Hi, my name is tomobilityornot! Motability car or not?

tomobilityornot

Hi everyone, lets talk motability scheme, to have or not have motability car. mmm being on enhanced pip for a few months, and being a car owner (12 yr old car, serviced etc) do i need a motability car, well it would look nice on my drive, but honestly at nearly £300 a month over ten grand in three years, its a bit costly, can actually get a car on credit for far less than this each month and own the car once paid for, so really dont think motabilitycar would be for me 

poppy123456

I've been with the scheme since 2016 and think it's worth its weight in gold. It includes everything apart from fuel. All servicing, tyres, any problems with the car and you just book it in with the dealer to sort out, the MOT before you return it at the end of the lease, insurance and breakdown recovery, which includes home start and any adaptions you may need. 

Is it cheaper? well that depends on what make, model and spec of car you want. 

66Mustang

I agree with Poppy, depends on a lot of things, like your mileage, the type of car you want etc.

Just for me, I used to run a 2002 Mini Cooper. I used to keep track of expenses and it cost me approx £0.32 a mile in petrol, servicing, repairs, depreciation, MOTs, tax, insurance, tyres etc.

My Motability car (2023 Mini John Cooper Works) costs me £0.20 a mile in petrol plus the obvious £300 a month from my PIP. With my mileage around 1,500 a month that works out at £0.20 a mile again ... so the car costs me £0.40 a mile in total.

So I am paying 25% more but I get a car with very minimal worries about breaking down and stuff like that. Also no inconvenience of having to leave it at the garage for a couple of days for repairs which I used to have to do maybe 3-4 times a year with my old car.

That is not to mention the obvious improvements of driving a 2023 car compared to a 2002 car. So more technology, sat nav and stuff, heated seats and most importantly more performance, my car is 228bhp compared to my old one which was 116 so more or less double the power

Albus_Scope

Hiya @tomobilityornot and welcome to the community!  

I can see you're getting support with your motability query already, but I wanted to just pop in and say hello.  Which motability car you get can make a huge difference in costs, so I'd say it's worth looking into. 

tomobilityornot

£300 a month for three years and no ownership at the end is expensive, i dont spend that much on my own car 2012 model, let me see, £200 a year insurance fully comprehensive, £20 a year tax, £40 a year for mot test, ( last year repairs cost £200 including parts) so say £500 a year (ten pound a week) ( less than two months PIP payments, compared to twelve times £300 payments) yes ok you get a nice shiney car but to be honest i would buy a newer car for say ten grand out of my own money pocket, and put the £300 pip monthly money into bank every month for three years, (thus getting my ten grand back and owning a car0

poppy123456

tomobilityornot said:

i would buy a newer car for say ten grand out of my own money pocket, and put the £300 pip monthly money into bank every month for three years, (thus getting my ten grand back and owning a car0

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have £10k to spend like that, I know I certainly haven’t! 

Not only that there’s people that claim means tested benefits so saving that amount of money over a period of 3 years will affect their benefits, once it reaches over £6,000. 

My car is my life line and I have no issues using my mobility payment for a car every 3 years and will continue to do so in the future. 

trashpanda

its been worth its weight in gold to me. 

everything is paid for and covered nearly and when I worked it out it worked out so so much better. They cover repairs, mot, servicing, insurance, car tax etc. 

I've only had my vehicle 2 months and had 2 punctures and I haven't had to pay for either, and when the tracking was knocked out by accident by the garage it was fixed again free of charge and no monetary worry was put onto me. 

I get so much better mileage than my old vehicle which saves me so so much money. I now longer have to worry about paying insurance or car tax either as that is covered, so again saving me money. 

don't brush it off completely, go to a few dealerships and have a look and if you see something you like get them to look into it and advise you more. 

MW123

@tomobilityornot 

Unless you have a strong need for a brand new vehicle sticking with your current affordable setup appears to be the more cost effective option based on your numbers. You've clearly weighed the pros and cons thoroughly. Ultimately, it comes down to your personal priorities around cost, convenience, and vehicle ownership.

Last August, my  car underwent its annual MOT, during which it needed a new tyre and some minor repairs totalling just over £650, including a full service. Shortly after passing the MOT, it refused to start, necessitating a new battery priced at £119 from the AA. Now, as my AA breakdown cover is up for annual renewal, the premium has skyrocketed from £180 last year to £320 due to the callout for the battery failure. Apparently, the premium rises by £150.00 for every callout. My last annual car insurance premium stood at £420.00 that was with a full no-claims history. Fortunately, I'm exempt from car tax due to disability.

I have been exploring the mobility scheme, and I find the concept of hassle free transport incredibly appealing. As someone who has become tired of the countless responsibilities and challenges that come with owning a personal vehicle, the idea of joining a scheme that takes care of everything on my behalf is quite enticing. From the glowing reviews I've heard from current members who use mobility cars, I firmly believe that this scheme offers exceptional value for the money they pay.

woodbine

As someone who hasn't driven for exactly 26 years today and who used to drive 40,000 miles a year I fail to see what the obsession is with having a car we have managed perfectly well without one for all this time, I lost my licence due to my epilepsy which continues and now I'm partially sighted I will never drive again ever.
If I'm honest driving doesn't look like much fun any more, and although we live in a very rural area there are buses and when there aren't there are taxis.

poppy123456

woodbine said:

I fail to see what the obsession is with having a car 

For me it's not an obsession, it's a need and a life line. I can't walk far so buses is not an option for me. Taxi's cost far too much and I refuse to use them. I have a driving license so choose to have a car. 

MW123

woodbine said:

As someone who hasn't driven for exactly 26 years today and who used to drive 40,000 miles a year I fail to see what the obsession is with having a car we have managed perfectly well without one for all this time, I lost my licence due to my epilepsy which continues and now I'm partially sighted I will never drive again ever.
If I'm honest driving doesn't look like much fun any more, and although we live in a very rural area there are buses and when there aren't there are taxis.

I completely resonate with your viewpoint. The modern driving experience has become increasingly stressful. In the past, walking to work was my preferred choice, especially in good weather. However, due to my mobility challenges, that option is no longer viable. 

Regrettably, the buses in my area are infamous for their unreliability, rendering them impractical for commuting. It would cost me £20.00 a day to take a taxi to and from work.  While I dream of a retirement where a car isn't necessary, my current livelihood hinges on my ability to get to work. Thus, despite the stress, the car remains an indispensable necessity.

Steve_in_The_City

I manage without a car. That is my mindset.

woodbine

poppy123456 said:

woodbine said:

I fail to see what the obsession is with having a car 

For me it's not an obsession, it's a need and a life line. I can't walk far so buses is not an option for me. Taxi's cost far too much and I refuse to use them. I have a driving license so choose to have a car. 

we use taxis all the time now, works out far cheaper than giving up either mobility payment. But each as they say to their own