oldmann55

Tink, the Roomy I got ( the roomster2 1.4) was zero deposit, a few weeks into the romance and I'm still in love... my mobile phones charger blew the fuse on the power socket, and I got a bit confused about which fuse it was, but Sparshalts (spelling?) in Chichester were very helpful, and understanding, and even went to the trouble to double check that the charger was indeed the cause of the blown fuse! The 2 way adjustment on the steering wheel is such a boon to me, I "fold away" the wheel before getting out, and that way have even more room to turn my huge body (can it still be called a body when its that huge?) and get out. The feeling that the nose of the car is longer than it is leaves me parking a little further away from objects in front of me, but thats not a bad thing remembering how many time I used to hit the back of the garage in my rover!

I am still on my honymoon with my roomy, there is not even any dust in the ashtray yet! My mobile phones charger, (cheap jap tacky rubish) caused the 12v supply fuse to blow, and I felt this was a job still within the capabilities of an Oldman, like me! Darn it the sticker on the fuse box panel does not in any shape of form match up with the real layout of the fuses! Luckily Sparshalts in Chichester were able to sort it out for me. Trivial? yes, but if I keep only singing the praises of this car my wife will get jealous... hmmmm now there's temptation! Seriously though, the lable shows the layout for the LHD roomy, and in the RHD one the fuses are mirrored, way too much for me to work out alone!:confused: (I think I spelt the dealers name wrongly, I beleive its Sparshatts? but hey you know who I meant!)

Well I have the Roomster now, the name says it all.... lotsa room in it! A real pleasure to drive, loads of space inside yet not in anyway unwieldy. An altogether pleasing experience!

Thanks for all your comments, I now have the Roomster and very pleased indeed. On the way home I took a long detour, just to be able to enjoy the feel of this well balanced, fun to drive car! The steering is positive and the engine responsive. There is room enough for my family and the dog too, the flexible seating arrangements mean that even my oldest sons airsofting and camping gear will all fit! (Believe me there are not many cars I can fit a 6 foot police riot shield into!) Oh and the other car we looked at?.... I got a call a few days later, they seemed to be unable to grasp the concept that a disabled person can actually think for themselves. I was advised by them that the car, (a tacuma) was out of production, and there are "only 400" left in the country, I should hurry and sign the papers before they all go. Why would I want to buy a car that's no onger being made? But thats another story!

Just to finish my report on my "Allams Experience". The car was ready well before the arranged delivery date, and throughout the "purchase process" Geoff kept me very well informed of all the progress. On the collection day I was collected at the station (having first made sure that I would be OK sitting in the car I was picked up in) and taken to the dealership. I was welcomed, not simply as a customer rather as an old friend! The car had been prepped and was ready and waiting. We got through the miles of burocratic paperwork involved in the Motability system, and I was on my way! (I also noted that between my arrival and driving away someone had taken the trouble to remove the free gift left on the roof by an errant seagull!) I wont be needing a new car now for 3 years, but when I do I sure hope that Allams can still supply my next one too!

