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It feels like I’m moaning a lot today but 3.5k ap for a 1.4 Asra? We had the same model before the BMW we have now and the ap was £250! I et the big payments for premium brands or high spec models but lets face it, if you need a car of the larger variety you’re certainly going tohave to pay for it.
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Good point I guess they all drive very similar too, you don’t see many combo life’s on the road. Well I haven’t and I have a main dealer around 1/2 a mile away. Is that auto or manual you’ve got on order. How long ago did you order it.
There is only one I have seen locally and we have a nearby dealer as well.
It’s the manual we are getting and ordered 5 weeks ago – should get it in at end of September
Just been on the Motability search tool and you get a 1.2 145bhp Astra SRI for £199
That seems pretty cheap.
That’s true @Harry and there’s some decent Astras at £0 AP, but I think the OP was talking about Automatic versions, which are by comparison ridiculously expensive.
In fact it looks as though Motability customers have to fund the whole cost of the auto gearbox over 3 years, which can’t be right or fair.
Auto Transmission prices that hike up in price I think should be looked at, if it’s obviously needed.
the price of auto’s has been debated many times unfortunateley they are more expensive in this country anyway, even bought privately as they have not been popular over here.
so in a sense motability are simply passing the cost along, for those on wpms there is a grant available from veterans its administered by motability and usually is sorted over the phone quite simply you may need to get a form filled but its straightforward and can get you £660 off the ap assuming the ap is over £660.
Looking on the bright side, the switchover to electric cars will mean they are all automatic, no more manuals to drag down the AP’s!
In life, it's not who you know that's important, it's how your wife found out.
Looking on the bright side, the switchover to electric cars will mean they are all automatic, no more manuals to drag down the AP’s!
That Is true Abercol but I think I will more than likely have died of old aged before suitable disabled wise electric cars make there way onto the scheme as I think we will be at the back of a long queue.
One thing hopefully going for us is last week I read about how more and more abled drivers are taking their test in automatics, not massive when compared to manual learners but doubling every year for the pasted 4 years, currently I think it was about a quarter of a million a year against manual at two and half million and this should lead to a very heathy second-hand auto market soon that should filter through to Motability as better resale prices = lower AP’s.
I don’t think lower AP’s are currently on Motability’s radar given the rather ominous forecast on Motability’s FAQ’s page (updated today, 1st September 2020):
However, social distancing and disrupted supply chains from manufacturers mean factories are producing fewer cars than usual which will result in a shortfall of new car supply in the near future. It’s possible that deliveries of some new cars will be delayed. Others may simply not be available for the foreseeable future. And prices of other cars may, sadly, have to rise and this is likely to continue over the coming months.
It has the potential to get worse before it gets better (or should that be ‘if’ it gets better, which I honestly doubt somehow).
We used to look forward to the start of the new Quarter, eager to see what new cars have become available. Now we’re just apprehensive as to which cars have been taken off.
So what do people think about the APs, you guys think theyll carry on getting bigger over the next 18 months?
“It’s possible that deliveries of some new cars will be delayed. Others may simply not be available for the foreseeable future. And prices of other cars may, sadly, have to rise and this is likely to continue over the coming months.”
I think that flys in the face of the current promotions being run by many of the manufacturers from Dacia to BMW.Cash backs, payment holidays and discounts. How come Motability lose out on all these deals then or do they want to keep up their profits margin and Bank a few more millions at the expense of us on the highly inflated APs on some Cars.They are one of the biggest leasing Companies in Europe, they have bargaining power so use it for us ,that’s what you were created for not for huge profits and inflated Executive Salaries.
Outrigger, it’s the same old story, for some reason, motobility couldn’t negotiate their way out of a paper bag. It’s a an entrenched mind set, of being too easy a business, best of working environments for the staff, not wanting to ruffle the feathers of suppliers, it should be a case of brands, bending over backwards to be on the scheme, getting cars out there, making money for the dealers, doing the right thing, for the disabled, but I believe, when the brands hear the word motobility, They just look the other way. It’s a shame, as the scheme is excellent in some service areas, but rubbish in negotiating. Just look back at the jaguar land rover, fiasco, 4 years ago.
So what do people think about the APs, you guys think theyll carry on getting bigger over the next 18 months?
The problem of higher and higher AP’s stretches right back to 2010, when the then chancellor, George Osborne changed the metric used to increase the allowances utilised on the scheme (WPMS/AFIP/DLA/PIP) from RPI to the lower CPI rate.
