Mobility car without mobility benefit

TimMusgrave

Hi,

After failing to get PIP and with no avenue leading to other benefits open before me, I am left to find a car on my own to help me get around.

I need to have said car adapted - right leg accelerator switched to left and steering handle on the steering wheel to operate all functions and, of course, keep me in a straight line.

Question - where do I go for this car?

I bought a second hand Civic many years ago, bought the adaptations and got them fitted by Clarke's in Sheffield. I sold it as I was leaving the country, the adaptations were taken out and eventually discarded as being too dated. To be frank, I don't want to go through this again - buying a car is enough, buying adaptations additional cost and getting them installed stressful. Plus, the initial outlay for adaptations and labour is considerable. Surely, however, there is an organisation that I can go to who rent or sell cars for disabled where the adaptations have already been made?

I have spoken to a Mobility helpline (some time ago) and been to a Mobility dealer, and both have said, without the higher level of PIP, I can't get a car from them. Is that true, even though the money would come from my pocket and NOT the governments?

If this is true, does anyone know of a second hand dealer who sells cars already adapted, or indeed has a car with those adaptations made and willing to sell it on? I really think that there is a viable business opportunity out there for a "We buy any adapted car.com" company.

Please advise.
Thank you for reading.

Government_needs_reform

@TimMusgrave Sorry to hear your plight, there might be an option to this if you can locate where (Motability) )move or sell these cars to when either taken back or ones that have their lease run out on them. Auctions may be a good place.

Sorry can't be much more use to you, it's so wrong so many people are loosing their car. Good luck.

TimMusgrave

Thanks for your reply GNF,
I guess what I'm looking for is too specific. All second hand cars for the disabled appear to be people carriers adapted for wheelchair access.

Government_needs_reform

@TimMusgrave Was worth a mention.

There maybe another option.

Phone Motability again, and ask them where they go? But ask to speak to someone higher in the food chain at Motability or have a word with a Motability dealer otherwise I'm none the wiser.

Saracen

Hi tim had a look around for you found this hope it helps

These are either returned to manufacturer franchises, or auctioned off, usually by British Car Auctions. There can be several auctions of Motability cars every week at big BCA auction centres.

And this dealer apparently is approved 2nd hand mobility car dealer.

Saracen

https://www.southerncarsales.co.uk/motability.php

TimMusgrave

Fantastic... I'm on the trail. Will update as and when.
x

Matilda

Did you appeal against the decision to refuse you PIP mobility?

Pin

Try allied vehicles in Glasgow - I know they’re quite far but they fit out mobility vehicles for trade (ie day centres, ambulances etc)

TimMusgrave

@Saracen , Southern Car Sales tell me they rarely have any cars in with steering wheel adaptations. I'm still waiting for BCA to return my mail, but assume that they will (like so many others) have either WAVs or adapted cars that are no longer adapted ie. switched back.
 

TimMusgrave

@Matilda
I haven't appealed. TBH I don't see any hope. Even though I am unable to use an arm and walk with a heavy limp, I am not disabled enough... besides that, the 2 years clause in the country has me befuzzled, bemused and at a loss.
Thanks for your reply.

TimMusgrave

@Pin Thanks for your advice. You're right, Glasgow is a long way away
I've contacted Clarkes in Sheffield, they have just quoted me 1,600 for the steering and 500 for the accelerator (incl. VAT).
Funnily, they did say I probably wouldn't have to pay VAT... anybody know why that would be the case? 

Matilda

@TimMusgrave

PIP is awarded for how your disability affects your daily living and mobility, not the disability itself.

DavidJ

@TimMusgrave
hi Tim . It’s only one of the “perks” I suppose but disability products are exempt from paying VAT .
Your requirements would definitely qualify for zero rating 

TimMusgrave

@DavidJ
Really David? How would I go about purchasing without VAT? Do I need to claim the VAT back at the end of the fiscal year, or would Clarkes just not charge me?
(financial newbie)

DavidJ

@TimMusgrave
If bought from a reputable business Tim the VAT will not be charged . 
Normally they ask you to sign a VAT exemption form and you just put on it a gist of your disability so they can be exempted from it by HMRC 
Most Disability shops are well schooled in this and so are parts suppliers , but it’s always best to check ! After all 20% can be a fair amount depending upon what you buy 

TimMusgrave

@DavidJ
Many thanks! 20% is a hefty weight off my wallet

axwy62

If you purchase a new car which is adapted prior to delivery, you don’t pay VAT on the car or the adaptions, which makes it cheaper than one 2 years old and is why we had a new car for the first time ever.

TimMusgrave

@axwy62 Wow, great advice and congratulations on your new car. Unfortunately, I definitely don't have the money for a new car
Second hand sale room for me, i'm afraid.

TimMusgrave

Well, I think I've exhausted most avenues - motability says we can't sell on with adaptations, BCA & Southern Car Sales say they don't have anything like that that comes in, searches on the net have revealed naught - so I'm back to square one.

I found a car in a local dealers yesterday, £3,500 - a bit over the budget. Checked the insurance - £444. Checked the adaptations installer, £1800 - £1800!!! 

The car, I can do. The insurance, I can do. The adaptation? Wow! - and that's without VAT.

The main cost is an infrared secondary control mounted thru/on the steering wheel. Somebody mentioned Bluetooth as an alternative, but try as I might I can't find anything on the all-knowing interweb.

Does anyone have experience of an alternative steering control that uses bluetooth to activate indicators, washers and lights?

Please help... I'm drowning. Need a car, but the expense is overwhelming.

Thanks for reading.

newborn

Scratching  around for a work round. .....once, I saw (and drove)a drive-in motorbike box. Details escape me but the thing I wondered was would handlebar steering be feasible for you?,   

That firm were aiming at the inevitably large market of injured hardcore bikers, so they wanted to replicate the 'joy' (?) of being exposed to the elements.  But at the time, I could see a potential for turning the thing into a substitute quasi-car, for the more mainstream disabled population.. It was pretty cheap. Switching control from one hand to the other would be straightforward, so would brakes by hand, I guess? 

 Also, I have a hazy memory of looking up micro mini cars, and, again, as long as you could compromise , maybe a miniature vehicle along the lines of a glorified (properly)enclosed souped up mobility scooter might be available  (half remembered, were some designs shown for 2 only, with the passenger possibly  seated behind?)