently change of policy is that Motability do not want customers buying their vehicles at lease end (and thus losing them) and are making it as difficult as possible, preferring to keep them captive on the scheme as a very profitable leasing customer.
In my case, they have ‘lost’ me anyway so I cannot really fathom it. Unless some ‘deal’ has been done with the trade/manufacturers to increase sales of new vehicles on the scheme and this policy change has been slipped in as part of it.
Whatever, it is something to be aware of if thinking about leaving the scheme and buying one’s vehicle.
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I wouldn’t object to buying a car that I have had in my possession for a number of years on a ‘sold as seen’ basis with no warranty if the deal was being able to buy the car at the trade price, which is all Motability Operations get for it at auction or from dealers. Problem is they don’t ask us for Trade prices, they ask for far more, which makes it a pointless exercise IMHO .
A few years ago now, my 1.6 automatic Citroen DS3 went back to the dealer’s when I picked up a new car on hand-over day.
I loved that DS3 and took care of it as if it was my own. I would happily have bought it at the time – but understood that buying the car when your lease was up just wasn’t cost effective.
Anyway, fast forward a couple of months later and I saw my old DS3 up for sale on the internet one day at an independent car dealer’s forecourt about 40 miles away from where I live at a price of just £4,500 – a price I would have been very happy to have paid Motability at the time. Makes you wonder, at that price, how much the dealer paid for the car at auction? The car had one owner from new of course – me – low mileage, and was very well looked after.
You live and learn.
Almost identical experience to me Solent60. I found our last Tiguan online at a dealer on the other side of the country priced at over £1,000 less than we had been ‘offered’ it by Motability. I suspect that the dealer paid £1-2k less than that for it, to allow for their mark up and having to provide a warranty. Given that Motability make hundreds of pounds profit on each and every lease I guess that they simply offer us prices that would deter the vast majority of people from buying their car and thus leaving the scheme.
If that’s the case Glos Guy… then serious questions need to be asked regarding us leaseholders being offered a fair price!
My DS3 was as cheap as chips at £4,500… meaning the second hand dealer himself paid considerably less for it at an auction. I would have paid that quite happily had Motability said “That’s the price – take it or leave it”.
I smell the feint whiff of a “cartel” almost…
I have no doubt that the prices manufacturers negotiate with Motability for new cars takes into account that after three years those cars will be released into the motor trade where more money is guaranteed to be made.
Hhhhmmmm, so after leasing from the scheme, if interested in buying the lease or private car, you could get a better deal privately it seems.
Also buy a fully loaded one instead of scrimping on the extras such as sunroof, automatic, etc when placing an order of the scheme lease/ buy car..
Some go without extras or automatic simply because of the price hike..
Shame really, however there is always the option to reorder too
Motability still offer customers the opportunity to buy the car at the end of the lease of if their circumstances change and they are no longer eligible mid lease. The price is based solely on the standard model and does not include extras which customers have paid for. For example 2 X1´s, one loaded with say 6 grand of extras and the other none would both have the same price from Motability, assuming identical models mileage etc. I have to say I found the prices quoted to me reasonable. Yes it was possible to secure a better deal from a dealer with a warranty, however there is some benefit in buying a car you have owned and therefore are fully aware of it´s history, similarly it would have the exact spec, colour, extras etc which would be extremely difficult to source exactly in the 2´nd hand market.
This involves items like hand controls, but not if the car is built to a standard that an able-bodied individual might specify. To put it another way, when people claim they need items like electric seats or leather to make it easier to get around, these aren’t considered “serious modifications” since many able-bodied people will choose them. Hand controls, on the other hand, would only ever be selected by a dis
hi sll
buying a car after the term if they docnot offer warrsnty am sure theres options ourthere
first thing first you knoe your csr as you first had it snd hoe yoy driven it snd looked sfter it
second thing is buying from a desler mesning you buying used car someone whos done lets say 50-60.000mkles you dont knoe hoe they driven it if they gone crazy with it ripping the car s heart our and then you buying it and thinking well its a dealer what can go wrong right well this is why yoy pay additionsl warranty cost
but when buying after the echeem yoy can asure yourself a vehicle that yoy had with 5-15miles on thr clock and you made it to 50-60.000miles yourself yoy know how you used your car
yes you can get warranty yourself AA cover or sny other companies does it which do deslers offers you the ssme desl warranty that you psy towards it
only shame is thst motsbility could use negotiation on the cars st the end if the term not judt becauee they loosing customers but also to iffer extensions if the leae free jnsurance breakdown and orher codts would keep customers on the ball in thst wsy they would not loose cudtomers lets dsy after yoy buying the vehicle how much longer would you keep your car 2-3 years right. before you choose to look for somrhing else as it gets okder
3rd thing to say theynever stoped the scheem its a fakse interpertstion
they would not scrap selling leade cars to customers they would rsther do thst as they wiuld get more from them then selljng them through suction ir dealers due to further cost to them paperwork transportstions etc etc as mentioned only shsme is they could be more negtinsble with the price
I found it easy to track our BMW when we handed it back last year. It was on a BMW dealer’s forecourt with minor dings repaired, new front tyres, a full service, and 12 months warranty for what I thought was a fair price.
Motability website still states you “may” be able to buy your car at the end of your lease.
It’s in the FAQ section.
There are far too many variables to consider for one person to be told something and assume it pertains to everyone.
