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Not kind of MB related, but I am thinking of getting an Electric Countryman SE Exclusive for the wife.
This one – https://www.sytner.co.uk/vehicle-details/f68c2a9e-9b18-4a38-9a97-42eae9dbb75a is one of the ones we are looking at with a view to it being the main car should I decide to come off MB in 2028 and I would then get a second hand car.
I know I have to do my own research but what is the general consensus of the Electric Countryman? I know a few of you were seriously considering it.
I received another response from motability I have reviewed the additional questions you have raised. I understand why you want more detail, particularly where these changes affect something as important as your mobility and independence. As set out in my previous correspondence, the changes apply to new vehicle orders placed on or after 1 July 2026. Existing leases are not changing right now. You asked about the figures referenced in Andrew Miller’s published letter, including the estimate of around £300 million a year in additional Scheme costs and the statement that, without changes, lease costs could increase by around £1,100 on average over three years. These figures relate to the overall additional cost of delivering the Scheme and the average impact across renewing leases. They are not intended to be a simple per-customer division of the full Scheme population. The £300 million per year figure reflects the estimated increase in Scheme costs arising from the Government’s tax changes and associated pressures on renewing leases. The £1,100 figure is an average estimate of the cost impact over a three-year lease if no package changes had been made. We have therefore changed parts of the lease package to offset much of that impact and limit the average increase to around £400 over three years. You also asked about increases to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and whether this changes our position. In relation to increases in the mobility allowance over the course of a lease, these are factored into the pricing of the agreement when the lease is taken out. This means that any increases to the mobility component during a three-year lease are already reflected in the lease pricing for a vehicle on the Scheme, and do not change our position on the changes already announced. In relation to whether these changes would be reversed if Government tax policy changed in future, we keep the Scheme under review on an ongoing basis. However, I cannot speculate on future Government decisions or any future Scheme decisions beyond the changes already announced. You asked about customer engagement and whether hearing from more than 100,000 customers is a fair reflection of customer need. We have engaged with customers through surveys, interviews and focus groups over a period of months to understand how the Scheme package can evolve in response to cost and tax changes. With a customer base of more than 890,000, we cannot contact every customer each time, but the engagement was intended to gather a broad range of views and perspectives. I appreciate that you were not contacted directly and that this is a point of frustration for you. In relation to CEO pay, as previously outlined, CEO’s pay is set by an independent committee and reflects the experience needed to run a large, complex organisation such as Motability Operations. I am not able to provide further commentary on individual remuneration decisions, the committee’s internal processes, or comparative personal salary assessments. You also asked what duties justify that level of pay and what evidence supports the increase you referenced. I appreciate you have strong views on this topic. However, my role is to respond to the Scheme changes and how they apply in practice for customers. I am therefore not able to add anything further beyond the position set out above. For the reasons already explained in my earlier responses, our position remains unchanged. We have already provided our final response on this matter. We may not respond to any further correspondence about it.
Basically @Joe, bugger off and stop asking questions as we are not giving you any more answers.
My father in law told me he was due to change after July 1st so I told him to start looking for a new car now as he needs a bigger boot than his current Nissan Leaf for his new Mobility scooter.
He spoke to MB and they agreed to the early termination and the loss of his GCB (loss of £500) and he ordered an EV4 Air at £299 which he took almost immediate delivery of.
Now it has gone up to £1299 so he has lost £500 and the AP of £299 but gained on the AP rise to £1299 so by my Maths he is up £500 and now doesn’t have to worry about the July 1st changes.
The other day when I looked at the Enyaq it had 10 variations with a top AP of £6299 but tonight there are only 7 variations and a top AP of £5299.
Thanks @kezo.
I am in Morriston.
Not stressing but trying to keep my brain active and try to not worry too much about my heart health but I do appreciate your point.
Thanks @Pablo.
I just posted what Co-Pilot said above.
We are in South Wales and she works for Hywel Dda so I believe it is Knowles – at least that where I got the quote from.
I have just put the numbers through Co-Pilot and it reckons that the loss to my wife’s pension makes an NHS lease the worst option –
⭐ Motability is unquestionably the financially better option.
And not by a small margin — by a huge one.
Why?
The NHS lease hits both pension schemes
The 1995 scheme final salary reduction is extremely costly
The 2015 CARE reduction compounds every year
The Enyaq 85x is a high‑value EV, and Motability is exceptionally competitive for EVs
Your AP is a one‑off cost, not a continuous drain
No BIK, no pension loss, no risk
For someone in your wife’s exact pension position, the NHS lease is almost never the better choice.Hi @kezo, I am struggling to find the NHS calculators you spoke of. Please could you provide a link? I am currently in hospital after suffering a suspected heart attack so my head space is not great at the minute.
What I have done so far is go to Knowles Fleet and get a quote from there for a SKODA ENYAQ ESTATE – 210kW 85x Sportline 82kWh 4×4 5dr Auto [Maxx] which is also avaiable on MB for an AP of £6499.
