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Brexit deal reached apparently so hopefully AP’s shouldn’t be too bad
Well it would be one less excuse to increase them, but I’ve never been convinced that a deal or no deal scenario would impact AP’s from 1st Jan, especially as they will have probably established all the AP’s by now anyway. It would just be far too early to be able to establish what impact the Brexit outcome would have on prices, given that many tariffs might be offset in part by manufacturers/ dealers accepting lower margins to maintain market share. I would think that it would take until Q2 for the full effects to have washed through to AP’s. I predict that, deal or no deal, a lot of AP’s will go up, some considerably and there will be some pleasant surprises the other way. Ideally, I’d like to see some new cars added and a rise in the price caps, which are overdue, but I have learned to manage my expectations!
Well I am amazed that people have been able to change their car due to poor mpg only. I can’t remember the last car that I had that delivered anything like the advertised mpg and it would never occur to me to request a change for that reason. Perhaps I won’t spend as much time stressing over which car to get in future. If I don’t like it I will say that the mpg isn’t anywhere near what’s advertised and get a different one ? Makes me wonder if a load of people who order hybrids, believing the ludicrous mpg figures quoted, do this? I’ve seen cars shown as over 100mpg that actually return about one-third of that according to real world road tests. On a serious note though, given that Motability don’t recycle used cars within the scheme, any cars returned early must incur them a big loss. Helps explain the high AP’s that we all complain about, as these costs have to be recouped somehow. It may also explain why we are being increasingly restricted to smaller and smaller (more fuel efficient) engines. I wonder if they would let me change if I called them and said that the car was underpowered? I would find that more irritating to live with than poor mpg ?
Tiguan 190hp has averaged me 31mpg in 15,000 miles. My previous golf was 50mpg! This thing drinks let me tell you!
Is that the petrol one Moreton5? We have a Diesel Tiguan SEL 190PS 4Motion DSG Auto and have averaged 39mpg over almost 30k miles.
I remember when BMW came out with their system and all the journalists hated it. Now it’s the bees knees. Lol
I remember that too! It was the original iDrive in the 7 Series. As you say, they slated it. I never understood why, as I thought it was great but the latest system is brilliant. From my experience, the Audi system is a very close second, which is a surprise given how bad the VW system is!
Of course, none of us know, we can only speculate. Anything dealers say is usually BS. They generally find out what’s going on after we do! They are rarely privy to any advanced information in so far as Motability is concerned. We have obviously been warmed up to expect AP increases / less choice etc due to a potential no deal Brexit, but I think if that does come to pass it will be short term. I suspect we will end up with some sort of deal at a minute to midnight, but if we don’t car manufacturers will have to absorb some of the tariffs themselves to remain competitive and that’s before you get to sales incentives etc.
The AP’s we pay don’t just cover the costs of the car (over and above sacrificed benefits). Motability Operations make a sizeable profit on each and every car that they lease. It won’t be in their interest to drive a lot of us away from the scheme as their profits will fall. Keep in mind that for every single Motability customer there are two others who are eligible to join the scheme but don’t, either because they want the £10k sacrificed benefits every 3 years for themselves or choose to fund their own car (which doesn’t have to be a brand new one).
We are due to change at the end of Q1 so will see what the quarter brings. I wouldn’t be surprised if the list is a bit late being released and we may see far more ‘mid quarter’ changes than we are used to. If the list disappoints we may extend the lease on our current car or exit the scheme and go private. Time will tell.
I have changed cars due to MPG reasons with motability on the xc60 so it can be done. The vehicle is meant to help keep you mobile if it doesn’t it sort of defeats the objective. Im my case I could afford the costs but it was ridiculous and this was explained to motability and a change was agreed without have to pay the fee.
I’m pleased for you, but surprised. If a few people did what you did it might go some way to explaining why cars like that are no longer on the scheme and why we are left with mostly small / underpowered SUV’s – but at least the mpg is good ?
There are already SUVs of the size of the XC60 and X3. seat tarraco Sk9da Kodiaq VW Tiguan Allsopace. All of these have the biggest boots on that seguement of cars and are easily better specified than any similar sized Volvos, Audis Mercedes abd BMWs.
That’s true, but neither the Seat or Škoda appeal and the Tiguan Allspace boot is impractical for us as the 3rd row seats (that we don’t need) don’t fold flush into the boot floor, so make a very uneven load area.