I can see that motability are reluctant to sell the cars at the end of lease as they may be losing a customer and therefore quote silly high prices. But if a Motability client dies during the lease and the remaining family wanted to purchase the vehicle as it may be their only transport. I would hope they would offer the vehicle at a more reasonable price as they have lost their customer for ever anyway. Surely much less hassle for Motability as just give a decent price, collect payment and no messing about for them
I have seen this scenario mentioned some time back but don’t know if that still happens now. Especially now as if the remaining family had to get a replacement vehicle fast, currently cars are very difficult to obtain due to low stocks and extended deliveries and also premium prices.
It would certainly make it easier on the grieving family to purchase the vehicle if it was fairly priced as they know the history of the vehicle and who has driven it. The last thing you want to be doing is having to find a replacement vehicle within a week or two of the loved one’s death.
I requested a quote to buy my previous 17plate lease in March this year. The price they quoted was a couple of £k more expensive than a 71plate with equivalent mileage on the dealers forecourt and came with a warranty.
second hand konas even only a year or so with low miles are about 35/39k used.. crazy prices, probably as you cant get new ones. still not time to be buying ev’s second hand for sure. ice are probably similar in their own market bar really high end ones
Current Car: Hyundai Kona Premium EV...2 way 40kg hoist
Last Car: Toyota C-HR Excel Hybrid...4 way 80kg hoistHi. Just came across this forum.
My wife is a member of the Mobility Scheme and she has asked me to do some research around purchasing the vehicle at the end of her current lease. So I’m hoping someone will be able to give me some thoughts.
Firstly we have another year to go on the (extended to 5 yrs) lease before we hand the vehicle back and my wife has expressed her desire to continue with the scheme to get another vehicle. That said, when we originally leased the vehicle (Ford Kuga) we loaded it with a few extras that cost us quite a bit (I’m not sure of the amount but I think it was circa £2.5k).
So my questions are really as follows;
1. It was mentioned in an earlier post that Mobility offer the vehicle price based on a Standard spec? Is this correct, and can someone please confirm that?
2. In earlier posts I also saw mention of a 20% discount but I got really confused reading it – So I’d be grateful of a definitive answer on whether that 20% VAT discount is applied?
3. Once the vehicle is purchased, would I be right in saying that it is then ours without restriction? For clarity – our intention would be to purchase it for our our daughter as she needs a bigger car for her children.
May thanks in advance for any answers or thoughts.
In answer.
1. Yes, based on standard spec.
2. There is no “discount “. Motability set the price, usually around the retail price.
3. Once purchased the car is yours without any restrictions, save the law of the land !
Yes, they will charge you close to retail, as fwippers says. As I said further up (I think) you will also get no warranty and they will not have done any service that falls due. You would be very much on your own…
Must have changed since this post was started; this is what it says now:
“Can I buy the car at the end of the lease?
It may be possible to buy your car at the end of the contract, but this can only be discussed in the final three months of your lease. If you would like to speak to someone about your purchasing options, please contact us on 0300 456 4566.
If you decide to buy your car at the end of the contract, but would also like to remain on the Scheme, you can do so, providing you are still eligible.“
But (I know one should not start a sentence with but, but I feel in this case it is OK), I would take into account what has been said above re. warrantee, price, etc. I know from experience they do not always ask a high (top retail) price; when my husband was moved to PIP, although the DWP conceded he was less mobile than when he was awarded DLA, the changes meant he was no eligible for a Motability vehicle, they (Motability) offered it to him at less than trade.
The only reason I can think of, as to why they ask retail price, when selling is they want to discourage people (from leaving the scheme). They certainly wouldn’t get anywhere near the price they ask from a dealer or at auction. If one could find out which auction the car is going to be in perhaps one could get it there. A dealer would need to factor in profit, etc. so would not be willing to pay as much as a private buyer.
Current lease: 2025 Omoda 5 Estate 1.6 TGDI [147] Noble 5dr 7DCT
Last lease: 2022 MINI Hatch 2.0 Cooper S Classic Premium 5DR Auto
First lease: 2018 SEAT Leon Sport Tourer 1.8 TSI FR Technology DSGHi all looking for advice on buying a car at the end of a 5 year lease .(motability) do they take the money pip paid off it for the 5 yrs and i pay the rest of the car to the retail price ?or is it based on todays market tyvm
It’s based on the market value (many say it’s at the top end as well) So they don’t do you any favours and you don’t get a warranty on most cars and have to do the last years service as that’s never done either.
No harm in asking them though the one and positive is you know how the cars been used and driven. although if you did add any extra specs that cost you extra at the start you’ll benefit from them still.
When the car is returned can we find out where it goes so that when buying from a garage we can get it with a warranty?
Wazza, if it’s going back to a dealer of that same brand, he may want to keep it for his stock, so worth asking him but normally cars go to trade only auctions. I traced our last car by keeping an eye on AutoTrader. It turned up for sale at a dealers 60 miles away about a month after I handed it in.
I think if you decide to buy your Motability car at the end of your lease & also want to stay on the Motability scheme in another vehicle they negotiate a better price as they know you still will be staying on the scheme
I think if you decide to buy your Motability car at the end of your lease & also want to stay on the Motability scheme in another vehicle they negotiate a better price as they know you still will be staying on the scheme
That would be logical, but I don’t believe that’s what happens in reality. I always ask for a price to buy our cars at the end of the lease out of curiosity, well after we have ordered our next Motability car, and the prices that they have quoted are always way over the top for a car with no warranty.
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