At first the gap between the two was relatively narrow, hardly noticeable on the AP’s in reality. However, year on year, the gap between how much car prices have increased and the increase in the allowances has widened considerably and is set to get even wider as time marches on.
The only metric which can be altered to cover this gap is the advance payment, which is why they have risen as the allowances have not kept pace with inflation, particularly on vehicles which are an expensive product to start with.
So, in real cash terms, if a £30,000 vehicle rose by say 3% this year it went up by £900. The mobility allowance allowance (I will use WPMS as that is the one I am most familiar with) rose by CPI at last September’s rate, so it only increased by £1.15 per week. That over the course of a 3 year lease is an increase of £179.40. So, it is £720 short of the vehicle’s increase in cost in year one. That is without taking into account inflation on other things Motability include such as tyres, insurance etc. A simple calculation example I know (ie not compunding it for years 2 & 3) but you get the gist I hope
Efficiency savings at Motability and the then ‘buoyant’ second-hand sales margins did mitigate some of this gap, but only to a point. It did allow Motability to increase the Good Condition Bonus for example to £600 (or £700/£900 where leases were extended) for example.
However, in the current economic climate I can hardly see the current Conservative chancellor (who just happens to be my MP!) changing allowance increases upwards to help mitigate the gap.
As to outriggers point regarding the offers running by manufacturers, they are targeted towards ‘discretionary’ customers.
The manufactures know that within a small median, Motability (and other fleet buyers) will buy ‘x’ number of cars from them ‘come what may’ as they have a relatively captive customer base. Thus, why give Motability or other fleet buyers any extra discount – unless they have a model they want to particularly off-load.
What manufacturers are chasing are the ‘discretionary customers’ who probably would not buy a brand-new car in normal circumstances. Put on a brilliant offer and try and change those discretionary customers from ‘not buying’ customers into ‘buying’ customers. Simples!
It is a business tactic that has been exploited by supermarkets and airlines etc for years as it is all ‘extra’ custom (thus profit) over and above their ‘expected’ sales.
As long as Motability makes the profit it’s currently making they have no real incentive to negotiate better deals. They have a monopoly with a captive audience which is never a good situation for the people who use it.
“It’s possible that deliveries of some new cars will be delayed. Others may simply not be available for the foreseeable future. And prices of other cars may, sadly, have to rise and this is likely to continue over the coming months.” I think that flys in the face of the current promotions being run by many of the manufacturers from Dacia to BMW.Cash backs, payment holidays and discounts. How come Motability lose out on all these deals then or do they want to keep up their profits margin and Bank a few more millions at the expense of us on the highly inflated APs on some Cars.They are one of the biggest leasing Companies in Europe, they have bargaining power so use it for us ,that’s what you were created for not for huge profits and inflated Executive Salaries.
Compared to what you would pay for the car not using Motability though is much higher – so not sure what you mean – How much would say a BMW 3 series cost direct from BMW when you include servicing/insurance/road tax as well as your month payment to them?
As long as Motability makes the profit it’s currently making they have no real incentive to negotiate better deals. They have a monopoly with a captive audience which is never a good situation for the people who use it.
This is true.
Car manufacturers will look at the obscene “profits” Motability made during the scandal amid a government enquiry a year or two ago & think “Let Motability use their vast profits/funds to bring the AP down for its users”.
Your on the money there ajn as like myself I had my full licence to drive manual cars taken away by DVLA when I became disabled and rightly so but now have an “automatics only” driving licence and pay dearly for it It seems just slightly unfair to pay more money for the need. I don’t want to come across as ungrateful because it’s a great scheme I’m sure we would all agree. its just if for the obvious reasons of a disability need of an auto other than just preferred. I feel should come into considering for extra cost of auto’s needs over preference.
The auto debate comes up often on this forum but since writing in this thread today I’ve sent an e-mail of to Motability to see if they can see my / our automatic premium injustice we talk about here. That said it was a long e-mail and I signed off with answering the question for them so does not require a reply and taking rox’s point in mind I said and I quote… “I don’t really need you to answers this question because I don’t believe you have one but would be nice if you could pass my concerns about this subject on to the powers that be to see if anything can be done about this injustice before the only cars available on the scheme are four seater electric cars that have just about room in the boot for a walking stick”.
The gun’s have gone quite on this thread and all seems well on the western front.?