I do wish they offered the new xc60, I ordered mine the month it came off the scheme. I terminated my GTD early for it plus I was expecting another child so needed a bit more space. If motability are reading, can we have the xc60, x3 or similar please. We can only dream!!
The BMW X3 would be perfect for us, but I’d take a Volvo XC60, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLB or Discovery Sport for that matter. Given the popularity of SUV’s these days, particularly among those with disabilities, it’s a shame that we are restricted to mostly small SUV’s. I’d happily pay a higher AP than the current caps in order to get something that better suits our needs. It would be nice to have room in the boot for something other than my wife’s wheelchair!
Just read on another thread that the Volvo xc40 is returning 27mpg on mixed journeys, volvo specification quotes 39mpg on the B4 engine. If your car is returning drastically fewer mpg than quoted so much so that you are struggling to run the car, would they let you change?
My view would be that poor mpg wouldn’t justify a change Brydo. It is well known that the mpg figures stated by manufacturers are rarely achievable in the real world and sources like Honest John will reveal more realistic mpg figures, plus some research from road tests and existing owners – all easy to do in the internet age.
The added factor is that we have all become used to the economy figures from diesels and until the last few years nobody in their right mind bought an SUV with a petrol engine. Now, with the awareness of the negative environmental aspects of diesels, plus the Motability pricing of AP’s, which is penalising diesel models, we are all being pushed towards petrol SUV’s. By the nature of their design, SUV’s are inherently poor for fuel economy, so add a petrol engine into the mix and you won’t be looking at cheap running costs. We are facing the same dilemma when we change.
I knew that SUV’s had increased massively in popularity in recent years and having had them for many years I can see why, but I had no idea that they were up to 40% market share. I don’t think that you can conclude anything from any figures relating to 2020 though. The motor industry has been so heavily disrupted, more so than most industries, that the figures are all over the place. Also, Electric SUV’s are a bit behind electric cars in the development curve, so any distortion from that will no doubt level out over the coming years.
Didn’t know it was that kind of price – although not the sort of car I’m interested in so not looked at them. Thought it was a small SUV.
The XC40 IS a small SUV Alan, but small SUV’s are getting very expensive these days! Have to say that we wouldn’t be without heated seats now. Leather is horrible in the winter without heated seats but, as we are so used to them now and use them throughout the winter and beyond, we would want them even with cloth seats. A few years ago they seemed to be standard on any premium brand car, but manufacturers now seem to be adopting the crafty trick of ‘bundling’ several features into ‘option packs’. These can be great value if you would have wanted to add all those options, but are a very expensive way of getting one feature when, to get it, you are forced to pay for added features that are of no use to you.
Thanks Shaine. Much appreciated. Those dimensions make me think that my wife’s wheelchair might just fit, if I can wiggle it a bit to get around the narrower opening. I shall find out for sure when we venture out to dealerships in the New Year (if we are allowed to)! Those seats look very comfortable. Brave choice with the red leather. I like it.
I will kick this off with the first bit of actual info then!
It looks as though the face lifted VW Tiguan will have a couple of tasty additions to the scheme in Q1, as soon as the 2.0 petrol engine becomes available in the U.K.
2.0TSi 190PS Petrol 4Motion (4WD) DSG (Auto) in both Elegance and R-Line trims.
More powerful than the 150PS 1.5 variant and with the added benefit of 4 wheel drive, but obviously MPG will be lower as a result (official figures not published yet).
The original intention was that the Elegance was going to be £2,499 which is good value considering the performance and equipment level and makes the diesels look very overpriced unless you do high mileage. I didn’t write down the R-Line price as it’s no longer of interest now that a load of kit has been removed from it but, from memory, it was a bit more. Motability order numbers already showing in the second Q4 price list issued end Oct (link below) but AP’s TBA.
Looks great Shaine.
Brydo – weren’t you due to get yours today as well?
Sorry not had much time today to play with new car. Will update more tomorrow but here it is..
Nice wheels Shaine. I hope that you like cleaning cars ?
