Motability cars

[SallyBear]

Now that we've been awarded DLA HR Mob (still pinching myself about it!), we have the option to consider a Motability Car. Anyone else contemplating this too, or have taken the plunge already and got one? Any feedback from MNs, please!!

We are on Motability car number 4. 3 standard people carriers and now a Wheelchair adapted vehicle. We had no choice really - it was the only way we could afford the size of vehicle we needed to take DD's wheelchair and our latest WAV has been a godsend.
We have always found the scheme to be fantastic and uncomplicated. There have in fact been many improvements to the scheme over the years we have been using it eg increased mileage, tax discs sent directly to you.
We got our 1st car as soon as DD qualified, so we never really had the monthly money in our pockets, so never really missed it.
Never have to worry about insurance, servicing, repairs or tyres - its all paid for in the price of the HR Mobility money.
Works for us!!!

And let me guess, you drive a big blue bus! So do I!! How funny
I am very tempted. We have the HR Mob for 4 years, and my current bus is 5 years old. Thanks for the vote of confidence, it's good to hear other opinions about it.

Sorry to disappoint Sally but its actually black!!!! The 1st 2 were blue, but that was before my MN days.

Ds recently got HR mobility but I'm worried about having a motobility car with all this talk of DLA etc being changed. If ds is suddenly deemed to be no longer eligible under any new scheme then they will just take the car off us won't they? I can't manage without a car and wouldn't be able to just magic up money to buy one so we are sticking with our old banger until it gives up the ghost by which time we will hopefully have saved some money to buy something else. Luckily we don't need an adapted car, just one with a big boot. Has anyone else thought this or am I worrying for nothing? I suppose like Sallybear I can't quite believe ds has finally got HR and I keep thinking someone will discover their mistake and get the sack.

Hi Pixel. I came across this website the other day
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/

If you go onto it and click on Personal Independence Payments, you can do a mini self-assessment as to what level you would be awarded under the new system. It is only a rough guide and is obviously designed for adults (as they haven't decided to switch children to PIP yet) but it might give you an idea an hopefully allay any fears you may have.

Whatever sysytem they introduce, I am certain that my DD will get highest rate as her disabilities are so severe, but sadly I know that there are many who will be boderline in the assessment and lose out.

What worries me is that as DS3 is very Autistic and a danger to himself unsupervised, what will happen to the car when the DWP decide that this is no longer a reason for HR Mob. Will they take the car away? We have the award until 2016. I worry that as my DH is a company car driver and I take on a motability lease we wouldn't have a car in the event of redundancy and DLA bring removed. Maybe I'm just being overly cautious and I should just stick my neck out and go for it! It's certainly an attractive proposition!

Sally. How old is your DS or should I say how old will he be in 2016 when the award expires?

Pixel - we decided not to go for a motability car either. Like you I just need a car with a big boot! Having done some sums, based on the low mileage I do, I just decided to use ds's mobility allowance to buy and run the car.

Bigblue. DS has just turned 5 so he will be 9yrs and 3mos when we renew it. Hopefully we won't need it by then. We have a 807 atm. I have 4 kids, so I need a 6/7 seater car to ferry us about in. My car is 5yrs old and has very low mileage, but little things are starting to go wrong and they're expensive to fix! Blower motors went suddenly in January (great at minus 3!) and that was £800 to fix! I dread to think about when the electric sliding doors finally give up the ghost! It's all a bit of minefield!

Sally. That is the problem with big cars - the are very expensive when thy go wrong. I breathe a sigh of relief that I am not paying, every time I have the tyres replaced on my car or when it is serviced.
Motability contracts are usually for 3 yrs (although mine is 5 as it is adapted.)
If you get a Motability car, there will not be much of your award left by the time the 3 yr contract ends. Can't remember what the rules are about that if you wanted another car - they keep changing the rules, although their website will tell you.
Also, check out the 'advanced payments' if you need a large car. They can be quite hefty and you don't get that back at the end of the 3 years. That might be a big deciding factor for you.

Bigblue do you know if there is an option to purchase your car at the end of the lease period?

We have had our first mobility car for 6 months now. It was the best thing we did. We are on a pretty low income so no chance of buying a decent car that didn't need quite a bit done to it each year.
Yes Sally you can buy the car at the end of it but a friend of mine tried and they wanted £1k less than the price new so they just got another contract. There is the option of doing HP on a car with your mobility payments, all the details are on here.
We have a 5 seater Renault Scenic and -I- we love it. If you need a 7 seater, a Zafira is £149 up front.

I'm pretty sure you can buy it - but not sure how good the deal is - can't find anything on their website but I'm sure I've seen that question in the magazine we get from Motability. Give Motability a ring - they are usually really helpful. There have been some changes to the scheme since Jan 2012 following articles in the "Daily Mail" about disabled people and their free cars!!! Don't want to give you incorrect advice!

Bloody Daily Wail! They don't exactly help! Shocking that someone with ADHD could get a motability car . I hate the DM and it's nasty reporting. I will give them a ring and see if you can get extras put on etc.

yes you can buy the car off motability at any stage of the lease, you also have a bit of haggling space but they usually come up ok.

Our dla and motability have never coincided properly. We are onto our 3rd motability car, the dla award runs out in april but the lease of this car we have only had for just over a year. Makes the blue badge haywire also.

Anyway dla are being arsey about the renewal (awaiting GP report) so if it's not renewed, we loose the car.

It's interesting how limited you are in terms of choice as they put a limit on the overall cost. My car mot and tax due end of may. Eg If I get a vw sharan it won't be delivered until July. So I am in strange limbo with my car tax, mot etc. I know how lucky we are to get this opportunity, and I fully expect it to be ended at the end of 4 years. What do you do if there us an over lap of say 12-14 months. Can you get the DLA paid direct to you after the motability lease ends?

you are entitled to another car as long as you have a year at least remaining of the dla award. Hence the position I'm in.

you are also able to extend your lease by another 6 months and if it's a motability car needing taxed etc, you do that via motability then keep it until you get your new one in July.

I think that when the three year lease is up, depending on the financial situation I may stop motability and bank the £200 a month. Obviously I'm saying that now........!