Motability Choice
Discussion
So, my Motability Mini lease is up in July and I've to order Min's replacement this month.
My shortlist contains two cars, the most interesting I can find in the lists...
Astra GTC Sri 1.6, 180hp, manual
VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI, 160PS, manual
Looking for more grunt and comfort than Min offers. I need parking sensors (MS, eyesight)
and adjustable lumbar support (failed back surgery syndrome). Dual aircon is pretty desirable
(MS, tend to overheat + chilly wife).
Any thoughts, advice, experience, etc? Thanks.
My shortlist contains two cars, the most interesting I can find in the lists...
Astra GTC Sri 1.6, 180hp, manual
VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI, 160PS, manual
Looking for more grunt and comfort than Min offers. I need parking sensors (MS, eyesight)
and adjustable lumbar support (failed back surgery syndrome). Dual aircon is pretty desirable
(MS, tend to overheat + chilly wife).
Any thoughts, advice, experience, etc? Thanks.
Go and talk to the dealers - for either of those obviously you'll be making a pretty big up-front contribution as well as them getting all your mobility DLA for the 3 years - if they're keen to make the deal they'll often upgrade the car a bit for you just in order to get the custom.
Remember that if you have a really hard time sitting in an ordinary car seat, you can request assessment to see if there's a non-standard seat or seating system they can put in for you.
Sorry to bring it up but you mention you have MS - is there any sizeable risk that you'll need a wheelchair within the 3 years of your contract? Because if so, it'll be WELL worth bearing that in mind in order to avoid total, miserable upheaval later on.
I have a drive-from-wheelchair setup as I cannot transfer out of my chair, through the Specialised Vehicles Fund, and drive with hand controls and a whole load of other heavy-duty adaptations... as my chair cannot safely even go in a black cab it's a massively big deal that I have the van and can still make good use of it. Three of my personal assistants are going to learn to drive, mostly in the hope that Sod's Law will mean that I can keep driving longer myself instead.
Remember that if you have a really hard time sitting in an ordinary car seat, you can request assessment to see if there's a non-standard seat or seating system they can put in for you.
Sorry to bring it up but you mention you have MS - is there any sizeable risk that you'll need a wheelchair within the 3 years of your contract? Because if so, it'll be WELL worth bearing that in mind in order to avoid total, miserable upheaval later on.
I have a drive-from-wheelchair setup as I cannot transfer out of my chair, through the Specialised Vehicles Fund, and drive with hand controls and a whole load of other heavy-duty adaptations... as my chair cannot safely even go in a black cab it's a massively big deal that I have the van and can still make good use of it. Three of my personal assistants are going to learn to drive, mostly in the hope that Sod's Law will mean that I can keep driving longer myself instead.
finbarcorky said:
OP you'll get some idiots posting in this thread. Fact.
It's a given.
Also you'll get people pointing out that for someone with mobility issues, the two cars he's mentioned could possibly be seen as a completely ridiculous choice. It's a given.
OP, I'd love to be proven wrong, but they will be too low down and I would imagine the suspension would be somewhat hard. Squeezing out of 3 door cars in tight parking spaces isn't a joy either. I'm fit as a flea and struggle as I'm tall.
They look nice, but unfortunately that's not the main criteria is it ?
OldJohnnyYen said:
Why would the tax payer need to pay for such cars? Surely cheap and reliable is the way to go?
Oh do f
k off. 
OP - might be worth taking both out and seeing how you get on with them? My choice would be the VW, but I haven't been in the new Astra yet.
I would imagine that the VW would be more comfortable than the MINI, and the 1.4 TSI is meant to be a good engine.
Good luck, don't let the knuckle draggers get to you.
Because the question is which car should I use my DLA on, NOT should I be receiving DLA.
OP as BlackVanDyke says consider your future needs, the car is meant to be a tool to help you live more independently so think practicality then add the fun, not fun then try and figure out how you will transport your medical equipment round.
OP as BlackVanDyke says consider your future needs, the car is meant to be a tool to help you live more independently so think practicality then add the fun, not fun then try and figure out how you will transport your medical equipment round.
I have no problem with people getting hand outs, it's what makes people great. If they need it, they get it. I do have a problem with people getting more than they need though, no matter how ill you are you dont need a nice car imo. You need one that suits a purpose and for me thats to help get people mobile, give them Independence, give them a normal life. We need to do this as cheap as possible, handing out nice cars isn't a fair way of doing it imo.
If feeling this way makes me a bad person, im at peace with that
If feeling this way makes me a bad person, im at peace with that
OldJohnnyYen said:
I have no problem with people getting hand outs, it's what makes people great. If they need it, they get it. I do have a problem with people getting more than they need though, no matter how ill you are you dont need a nice car imo. You need one that suits a purpose and for me thats to help get people mobile, give them Independence, give them a normal life. We need to do this as cheap as possible, handing out nice cars isn't a fair way of doing it imo.
If feeling this way makes me a bad person, im at peace with that
It's not exactly a hand out or any more than they would be receiving anyway, the car you get depends entirely on which band of DLA they are getting. It would appear that the OP is on one of the higher bands and is probably unable to work (apologies if I'm wrong). If you had back surgery that was botched and left you incapacitated you would probably get the same, after a very long winded process, would you say no to it because you felt you didn't deserve it or it went against your principals? If it were me I'd take what I could get.If feeling this way makes me a bad person, im at peace with that
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