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Thanks Glos Guy, I think it’s the VIN and order number that I’ve been getting confused which explains a lot. I have paid 1 of the packs so would this be non refundable if I decided to go elsewhere? It’s quite bad that customers aren’t given the order number when they request it.</p> Would the extra month wait added to my estimated collection time be due to them not having enough slots allocated or simply due to covid? I have been emailing the dealership fortnightly but I’m aware now that I have been asking for the wrong information so il see if they have an order number yet. Massive Thankyou for your help
You will never know the true reason for the delay now, especially if the dealer sat on your order for a while (as many do). Car dealers and the truth sadly don’t go hand in hand! The key is to get your order number and track it. You might have a bit of a battle getting the deposit back (if you cancel) but I’m sure you would get it if you stood your ground. Good luck. Delays waiting for new cars are always infuriating, but BMW’s are well worth waiting for.
Well, after a long thought about it and discussion with my dealer, I have pulled the trigger I went for an in stock Skoda Superb 150ps DSG estate in Quartz Grey. dealer gas confirmed that if the PHEV comes on in Q1 I can cancel abd reorder, but he very much doubts it. car shoukd be ready second week in January
Well done Southamman. A great car – Superb in name and nature – and looks very nice in grey. Nice that you have the option to change as well, so sounds like a win-win to me.
Thanks for everyone’s help i ordered the X1. I contacted bmw after querying things with motability and have been informed it is not yet in production which I expected under the current conditions. I thought there was a live chat option on the website but I haven’t been able to find it anywhere, I have been quite confused and anxious about it all as I’m new to the scheme. How or when would I be able to track the vehicle production status please?
Hi Lou. You have already received a lot of great advice from others, so I won’t repeat it all again, but it’s not a VIN number you want, it’s an order number. It’s been over 5 years since I last ordered a new BMW, but their order tracking wasn’t great back then. Hopefully it has improved.
The reason it’s always important to get an order number is that many dealers don’t actually order the car for a month, or sometimes a few months, after you think you have ordered it. Dealers have build allocations per model each month or quarter and will not willingly tell you if they have used up all of their allocations, as they don’t want you to go elsewhere. VW dealers are terrible with this. I always ask about where they are versus their build allocations when I consider placing an order and then chase them relentlessly until they give me an order number, as only then am I convinced that they’ve actually placed the order with the manufacturer!
You are where you are with the deposit. I find that dealers often want optional extras paid up front, as that’s where they are ‘at risk’ if the customer subsequently pulls out but, as with everything, it’s a negotiation.
I too am thinking about buying my current 5 year old Volvo V70 D3 Business Edition with 35k miles and have been offered it for £10,450 PLUS I will receive the full £900 good condition bonus so it ends up at £9,550. Can’t find anything comparable in that price range! It’s a bit sparse tho plus an insurance quote of over £800 a year has made me pause (that quote is from Fish Insurance who specialise in disabled drivers, I’m a paralysed driver using hand-controls etc). I need a big estate so I’m looking at a new Skoda Superb, AP is £2,095 . . . . . might be tempted
Hi Doogie. I like the V70 a lot. I had one of its predecessors (850) many years ago and it was excellent. The V70 would suit us perfectly but sadly not on the scheme! Keep in mind though that the true price for you to buy it is £10,450 and not £9,550 because you will still get that £900 GCB whether you buy your current car, leave the scheme and buy one yourself or stay in the scheme. The Skoda Superb is also cavernous, so either way you will end up with a very versatile car.
Hi BigDave. We will have to agree to disagree! I was not talking about CEO roles. The issue of Mike Betts has been done to death and I agree his successor won’t be on the same package. CEO salaries always get all the commentary but are often a red herring in my view, as they are one person. I am talking about the perks and benefits offered to all employees.
I agree with the salary range you quote as that fits with the person I know. However, they are at the very top end of that, still very young and not a graduate. My daughter, on the other hand, has a first class honours degree and earns 20% less and she is in a technical role! Most of her peers from Uni are currently earning less than her or unemployed. They would all kill for the sort of package offered by Motability Operations!
I further agree that defined benefit (DB) pensions are not as valuable as they once were, but they still remain significantly better than any defined contribution scheme, the latter of which is now the norm in the private sector. DB schemes were ceased in the vast majority of private sector companies years ago. In fact, in 2018, 85% of remaining DB schemes were all in the public sector. I suspect that’s closer to 90% by now.
