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Quarter 2 breakdown:
18 vehicles removed
1 Manufacturer removed (Polestar)
2 New Vehicles added (Both MG)
4 Returning Vehicles
Number of Electric cars drops for the first time, from 165 to 155. Mostly due to increase in prices taking them off the Scheme.
Plugin hybrid hit even harder, dropping from 9% of offerings to only 4%, 30 remain. Mostly due to increase in price taking them off the Scheme.
I have never seen a Quarter of such destruction. Aside from a couple of Kia’s, Mini Countryman, Jaecoo 7 and a single Jeep, most everything else has gone up in price.
Hopefully this is the low point from which the Scheme will rise.
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Firstly, thank you @wmcforum for all the effort you put in to getting the quarter changes done in as timely a manner as possible.
Secondly, I do wonder if this is the pain so that they can say the new measures worked? If they drop prices in July by 75% of what they put them up by this quarter, that’ll be a massive saving thanks to the measures they inflicted upon us. I don’t know if I’m just overly cynical?
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
I’m glad I ordered the Enyaq Sportline Maxx in Q1.
The Kia EV5 GT Line S is not on Q2 and was a pricing error on the Motability website.
I have ASD and thus have difficulty with social and understanding information, written and verbal. I process information in logical blocks, before I reply. Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong.
I also have a corneal visual condition, which makes me visually impaired without daytime, or daytime bulbs, among other disabilities/conditions.Yup, good summary.
It is not pleasant reading at all.
We try to be positive, but really will not know the true picture until after July.
Maybe this is only the starter. Main course July.
It rather makes one nostalgic for the heady days back when we had:
and
available on the scheme – Q3 2007 if you are interested.
Then came 2011 and the first butchery of the scheme!
Are we currently witnessing the second?
I fully agree with you @wmcforum.
2026 is my 30th consecutive year on the scheme and in all that time, I have never known such a mess. ‘Worry Free Motoring’? They’ve got to be kidding, right? I am able to order in March next year, so a whole year to see how the scheme pans out. I can only hope that all the current panic, butchery & cluelessness at Motability HQ somehow gets sorted out between now and then. VAT being added to advance payments ; 10k per annum mileage allowance ; an extortionate 25p per mile if you exceed that. And as if all that wasn’t bad enough, the choice of vehicles is plummeting while the advance payments are skyrocketing.
I hope that in 12-months time, the powers that be at HQ return to planet Earth in their heads & and sorts this complete sh*tfest out.
Call me a pessimist, but I seriously doubt this is “the low point from which the Scheme will rise”. It feels much more like the beginning of the end for the scheme as we know it. If the VAT changes in July are not offset in some way, leases directly from the showrooms will be very competitive and Motability will become pointless.
Agree @wmcforum
I think this might just be the beginning of the end for many!
I have to agree, I cannot see prices improving especially with the tax changes. I will consider my options in 2028 when my lease expires. Although not affected by the new mileage limits, I am mindful that commercial PCP’s are often as cheap or cheaper than motabilties and they do not have the benefit of VAT free purchases.
I’m glad I ordered the Enyaq Sportline Maxx in Q1. The Kia EV5 GT Line S is not on Q2 and was a pricing error on the Motability website.
£6999
I believe that it is not listed on the official Kia documentation. Here
I believe that it is not listed on the official Kia documentation.
Thanks.
Ive called 3 different dealers who think its a mistake on motability’s side as the kia documentation has the latest prices. But they said to wait a few days to see if it updates for them.
I can order in 18 days time and hope that the mini countryman electric doesn’t get taken off due to being flooded with orders. If it does then it’s the Kia EV3; waiting for the new Q2 AP’s was bad enough, the next 18 days will feel like torture!
Even if only half the participants of this forum who are saying that they are going to leave the scheme at their next renewal do actually go ahead and leave, if you multiply that across the scheme membership that’s a sizeable dent.
Then, of course, there will be another tranche who will most likely be forced off the scheme if the Timms review changes the criteria for access to Motability.