Thought I’d just pop back in with what Motability said about my e-mail regards paying extra for automatics when we have to drive automatics through no thought of our own other than being disabled, I also made the point that, yes, there are automatics with £0 AP but none that are suitable for carrying a hoist, assembled pavement scooter and four passengers plus the disabled drive.
Yep the answer was “there are automatic cars with £0 AP” ? but went on to suggest I use the grant system and too their credit they have put a marker on my account so when or if I ring Motability next year when I renew they already have the information at hand for sorting my problem.
Apart from that, as long as the DSG VW Touran remains at its current AP and is still on the scheme come July 21 I would be OK with that otherwise it will be a grant for the automatic I’m afraid.
Call me cynical Chris, but when you ring next year, you will probably get a response such as
‘Sorry, but we have no information about your problem’
and/or ‘There is no marker on your account”
and ‘Whoever you corresponded with has now left the organisation’.
I sincerely hope I am wrong, but it is a case of been there, done that…………. and had to start from scratch all over again!
I had a touran Dsg a few years back and found it amazingly nice to drive and practical.
The latest version is even more practical with better tech.
At least the grant process is really easy and you get a decision within hours normally.
@BigDave yes that’s more than likely as there’s no real way to check your records back other than your email.
@Philjb My current car should have been a Touran SEL but the 2017>18 WLTP change over with the Touran not being VW’s top seller it was at the back of the queue for getting it’s sales ticket and I couldn’t wait 9 months for the delivery.I settled for the KIA Carens in the end with a short delivery time and had I not been lied to by the dealer about the Carens having an Electronic Hand Brake I might have kept this car for 5 years but having the EHB and the way it works with Auto-Hold in the VW’s it makes their cars so easy to drive being a disabled driver and all that.
The KIA Carens was supposed to of had the EHB on the MY19 model but KIA decided to not get the WLTP ticket for that model and stopped making it, hence, another reason to go back to the Touran but at least next time I can bide my time waiting for delivery as the KIA is a suitable car for me other than the EHB and AH that I can live with that for an extra 9 months.
Chrisk
Can you use all 7 seats in the touran
I agree with you I wouldn’t wait 9 months for one or any other car.
It is a shame the touran wasn’t given a proper new model using the new golf platform. I know they say sales of MPV’s slowed down as people want SUV’s but even the Tiguan all space isn’t as practical as the touran.
@Tommy
Hi Tommy, the KIA Carens has a very similar seating layout to the Touran but I don’t use seats 6 and 7 and keep them folded down to allow my pavement scooter to sit in the back without being dismantled.
There was talk last year that the Touran would be updated in 2021 but would be launched with a new name but would still be based on the Golf however I’ve not heard anything since so there probably going to drop it that’s why I hope the current models stick around until the end of next year.
I was offered a Tiguan when I cancelled the Touran in 2018 but I had done little research into that model other than a quick measure of the boot floorspace simply because it was next to the Touran in the showroom but at that time the AP was way above the SEL Touran and from memory the floorspace as with many SUV’s was a couple of inches short for my needs.
The All-Space of course has loads of room but even if the AP on that one was affordable for me I don’t think it will fit on my hardstanding without the nose sticking out onto the public pavement but if the Touran goes I will be back down the dealers for a few hours with my tape measure again.?
The MG5 EV Estate has just launched, Focus sized estate should be very practical for Motability users. 210 mile range.
I think 2021 will be a great year for practical EVs. New Samsung solid state batteries with 5x the energy capacity are due very soon, ceramic batteries with over 10x capacity around 10 years off too. So I think seriously practical EVs are very very close they already have huge EVs in China imho we’re talking 1000 mile range EVs by 2025
This could be a popular choice, Rich. A 210 range is fantastic.
And your info on the future batteries is very interesting. Samsung are certainly one to watch.
My hope is that local authorities get the correct infrastructure in place to support the change. And this includes;– More chargers (and open out of office hours)
– Less different types of adaptors.
– A silly one this, but petrol stations are covered. Why on earth are Charging stations open to the elements? I watch various attempts at using chargers and standing outside trying to plug-in and pay can be extremely difficult. Imagine this in our watery winters! Brrrr.
For sure, if your predictions come true and more chargers come to the rural areas, then I’ll certainly be able to dive in to EV ownership in a few years.
That said, if 200+ ranges are more common place then, then most will be able to rely on home charging for most travels. Plus, by then also, I’d expect fast charging to be more common place to support those who need that extra range.Fingers crossed eh? ?
? I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it ?
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