Not that Motability Operations is a charity, although I feel that they should operate more like one, but it’s a myth that loads of charity CEO’s are paid a fortune. Exceptions can be found in any sector, but the vast majority of CEO’s of household name charities are paid between £100-150k. Many will say that’s a very good salary, but it’s absolutely nothing compared to the likes of Motability Operations, but, as I say, CEO salaries are a red herring as it’s one person and that’s not my point.
I have no idea what other government appointed organisations pay, so bow to your knowledge on that one, but two wrongs don’t make a right and I maintain my point that the big differences here are that Motability Operations are funded by disabled people’s benefits and they are a pure monopoly. That just seems wrong on so many levels to me but, as I say, we will have to agree to disagree! In terms of balance, though, I would concede that the service that they operate is excellent and I have never spoken to anyone there who has been anything other than extremely polite and helpful. Whilst I feel that they could offer better value for money, I would feel a lot worse if I felt that they operated the business model that they did but offered poor service!
Glos Guy I agree, up until this time, the price we were quoted was high. However they quoted us £11,800 for our five year old xc60 with 40,000 miles on the clock and here on the west of Scotland dealer prices for same car we’re all over £14,000. I was tempted to buy it and sell it on but in the end I couldn’t be bothered.
Yes I agree, that does sound reasonable. Obviously you could have probably haggled a £14k car at a dealer down to £13k and it would have had a decent warranty, but hopefully they have learned their lesson as the prices that they have always quoted me have been laughable and they wouldn’t get £11,800 at an auction.
[/quote] In theory in an ideal world yes I would love them to reduce the AP, but in reality it never going to happen.[/quote]
Agreed. For as long as they have a Monopoly we haven’t got a hope. It’s a shame that all that the Commons Select Committee review into Motability resulted in was improved Good Condition Bonuses. I would have liked to have seen the Motability market open up to competition, or an insistence that they reduced AP’s so that they didn’t profit so much from each lease.
I’m sorry good guy, but I don’t agree with your comments whatsoever. It is the duty of all owners and senior officers of private companies to keep a company in profit, failure to do so means they can and are prosecuted by the government. MOtability Operations is a Private company, not owned by the government, again, please see what local government senior officers are paid and the still final salary pensions in the local government base. Motability Operations would not have been in existence if private funds had not been supplied by the shareholders to seed the scheme, certainly the amount of money coming in from the DWP which will be after the fact of purchasing and supplying the car, covering the insurance and servicing costs. im not sure what industry you work 8n, but Motability works within the same financial costs as many manufacturers I deal with. If it can be done cheaper and at lower cost by another lease company,why hasn’t it?
We could just go around in circles here, and already are, but your first statement is just plain wrong I’m afraid and cannot be left unchallenged. No company is under a legal obligation to make a profit, nor are they fined for not making a profit. That’s just complete nonsense. You are also arguing with yourself. You now admit that Motability Operations are a private company, yet you claim that they should pay in line with the public sector – a completely different sector altogether. You further argue with yourself by saying in your first post that they should face completion (which I agree with) yet in your follow up post ask why no one else offers a better deal. It’s because they can’t as Motability Operations has a monopoly!
Motability Operation offer vehicle to a high risk group, no other Lease companies would offer the majority of us vehicle lease on the same terms. I probably see thing different to others the fact they have excellent perks and packages and all the bits in between to me is irrelevant, I am only interested in the bottom line of the spread sheet ‘how much’. Look at the scheme from a positive side, no credit checks, no awkward disability insurance question, free service and tyre, RAC mobility recovery and a £600 good condition bonus to name a few.
My point is though that none of that needs to change. They could continue to offer all of that, but at lower AP’s.
Hi Glos Guy, I think you’ll be really tight and it’s a definite check before you order. I’ve measured the boot on mine and the depth taking into account of the lean on the back seats 20cm from the boot floor is 79cm. The width at the narrowest point of the opening is 103cm, as it is at the narrowest part of the boot floor (as the wheel arches intrude). Once you go up 20cm the width goes to 108cm. Bear in mind these aren’t exact measurements but will be pretty close. If it does fit it looks like it’ll be a squeeze
. I hope it does as the car is really awesome. For all of you waiting, it’s worth the wait I promise you 
.Thanks that’s very helpful. As you say, we will need to check it ourselves to be sure and I am fully expecting it to be too small for us. Thankfully the XC40 isn’t top of our list, but it remains on the shortlist until we have to rule it out for sure, as it is a quality car.
