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Tune in again at the same time tomorrow when I will be discussing such fun topics as; How easy/difficult is seat adjustment and the ability to get a comfortable driving position in a particular car.
It’s interesting, so I will be waiting for the next instalment tomorrow, and yes, I am serious.
Pirots there are some cracking cars on your list, cars that most people would be delighted with. What specifically would you like to see on the scheme?
The Honda CRV hybrid would be a nice start, or the BMW 2 series hybrid, or maybe the return of the Volvo XC60, or maybe even a petrol version Tiguan, because a diesel with a DPF would be useless.
If I do a search on the Motability site with the following criteria this is how many cars I have a choice of.
SUV, because these are generally the only cars that are taller.
Automatic.
Petrol, Hybrid – petrol, plug in hybrid petrol.
5 seats.
5 doors.
40 upwards MPG. How many of these cars would actually do at least 40 mpg.
I get a choice of 15 cars (I have not included the various variants of the same model). If I start discounting the various cars that are not suitable because they are not high enough, or the seats don’t have lumbar support etc, or the AP is too high, especially when I have added options that I need, my choice is so limited, that it’s not worth getting a car on the scheme at the moment.
Cars that the search comes up with.
Suzuki Vitara, Mini Countryman, Mercedes Gla, Jeep Renegade, Hyundai Tucson, Renault Kadjar, Bmw X2, Peugeot 3008, Toyota Rav 4, Citroen c5 Aircross, Skoda Kodiaq, Skoda Karoq, Mazda CX5, DS 7 Crossback, Mitsubushi Outlander.
If I change the criteria and take out MPG because I can’t afford to run a car that doesn’t do much mpg, and I don’t care about global warming. Then I get an extra 6 cars to choice from.
Ford Kuga, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Jeep Compass, Kia Sportage, Honda CRV, Volvo XC40.
So come on Motability where is my choice. I am not talking about a choice of a fancy sports car or anything that the Daily Mail says we get. I am talking about where is my choice of a car that I need to help with my disability. The scheme is supposed to be in place to help the disabled but the scheme is broken. I bet the high up managers at Motability get a far better choice of company car than the people who the scheme is supposed to serve get, and I bet they don’t have disabilities.
Does it have the CVT box? If it does then walk away. If it is EDC dual clutch then no issues. I drive a kadjar 1.5 EDC auto diesel and find it good. Pity about penny pinching.
I read a lot of negative stuff about the CVT box, but from my experience driving my wife’s Honda Jazz, they are fine. I am comparing it to Audi’s DSG and Porsche’s PDK boxes. Maybe they are not the greatest auto box you can get, but discounting the car completely is a bit much imo.
There seems a lot of cars on the scheme but when you narrow it down to your needs the choice isn’t as much as you would think.
My needs are
I need a tall car to make getting in and out easier.
I need an automatic to make it easier to drive.
I need a petrol or electric or hybrid version because the car is mainly used around town.
I need a larger car for wheelchair etc but not too big because i need to park it.
I need it to be as frugal as possible.
I need it to be a good spec. Parking sensors front and rear, and if possible a birds eye camera because with a disability and etra assistance is a help.
I did not request an assessment at home, but I had one. I assumed it was because the assessor only lived a few miles away.
My experience with VW dealers as a cash buyer is the same.
My wife wanted to test drive a Golf DSG, so I rang the dealer and arranged it, Went to the dealers and they only had a manual available, so she drove it, but did not know if she wanted one or not because she wanted to try an auto. So I spoke to the head sales guy, explaining that I was disappointed that we had arranged to drive an auto blah blah, he said he would arrange to have one brought to my house the following day (we did not live too far from the dealer). Waited all day, no Golf, called dealer who just apologised. Sent a letter to dealer and VW UK, explaining the above. Got a call from dealer who apologised profusely and offered me a full tank of petrol for my car as an apology. I said, no thanks, and said if that was the kind of service I could expect before I bought the car, I dread to think of what the service would be like after I had handed over the cash, so I would not be buying a VW.
My wife test drove quite a few cars and VW were the only ones who disappointed.
Always been a bit of a petrol head owning bikes and cars
Bikes
Garelli 50 owned as a tennager going around field etc
Yamaha YZF750 x2
Honda Fireblade x2
Honda fireblade
Ducati 1299 (dealer delivered it on the Friday sold it on the Sunday)
Alfa Romeo Alfasud TI (loved these cars and had a few, never had any trouble with them)
XR3
XR3I
Lancia Beta coupe (quite a few of them)
Lancia Beta HPI
Lancia Beta Spyder x2
Vauxhall Astravan SE150 (I was building my own house at the time)
AUDI TT (first new car, Mum died suddenly and at a young age 54. so I decided you can’t take it with you. So I ordered one when they first came out)
Bmw 330 CI conv
MK2 Audi TT 3.2
Porsche 911 Carerra S (same buzz I got from bikes)
Porsche 911 991.1 Carrera S
Lancia Integrale Evo 2
There were lots more in between but these are the ones I kept for more that 12 months. My dad was a car trader and I worked for him for a few years when I left school, so insurance was never a problem. I bought a lot of cars to sell on in those days.
The Ducati. I had been having some problems with my legs not doing what they were supposed to do. I got the Ducati and went for a ride on the first dry day after i got it, which was the Sunday. I hated it, I was worried about dropping the bike everytime I came to a stop, because my legs would not go down quick enough, that’s why I put it for sale including my leathers, helmet boots etc as soon as I came home. I reluctantly realised no matter how much I wanted to remain a biker, my body was not up to it.
The 911 was my last daily driver, I was still working so I was using it everyday, but then I had to give up work so it ended up just sitting in the garage doing nothing, so I sold it.
The integrale was bought because I always wanted one and it was to be a garage queen, sitting in a dehumidified chamber, and because no matter how long it sat in the garage it was just going up in value. I kept it for 18 months and made a nice profit. I got sick of having to move around it in the garage so i sold it, but I wish I had not because it was a fantastic example of the legend, and I only ever got positive attention when I drove it. The Porsche were mainly not very positive attention, wanker as a drove past. people shouting rich bastard etc. I was brought up in a 2 up 2 down with an outside toilet about 50 metres at the end of the garden. No central heating, a geezer on the wall for hot water and a bath in front of the coal fire on a Sunday. This is when everyone else in school lived in houses with central heating and indoor toilets, and I was being called a rich bastard.
Now I am 54 and I rarely drive.
Well I can get the 10K but only have one twice embolised kidney left.
Another example of the disabled being penalised.
You would think motobility would want as many EV cars on the scheme as possible because it would look good for them, and they would be very popular with us, and we would be doing something for the planet.
Maybe they might make an exception for the Tesla 3 because it’s not that far away from the cap. Although when you look at the AP on the ZOE the Tesla’s would probably be 10k and a kidney.