Therefore I fear that we are not yet at the low point. I remember when the scheme had about 5,500 cars. Each time the numbers dropped below 5,000, 4,000, 3,000, 2,000 and 1,000 we speculated that it was probably the low point, yet look where we are now. Sad times.
Even if only half the participants of this forum who are saying that they are going to leave the scheme at their next renewal do actually go ahead and leave, if you multiply that across the scheme mem…
If i didn’t need a boot hoist i would’ve likely never joined the scheme now, i am still paying off the car loan for the old car as i didnt get that much for it. But this car will be my first and only on the scheme. I just wish the scheme instead let you get adaptations for the price you pay here for the scheme directly.
@shaan200 We have to have a person hoist but are still leaving the scheme. I have found that if you negotiate direct with installers you can get adaptations for a lot less than the full prices (pre discounts) that Motability claim that they are. Also, Motability don’t sell or supply used adaptations, so you might be able to get away with having some or all of the hoist transferred over to a private car, which also saves Motability the cost of having to have them removed prior to putting the car to auction.
I’ll see how it goes in 2029, when my next car will be due.
At least I get the current T+Cs with the 60k mileage etc for that duration.I have ASD and thus have difficulty with social and understanding information, written and verbal. I process information in logical blocks, before I reply. Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong.
I also have a corneal visual condition, which makes me visually impaired without daytime, or daytime bulbs, among other disabilities/conditions.@shaan200 We have to have a person hoist but are still leaving the scheme. I have found that if you negotiate direct with installers you can get adaptations for a lot less than the full prices (pre di…
Wait how do you negotiate with them i didnt realise there was room to do that with them?
@shaan200 We have to have a person hoist but are still leaving the scheme. I have found that if you negotiate direct with installers you can get adaptations for a lot less than the full prices (pre di…
Wait how do you negotiate with them i didnt realise there was room to do that with them?
I have to be a bit vague, as I don’t want to get anyone into trouble, but I am dealing with the actual installer, rather than the installation company that they do work for.
Whilst I am not into conspiracy theories, all these changes to the scheme does make me wonder exactly what Motability conceded to the Government during and following the press and social media vilification mid to late last year.
As well as what has been published already (VAT on AP’s and IPT, as well as subsequent mileage reductions, black boxes, tyres on ration etc), I wonder if Motability actually agreed to reduce their customer numbers.
Someone above mentioned the forthcoming Timms review and the prospect of people becoming disenfranchised from using the scheme, If so, the Government will be seen as the villain of the piece amongst the disabled community and organisations.
Or did, amongst the VAT implementation talks, Motability also agree to reduce customer numbers as a proxy for the Government? I.e. the Government tells Motability to reduce customer numbers both to appease ‘the mob’ and not leave the Government with the flak, else the Government would fully tax vehicles etc, or even ‘shine a torch’ into the scheme (either another Public Accounts Select Committee or a Competition & Markers Authority Inquiry etc) with the subsequent bad press about Motability salaries etc.
The easiest (and most surreptitious) way for Motability to reduce customer numbers would be to price a percentage of customers off Motability. Motability then gets the flak from customers instead of the Government. The Government can later claim credit to the ‘mob’ for reducing the numbers using Motability.
Unfortunately, we will probably never find out. No doubt an FOI request to the Government for such information would come back with the usual ‘commercially confidential’ response for not releasing such information. We will probably only find out in thirty years when the papers are released. Unless like the Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash papers they are going to be locked away for a century as they may cause embarrassment for the Government.
Overall, I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing Motability would stoop to in order to ‘save it’s skin’ and protect itself and its very comfortable staff t&c’s. If that includes some dodgy dealings with the Government to help the Government do their dirty work, nothing is off the table. Also, what else might Motability have agreed with the Government that has not come to light yet?
I do feel genuinely worried for those folks who do not have either the means, credit rating or confidence to jump ship from Motability in order to meet their mobility needs.
As I work my way through the stages of grief, firmly stuck at anger presently. Reading your thinking has been something of a light bulb moment.
