Buying Motability car advice please

[Dawnmt]

Hi. I currently have a motability car and my lease ends soon. I have the option of buying the car (my award for motability wasn't renewed). It was involved in a bump last year and theres a medium sized dent in the back panel under the tail light. So it wasn't repaired through no fault of my own. And it can't be repaired before returning it, the insurers have said they won't pay for the repair if I was to buy the car. My idea was to buy the car along with dent, which doesn't affect the driving, and keep it for hopefully 10 years or till it conks out, so to me, the dent is irrelevant. My partner thinks I'd be daft to buy it, that it would affect the insurance each year and I won't be able to sell it in years to come. What are your thoughts please?

[J1990]

Dawnmt said:

Hi. I currently have a motability car and my lease ends soon. I have the option of buying the car (my award for motability wasn't renewed). It was involved in a bump last year and theres a medium sized dent in the back panel under the tail light. So it wasn't repaired through no fault of my own. And it can't be repaired before returning it, the insurers have said they won't pay for the repair if I was to buy the car. My idea was to buy the car along with dent, which doesn't affect the driving, and keep it for hopefully 10 years or till it conks out, so to me, the dent is irrelevant. My partner thinks I'd be daft to buy it, that it would affect the insurance each year and I won't be able to sell it in years to come. What are your thoughts please?

I believe part of the motability contract is that you're supposed to report to your insurer (and have fixed) any damage to the vehicle and ensure that it is returned in an acceptable condition (As per your contract). You've failed to have it repaired and I assume that means that you're liable for the damage at the end of the lease, if the vehicle is returned - Which is fair, it was damaged in your ownership and you didn't get it fixed.

Now, with regards to whether it's worth buying or not.. Check how much it would cost you for a a car of the same age/mileage/spec on AutoTrader. If it's significantly more than the price you're being offered the car for then I'd suggest you go ahead and make the purchase. If you can buy one for significantly less than the price you've been offered then return the car, pay for the damage and go buy yourself an alternative car.

It's not rocket science but you've complicated things by failing to report (or at least fix) the damage.

[OutInTheShed]

Get a quote for fixing the dent.

[ZX10R NIN]

The advice from the two posters above is the way I'd go, so compare prices & get a quote for the dent.