Driver’s seat height advice please!

[Angell]

Hello, I’m new! I found a link to this amazing resource via my millionth (prone to exaggeration) Google search. I have multiple disabilities and have been a Motability customer for years. My favourite car EVER was the Yeti. I require an automatic, and a car I slide into (as if onto a barstool) and the ignorance, apathy and disinterest from manufacturers/dealers has been baffling. My hire ends 310321 and I’m between the Vauxhall Crossland (bummer: it’s not a Škoda) and Kamiq, purely as we’re stuck at £0 advance payment. Seems from your discussions the Kamiq isn’t that high. I’ve spoken to Motability’s grant folk about help with the advance payment; they’re really helpful and I’m phoning them again today. Looks like the Kodiaq is out so it’s likely to be the Karoq unless anyone can advise otherwise? Absolutely nothing else about the car matters (sadly).  Apologies for long post and thank you 😊

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

?

Will you not have the 'Good Condition' payment of £600 coming to you when your current car goes back to help with an Advance Payment of £599 for a Seat Ateca or £695 for a Skoda Karoq DSG?

 

A SEAT Arona DSG is on NIL Advance Payment this month and i find the seat height of those suited me as well as a Karoq / Ateca for easy in and out, 

only less room when in, but the sill height / width was more suitable for me than the bigger cars and the floor space and pedals were good.

I use my left foot on the accelerator pedal in the factory position and keep my artificial foot next to the sill.

 

The Hyndai Kona Hybrid is £499 Advance Payment.

Edited 1 March, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[Ootohere]

Edited 1 March, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[Angell]

You’re a star, thank you!! I think we will get the GCB, but one never knows! I’ve been in this position before; I’ve never come across a dealership that will wait for this to be awarded. We’re budgeted down to the penny, literally, and have nobody to approach for a temporary loan. In all my years as a Motability customer (I’m sounding my age now) there’s never been a dealership that will let a car go without that advance payment in their hands. I get it; they’re following the rules and they want their money. You’ve given me some great alternatives for which I thank you hugely 😊

[Ootohere]

@Angell I know that the Good Condition Bonus can take time.

Last time i handed back it was 5 months before i got it because they did not believe my car was handed back.

I had a few times to tell them the pictures were taken, the car was sold, which dealership that the car was now at and advertised and they still messed me about.

 

But you mentioned contacting them to see about help with the Advance Payment.

If you do not qualify from the Fund to help with Advance Payments then they can maybe see about ensuring the payment for the good condition is coming to you promptly.

 

Since 1977 i have had 12 cars from Motability including 2 i bought using finance from Motability back when they did that to buy a new or used car.

I have also bought and sold Ex Motability cars since 1980 when the first Automatic Mini's went on sale at the end of lease.

 

All the best with it. 

 

?

Is a MG EV not a possibility for you.

That is If you could have a Charger Installed at home which is free.    They are pretty good for easy in and out / seating position.

Free EV Public charging in lots of Scotland, but then that depends on where you live.

Edited 2 March, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[20vKarlos]

On 02/03/2021 at 01:08, Angell said:

You’re a star, thank you!! I think we will get the GCB, but one never knows! I’ve been in this position before; I’ve never come across a dealership that will wait for this to be awarded. We’re budgeted down to the penny, literally, and have nobody to approach for a temporary loan. In all my years as a Motability customer (I’m sounding my age now) there’s never been a dealership that will let a car go without that advance payment in their hands. I get it; they’re following the rules and they want their money. You’ve given me some great alternatives for which I thank you hugely 😊

 

Firstly, this can be a very stressful time in the motability process, we know it fairly well, so slow down and take things slowly.

 

We found out through a family member, that if you call Motability, they ‘can/may’help you towards the initial payment.