The ‘bad guys’ for want of a different expression, did pull up the tent pretty quickly considering all that was above the table was VAT on AP’s, a bit of tax on insurance and no more Beemers.
Their argument was based on people abusing the Scheme, delivery drivers in Motability cars, speeding young guns – These can be stamped out with telematics.
I was shocked to read today that Motability numbers are up to 910 000. This is a 50% increase since Covid, if my memory serves me. Reducing the mileage allowance (with the 25p excess) will certainly reduce these numbers.
I guess we will have to wait and see if these measures do the trick.
The fact there are now 50% more users is not down to motability, but successive governments and the DWP who set the criteria for PIP and then try and spin the dialogue to put the blame at motability’s door. Motability being a monopoly wants to do all it can to protect itself and as a result it’s the customer who suffers, very often those who rely on the scheme most of all, those who use the car to commute or live in rural areas. I can imagine the meetings between ministers and Motability being like a scene from Yes Prime Minister! Motability operates much like a commercial leasing company but with the huge advantage of VAT free purchases and without needing to make a profit but even given these huge financial advantages it’s deals are often no better, or poorer than those in the “private sector ” which leaves me wondering who is actually keeping a proper eye on the numbers, why are the offerings such poor value for money and why are staffing costs way over the national average. Finally we are now seeing a much more rigid interpretation of the rules. The days of worry free motoring are coming to an end.
I totally agree with Big Dave
There is nothing that seems to bother the public (especially the Dailly Mail readers) as much as a disabled person or family with a so called free car sitting outside their house at the tax payers expense, which now incites most political parties to apiece these potential voters. No one seems to care as much if you use your pip or equivalent benefit on a holiday, or down the pub or whatever you want to spend it on, rather than on a Motability car, as no one can see what you spend your benefit on or even if you are getting benefit.
The care element is paid out at a higher rate than on the mobility element of the benefit, yet there is no big outcry on that as there is nothing for joe public to see how that benefit is being used.
Motability’s original purpose was set up as an “Independent Body” to look after what the Government bodies considered the mobility restricted disabled and an opportunity for some of the disabled blue Invacar drivers to replace their cars with a normal car. Motability’s current interest as a so called independent body, appears to be to look after the people who run and work for Motability and make the Government look good and responsible to the tax payer (voters) who we all are, as vat brings in over 30% of overall tax and a lot of us will still pay income tax.
Pre WW2 the Nazi’s used to run the equivalent to our Pathe News showing disabled sitting on park benches with the description of “Useless Greedy Mouths” or “Life Not Worthy Of Life”
Sadly it sometimes feels like we are moving in that direction.
Hi everyone,
i hope you are all well despite the severe disappointment in viewing the Q2 price increases.
Like many have always been grateful for the motability scheme which as a double leg amputee has meant that i have remained in the same job for almost 30 years and having a vehicle has been key to remaining mobile to the best of my ability and added to this I am a type 1 diabetic and awaiting a kidney/pancreas transplant as I am also on dialysis twice per week but its not about my conditions its to highlight like many others that regardless of what the press will have the public think the motability scheme is vital and if it is being abused by some then yes go after them but do not penalise the honest recipients and those who genuinely rely on having a motability vehicle and wether that is a fiat 500 or a BMW then if available on the scheme and affordable by the recipient then that should be a choice available .
it is clear Motability are in a quandary as to how best to maintain the scheme but the price increases on the majority of the vehicles available are ridiculous and penalise every honest and genuine recipient of the scheme.
leasing companies will be more than aware of customers views and I hope motability go back to the drawing board and have a good think about the way forward before the scheme collapses completely and motability is no more.
Forgive me as I don’t want it to be all doom and gloom however it is the worst quarter I have witnessed in the 27 years I’ve been using the scheme.
I hope for everyone who uses the scheme and like myself appreciates the lifeline that it is will see some positive announcements and changes in the not so distant future for the scheme but I’m not holding my breath.
Non of us asked to be disabled so why should we be penalised for it.
Please take care everyone.
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