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I have followed prices on Motability for many years now and there does sometimes seem to be a lack of logic. There are many factors which can affect prices including any particular manufacturers desire to shift certain models or restrict them as well as the usual projected resale values, insurance, service costs etc. Brexit could be a factor depending what happens but is a topic not for this thread. If you find a dealer who will match a price fall, ask for it in writing.
I have only had mine for one day, but first impressions are positive. Changing from an awfully unreliable X1 I did have concerns going from a so-called premium badge to a mainstream but these were unfounded. In the main the Tucson is a better car, a higher driving position, far better equipment levels with just about all the safety kit you could ask for and quieter with far less road noise and a smoother ride even on 19″ wheels. The seats are more comfortable with electric adjustment, ventilation for the front as well as heating on front and rear and a heated wheel. Sunroof, premium sound system, keyless entry & smart boot and ACC round off all the pro’s. In fairness to BMW, their iDrive and Nav System is the best on the market and the X1 was a bit quicker and less thirsty and its interior just edges the Tuscon. Nice to have a dealer who kept to their promised delivery date and did not try and register it on a 68 plate.
I did consider a Tucson last year but the fuel economy put me off. Now we have WLTP and after consulting the EQUA website my fears were allayed.
As the “owner” of a new Tucson I have to say, in terms of looks and in my opinion, it blows the Sportage away. I was not keen on the latter’s looks, higher AP and thirstier 4WD, so in the end it became an easy choice. I do miss the iDrive from my X1 but that’s about all. I have averaged 35.6mpg today in the 1.6T-GDi so I am hoping for something in the high thirties. I believe 3 year residuals are amongst the best in the compact SUV sector too.
I have to agree with JS, as picking up mine tomorrow. Congrats Mick. I would take as many test drives as possible. I don’t know how long you wish to wait for a car? Hyundai and Kia can supply new cars in as little as 2 weeks. Some manufacturers are still quoting 3-6 months. his may not be an issue but is a good question to ask and always take the longest delivery time.
We are fortunate we lease through Motability. I can imagine the stress and whole host of obsticles we would face if leading privately or in the event of a purchase. I cannot see many adopting the customer first approach of motability.
My previous 3 cars were all silver, hardly showed any dirt, current is metallic white and a nightmare even with G3 Gencoat.
I am returning my car (a BMW) due to problems with the DCT gearbox which were not know at the time and have hardly featured at all in the motoring press as fault’s appear few and far between. When I selected my replacement car I steered clear of all VAG 1.5tsi’s as a consequence of a poor test drive experience last year and the adverse publicity about this engine. It was a bad enough experience with my current car and I certainly did not wish to entertain the prospect of a new car with question marks over it’s engine.
Hi.
I would recommend that you speak to Motability and they will explain the options available to you.
They will normally allow you to terminate the lease early if there is an issue or issues with the car and your’s certainly appears to fall into that category. What normally happens is a pro-rata refund for any advance payment is issued around 7 days after the car is returned to them and any future DLA/PIP payments would be paid to you until such time you have chosen a new car (unless you choose to keep the current one until the new one is ready). There is a £250 early termination fee which can be reduced or waived and often is but there is no good condition bonus. Please bear in mind a minimum of 12 months award is needed to order a new Motability car.
I don’t believe you will be able to claim back any past payments/deposit as Motability will say you have had the benefit of the car.
A very decent range which is reflective of the advances being made and indicative of the opportunities available to the UK going forward.
As a former banker (apologies) I am not sure if the maths would stack up over 5 years? Two huge benefits Motability gain from are big discounts and VAT free purchases. These are significant when it comes to depreciation. A brand new Octavia with a list price of £25000 would set Motability back just £14000 after discounts VAT and AP from the customer. Its market value at purchase is probably £20k and after 3 years £11k, but perhaps nearer £8k after 5 years. This extra £3k together with insurance, servicing, tyres, RAC etc., plus the greater possibility of repairs (out of warranty) could well work out as or more expensive than a 3 year lease? This is one reason Motability are relaxed about early lease terminations, they often make a profit.
I have spoken about the price cap and I want, as I suspect most do, the best choice of cars at the best prices. I believe the abolition of a price cap could lead to the opposite. When Motability introduced the current caps a few years ago I imagine they had come under pressure to do so by government, given “bad” publicity with the treasury only too willing to point out the tax benefits Motability receive. We, as a group, are pro Motability and our posts generally reflect that. Equally there are other forums and newspapers whose members and readers have a diametrically opposed view and will do all they can to promote their cause.
So lets assume Motability abolish the price and BHP cap’s and cars like the BMW 140i, E class Mercedes, Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 etc. start to appear. Even with massive AP’s you can probably imagine some of the headlines that taxpayers are paying for these high end vehicles. This may well not be true, in the main, but politics being politics, does the truth really matter that much? What could then follow is a huge can of worms being opened, the treasury questioning if their VAT and IPT relief is being used properly, and heaven forbid, politicians taking a far more hands on approach with Motability with even more restrictive cap’s in place. Just my thinking, trying to take into account the views of all interested parties, not just ours.
Having said the current cap is there or thereabouts, I think there is a case for a modest upward movement and, if logistically possible, inclusion of certain larger vehicles where these meet the need of the individual although this may be difficult in practice.
Where I believe Motability is missing a trick is in respect of optional extras. These are paid for in full by the customer yet at the end of the lease neither Motability or the customer benefits from any enhanced residual value. The beneficiary is the buying dealer who could end up with thousands of pounds of extra’s. If Motability reflected these extra’s in the price they require then in theory their income stream would increase and they could reflect this in lower AP’s. with 200 000 cars a year being sold on this way, an extra £100 a car is £20m.
One thing perhaps we may agree on is there is very little likelihood of the caps being either raised substantially or removed, certainly in the foreseeable future.
I’m a fan of Chelsea, certainly not the Mail, but I am a realist. If we suddenly had £60 or £70k cars on the scheme, questions would follow and there are many who would argue Motability should lose some of its tax benefits, without which the scheme would become unaffordable for many.
Hi Brydo. Very few people know I have a Motability car. I think Motability have drawn a sensible cut off point which gives rise to a good selection of vehicles. At £40k rrp including extras, cars become liable for a higher rate of tax ( for those liable) so a £35k ceiling for a “base price” exclusive of extras seems reasonable. As with everything in life it’s always those with the least who suffer most. I understand the majority of cars are leased with Nil or a small AP and I suspect Motability’s prime focus is on this group. Fully accept there will be a wide range of opinions.
Agree there should be a cap. I think it’s about right. Motability are concerned, quite rightly in my opinion, about public perception and in particular the government and treasury who provide it with favourable taxation arrangements. If the consequences of an unlimited price cap resulted in the withdrawal or re-evaluation of these it would be those with the least who would suffer.
What does need to borne in mind are the tax benefits Motability receive due to it’s charitable status, notably IPT and VAT reliefs, without which the scheme would be unaffordable for many. I believe the current caps/limits/BHP are probably about right.
I considered the old RAV4, looks weren’t great but Toyota have produced a cracking new one, lets hope it makes its way on the scheme.
Cvt’s tend to rev and whine and are an acquired taste. The bmw dct is even worse,occasional loss of power in 1st gear.
I recall last year that many of the cars advertised on Motabiliy were not available in reality. This time around I started out by calling local dealers before test drives. Very frustrating.
6 months old. On going problems with power loss make the car awful to drive and potentially dangerous. Am changing car early. Will be glad to see it go.