I decided to post my story here, (as well as on a forum for disabled drivers elsewhere). I am, as I have already mentioned, disabled and I use a contract lease car supplied through the motability scheme. For those of you who don't know how that works, if someone is sufficiently disabled to qualify for the State Benefit called Dissability Living Allowance with the "higher mobility component" they can elect to use the "mobility component" to lease a car (or a wheelchair etc) from a Government run charity called motability. The car is leased for 3 years, and if still entitled at the end of this period can be traded in for a further car. Whilst there have been a few cases of people abusing the system, on the whole it works well. Anyway, I needed to have a lease car to replace my old and decrepit Rover 600. I bought the Rover on ebay to tide me over for a couple of months, until I could find the right motability car for me again. That was over 2 years ago, and my £99 ebay rover is still going strong! It's due an mot at the end of the month, so its got to go.. My shortlist of suitable cars, within the motability scheme, which I would be comfortable with was the Chevrolet Tacuma, Ford C-Max, Chevrolet Lacetti estate and the Skoda Roomster. I also went to see Hyundai and Toyota to see thier offerings... The Hyundai dealer gave me a lot of untrue information and committed the aweful sin of doing down the other cars I wanted to see, so I decided to reject them without further ado. The Ford, while OK did nothing for me... if I was given one to drive, I'd drive it, but I sure would not buy one! Sadly the Skoda dealership in Chichester are not motability accredited, but they were very helpful when I said I would just like to see the roomster, and they advised me of other Skoda dealerships who could help me. As I needed to take care of some business in London I decided to go to Allams in Epsom and Phoenix in Croydon. I booked an appointment at Phoenix, but just turned up on the off chance at Allams. Geoff, the Skoda and motability guy at Allams, was very helpful indeed, understanding fully my need to check out all the cars on my list. He offered to get the Roomster that I was most intereted in from the storeage lot, while I went to Phoenix. I got to Phoenix and the guy I was meant to be seeing was "not around at the moment" so I decided to wait for another salesman. there were at least 4 other salespersons sitting around, drinkiung coffee and discussing (loudly) their sexual conquests from a "Friday night out" I had my wife with me, and there were several families with kids in the showroom, all of whom could hear the gorey details! One of the sales guys eventualy came over to ask if he could help, but wanted to have me wait again, as he was not the motability man. I asked him a couple of simple questions about the Tacuma, including if the rear seats can be removed, he said no. Then as I decided not to wait any more suddenly one of the other salesmen remembered that he was motability.... This guy was, I assume, Arthur Daileys grandson.... need I say more? (turns out the rear seats on the Tacuma can be removed). We then left Croydon for Epsom, arriving an hour late for our test drive. I fully expected to be told that it was no longer possible today, and it would have been my fault. Geoff the Allams guy was busy with another customer, but the sales manager (sorry name forgotten) asked us if he could offer a hot drink, and somewhere to sit while he checked the car before he could take us on the test drive. All in all we were made to feel important to the firm, and nothing seemed to be too much trouble. The guy who took us on the test drive apollogised for not knowing the answers to all my questions, but promised to, and did, find the answers on our return. At no time did any of the staff from Allams "knock" any other dealership, or make or model of car! Though we had intended to mull over the results of our car hunt, and place an order sometime this week, we decided that there was no contest, so we ordered the Roomster there and then! Skoda and the dealerships that I deal with can be assured of my continuing custom in the future as long as they continue to treat us in this honest and fair manner. To sum up: Ford C-Max, nothing special, Hyundai in Bognor, not impressed, Phoenix in Croydon, arrogant staff, illinformed and unhelpful, poorly placed cars in the showroom (we could not open the back doors of the car we were viewing as it was parked hard against the wall, and the boot was full of jackets and other items) Spashotts Skoda in Chichester, Very helpful, inspite of knowing that I was not going to be able to purchase my car from them. Allams of Epsom, what can I say?.. "I'll be back Geoff!"

I am a motability customer and the roomster was on my shortlist of suitable cars available to me. I arrived at Allams unannounced on a busy Saturday morning dressed to unimpress! (I had just taken my son to a very messy sports site and was in muddy jeans and sweat shirt). I was greeted in a cordial and correct manner, and on finding out I was a motability customer was offered a seat and a coffee as the accreditied salesman (Geoff Garner) was busy with another customer. This was fine for us, and we took the time to look at the Roomster on display. As soon as he was free Geoff came over to us, appologised for the wait, and allowed me to explain my needs and worries regarding the roomster. (I am disabled and have very particular needs regarding the layout of the car) It turned out that Allams had a roomster in the version we wanted (Roomster2 1.4 in Ocean Blue) in their storage compound. Although it was a Saturday, and they were a bit tight staff wise geoff offered to get that car out and let me test drive it! As I had a prior engagement we agreed on a 2pm test drive (it was then 10am). I went off to my other engagement (more on that elsewhere) and returned almost an hour late, due to my inexperience in london traffic! geoff was again dealing with another customer. The sales manager (sorry I forgot his name) who admitted to being an Alfa specialist asked if we would be happy for him to take us on our test drive, and any outstanding questions we could ask of geoff on our return. I was impressed with the fact that our "host" for the test drive admitted that he would not be able to answer all my questions as he was not the Skoda expert. (As a motability customer I have met many Arthur Dayleys who think that a wheelchair or a pair of crutches = no brain, so we can be fed Bullsh*t until it come out of our ears). To cut the long story short, we saw Geoff on our return, and we decided to order the car there and then. I have to stress that there was no preasure to buy this car, or any other for that matter, and Geoff understood that because of my physical needs I had to see the competition! the competition left wanting in many ways, so the roomster it is! I have to admit that I wont be experiencing too much of Allams after sales service as I live quite away from them, and will have to take it to another closer dealership for service. (My local dealer is not motability accredited, and can't sell the car to me). For pre sales service I can only give a 10/10, even while I was "just browsing".

Hi all, I am going to take delivery of my new Roomster at the end of the month. The story of how I came to select it I will post elsewhere... but suffice to say I'm excited to become a new member of the big family of Skoda owners!