 

We put £6k down on our Seat Alhambra with a few options back in 2016 as a calculated decision that we would have the car for a VERY long time as, at that time, you were still able to finance the remainder of the car and keep it. However, that has since changed and we didn’t get the most out of that car, so we had two choices, 

1, you can buy the car outright - we didn’t have the money, so it wasn’t an option

2, you can extend the vehicle for up to 2 years. - so we extended it. Motability will allow you to keep the car for 5 years, plus with Covid, they’re extending again so you DO NOT need to worry about getting an order in straight away, just tell them you’d like to extend the car. You are also allowed to order a vehicle at ANY time, as long as you have 12 months left on your award at the time of placing your order.

 

My wife has the same issue as yourself, with getting into cars, that’s why the Alhambra was perfect for us, plus we needed the seats. Seat are no longer going to make the Alhambra, so we have been left with the predicament of WHAT CAR NEXT!?

I’ve been having a really good look through the cars that are currently available and for us, as we still want the option for 7 seats, our ideal car to order next would be the Seat Tarraco. 

 

We have found that Seat’s come with a lot more on the Spec list and you get a LOT more for your money than if you went with a VW or Skoda.

I really like my Skoda’s as we have had several, but at the moment, Seat seem to be the better option.

 

Whilst there are many different options available on the Motability website, try and narrow them all down to the things you like in a vehicle.

For example.

My wife really needs heated seats as she suffers with the cold, so if the vehicle hasn’t got it a set standard and I can’t get it as an option within budget, I move on. 

I really like cruise control and I use it ALL the time, so it’s a must from me, luckily most cars come with it now.

 

One of the other things for us is TOWING, we need to put a tow bar on our vehicles as it’ll pull our utility trailer that we use for our camping holidays and the kid seems bikes, as well as helping friends etc. So we look for the prices on adding towbars etc and this is ALWAYS, really expensive.

 

 

[Ootohere]

Back in 2016 & up to 2020 you were able to keep a car for the extra 2 years so for 5 years when the mileage the car had done was low after 3 years and when the lease should have ended. They extended my insurance & Lease by 6 months on the Alhambra i had.  The thing was i had handed it back in 2019 and wanted my PIP restarted.

What happened from the Covid 19 starting i read about but was not interested as i had a car on order.

 

VW Sharan 1.4TSI DSG  still showing available this quarter.

Edited 7 March, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[20vKarlos]

We looked at the Sharan, and it’s VERY under specked for a car of that size. 

 

 

On our Alhambra, we specked, Keyless entry, 18” wheels, Towbar, and our car, the SE LUX came with the 187ps engine, DSG gearbox, a Panaramic roof with full sun blind, full leather front seats heated, DAB radio with rear camera, electric tailgate and rear doors, paddles on the steering wheel, front and rear PDC and a whole bunch more. 

 

Our Alhambra is the best speck we could’ve made it and the standard features were amazing for the £2999 initial payment plus the options.  

[Ootohere]

I did not go for the top of the range as you did when i ordered my 2.0TDI 150PS / DSG (paddles were standard, and auto lights and wipers and reversing sensors)

That was even though there was a great deal available on the 184 PS with leather in the 2nd or 3rd quarter 2016 on the one you got. it was about £1,500 advance payment before going much higher from then on.

 

I did drive the salespersons demonstrator which was like yours for a few days, but i wanted the lightest, simplest and and most fuel efficient Alhambra to use as a van.

No electric seats, electric doors, no chrome, no roof rails etc, and 16" rims to put All Season or Winter tyres on.

That was exactly as i got because it was obvious the SEAT Test figures were fiction.  They showed heavy cars being more fuel efficient as they do because they never want buyers going to cheaper more efficient cars.

From 63 litres of diesel i got from 630 miles to sometimes near 800 miles on hill roads using coasting function. 

I had the towbar fitted & removed it before hand back.

£900 Advance Payment with £200 of that for the tinted rears as a factory option.

 

Motability wanted too much money for me to buy it and never accepted my low offer.

They should have because it sold for less, but then the dealership that bought it have never managed to sell it.

'Never raced or rallied, but then its discs & pads were gubbed and needing replacing. Serious Corrosion from lack of use even though driven hard.

The Interior & Exterior were and are as new.  As for the Engine & Gearbox, they were well used but would last, as for the SCR system i doubt it will.

 

 

Edited 8 March, 2021 by e-Roottoot