If I am reading the quote correctly, the net salary sacrifice would be
Monthly Net Cost
£477.36
Business Mileage and Fuel Reimbursement after tax
-£128.85
Monthly Cost Inc Tax and Reimbursement
£348.51The same car on MB as I said has a current AP of £6499 and a PiP Benefit cost of 4x£77.08 of £308.32
Therefore if my Maths is correct, we would be worse off by £308.32-£348.51 = £40.19 but we would still have the £6499 in the bank.
Is that correct or am I being daft?
Obviously there are still two years left on my current lease so these figures will certainly change but I just wanted a comparision to see how the NHS leasing stacks up against MB.
Thanks @kezo.
She is a Band 8.
I have 2 years left on my Nissan Ariya Evolve and currently do just under 10K miles a year. My wife has the option of Car leasing through her work (NHS) although I am unsure of the associated costs.
My current plan is to save up around £7.5K for the next AP and I would probably stick with the Ariya Evolve if it returned or look at the Skoda Enyaq.
Would we be better off looking at leasing through the wife’s job or remain on the scheme?
Thanks in advance for any helpful replies.
I had an awful experience with VW Swansea after ordering the car which I ended up cancelling and going with Skoda Swansea instead where the salesman was so good, we ended up buying a new car for the missus as well.
Then we had a Nissan from Swansea and they were excellent and I went back for the Ariya I currently have and my inlaws went there for their Leaf as well.
You are a customer and should be treated with respect and dignity.
As per title, what did you order?
An Enyaq sportline
Best EV on Motability by a country mile..even at its current AP. Had mine since late June and it has been a joy to drive.
I currently have the Nissan Ariya Evolve and it too has been a dream to drive since I got it. In saying that, I am always on the lookout for my next car even though I have 2 years before I can order again and the Evolve is currently not on the list so I am considering other options – one of which is the Skoda Enyaq. I have had a couple of Skodas before – an Octavia many years ago which was a lovely car and a Karoq on MB. I am thinking of the Enyaq 85X Sportline 4×4 with Maxx package and the addition of the Winter Package. The current AP is steep and eye-watering but with 3 years to save for it, it is just about manageable.
What do you like about the Enyaq and what don’t you like?
Just my opinion, Winter Pack – Waste of money, car can be pre-heated (or cooled) so heated front screen not needed. Sunroof – Many reported problems with drains blocking and water leakage as well as badly fitted ones being completely replaced.
If it is something you have never had, you don’t miss it but once you get used to a heated windscreen and the ease of which it clears and a heated steering wheel, you will not want to be without them.
Two things –
1) When we travelled to Cornwall last year, I paid the monthly fee to Ionity for a couple of months and got the charging rate of 53p perKwh. We drove from Swansea and stopped at Cullompton on both journeys to top up. It was busy and we had a little wait but it was fine.
2) I have the Ariya Evolve with the bigger battery and as Mike says, I would nver go back to an ICE car. I absolutely love it.
@menorcamike, looks like 5m or 8m as standard as part of the motability fit. i would need my own cable at my own cost as its so far to the road. will be interesting to see if they will allow me a free one or wether i will need to totally self fund. otherwise it will be granny charger.
When I had mine fitted I went with the 5m cable and found out later it was too short so I bought an extension cable off Amazon (10m) and it works now.
Just a thought about the heated bits and bobs….I have the Ariya EV and the heated bits are great in the cold and wet and frosty conditions. Whack them on and the car windscreen and rear screen defrost themselves and the steering wheel is lovely and warm along with the heated seats.
The wife has a Juke Tekna which has the heated bits apart from the heated steering wheel and when I went out the other morning to get her car warm for her, it was very noticeable how cold the steering wheel felt at -2. I know she put gloves on but some people don’t necessarily like wearing gloves when they drive.
If the car choices are between one with and one without and you are struggling to choose if almost everything else is similar, I would go for the one with the heated steering wheel and bits every time.
I seriously think you need to be speaking to the Service manager at your dealer or even the Dealer principle about this. I had a couple of issues with stop/start and my AC with my Qashqai and once the service manager was involved things moved a lot more quickly and they got the issue sorted out. Had they not been able to solve it, they even offered me an early move to a new car.
Not had that issue in my Ariya but I did experience it on a 24 hour Test Drive with a Toyota BZ4x and fortunately my son in law had a booster pack that got the damn thing started.
As far as I can tell and also based on previous 24 hour test drives I have had, I think it might be a max of 500 miles but as it is an electric car, it could well have no max.
Thank you for all advice. Have a lot to think and research.
My inlaws had the Niro which I really did not like as it had a weird foot/handbrake – had to be seen to be believed. No idea though if the EV Niro has a similar set up though. I think the boot space was decent.
For your needs I think the Puma will be too small boot wise.
I have a Nissan Ariya and my scooter fits in the boot along with the grandkids pram.
@des re the travel insurance – did you price an annual multi trip or single trip as the annual multi trip can be cheaper.
My wife and I have health issues and we got a multi trip cover for the pair of us including cruise cover for under £600. That was with Saga.
