Motability Choice

[telecat]

I looked at the GTC earlier this year but decided it was too nice to take down the crappy lanes I traverse on a weekend. I can however let you know the following. The GTC Sport has a handbrake whereas the SRI has the electric button. The Sport and SRI can have better Seats fitted to the driver and/or Passenger side. Parking sensors can be fitted to front and rear. Dual Zone Climate is an option. I'd have the Infinity speakers fitted and it seems that the 19" inch wheels come with all the versions I've seen. Generally Because I'd want the Handbrake I'd Spec up a Sport with the Wheels, Sports seats, Dual Zone Climate and Speakers. That would just leave the Privacy glass. I think it would be a very comfortable quick vehicle and I have not heard any bad things about the engine.

[Speedracer329]

slinky said:

The "government" contribution does not vary, no matter what car is chosen. It's £59 p/w ..

Sorry to be a pedant, but the higher rate of Mobility is £51.40 per week.

To the OP, it is vital to test drive the vehicles you are interested in, you have to be confident whatever you choose will be comfortable enough.

[KingNothing]

slinky said:

He's getting in the drivers seat, not the back seat.
.

My point was if he sometimes doesn't have the ability to park in a disabled space, getting in and out of a longer door 3 door car is usually harder than a 5 door car.

[Six Fiend]

KingNothing said:

slinky said:

He's getting in the drivers seat, not the back seat.
.

My point was if he sometimes doesn't have the ability to park in a disabled space, getting in and out of a longer door 3 door car is usually harder than a 5 door car.

I find this with my back and hips - normal 4-dr works best for me, but I guess the OP knows his situation having had a MINI.

[frosted]

Speedracer329 said:

Sorry to be a pedant, but the higher rate of Mobility is £51.40 per week.

To the OP, it is vital to test drive the vehicles you are interested in, you have to be confident whatever you choose will be comfortable enough.

It still costs the country 11billion a year in motainsanity alone but don't let that in the way of you thinking your only screwing hard working people out of only £ 51 a week

[66comanche]

Having done a lot of errands and ferrying around for someone with MS, I would think that a fairly low 3 door with what will be heavy very wide opening doors might not be the best choice. After my experience I would suggest something a bit higher but not 4x4 high with 5 doors and the most comfortable more 'upright' seats available. Perhaps the MS isn't severe enough to make these criteria too important now but sadly it's worth bearing in mind how MS can progress.

[Six Fiend]

frosted said:

Speedracer329 said:

Sorry to be a pedant, but the higher rate of Mobility is £51.40 per week.

To the OP, it is vital to test drive the vehicles you are interested in, you have to be confident whatever you choose will be comfortable enough.

It still costs the country 11billion a year in motainsanity alone but don't let that in the way of you thinking your only screwing hard working people out of only £ 51 a week

Have my illness and I'll go back to being able to do a proper job and whine about people in receipt of benefit to make their life easier.

[Mr Roper]

Not sure how it works, must you choose between the two cars mentioned or can you consider alternatives?

S Max ?
Nippy, pretty good looking and practical.

[Arthur Daley]

Nissan Juke?

[Munich]

If you had asked which car to buy on the basis of their comfortable seats, then I would have recommended a SAAB 9000 – the best seats I have ever experienced in a car.

However, that wasn't the question, and from the two choices you have listed I would say go for the VW. I haven't driven either of them, but from all accounts, the VW will be better screwed together, hold more of its value (if that is a concern on the Motability scheme?), is good to drive and if you are in a tight parking space, because the VW has frameless doors, you can lower window and gain better access (as you can with the MINII), while the door frame of the GTC will get in the way. Can you order the VW Group “magnetic dampers” on the Scirocco? Would give a better ride.

[Caulkhead]

davhill said:

Astra GTC Sri 1.6, 180hp, manual

VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI, 160PS, manual

Can't understand why you'd consider any of those with a bad back TBH. I'd be looking at something a little more upright with excellent seats and a soft ride.

[BlackVanDyke]

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

OK. Repeat after me.

Motability cars are not free. Motability cars are. not. free. MOTABILITY CARS ARE NOT FREE.

Nobody 'hands out' cars.

Motability, a private company, run two schemes: the most well-known is contract hire.

If you are so severely impaired that you can't walk or can only walk an extremely limited distance (less than 100m) before suffering major problems, you qualify for the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (mDLA, for brevity) . This is an allowance (NOT a means-tested benefit) which is supposed to meet the additional living costs of being disabled, terminally ill or having (very) long-term serious illness.

If you receive the higher rate of mDLA, you can give it to Motability, a private company, in return for the lease of a very basic car, and for them to insure it for you. A few of the most common and basic adaptations are included in the cost. If you need or want something more than - essentially - the most basic small car each manufacturer offers, you need to add in a load of your own cash. If you want something very swish, you'll be putting in thousands and thousands of pounds extra. But it might still be worth it, because of the extra support you get from being a Motability customer - direct line to a special bit of the RAC to rescue you if your car breaks down, for example, plus the help with insurance and adaptations, as mentioned.

Obviously, it's contract hire - so at the end of your 3 years, you've given them all your mDLA for all that time, plus however much extra you put in of your own cash if you need something other than a Micra or equivalent, you have nothing to show for it at all and start all over again. You've also during this time obviously borne all the OTHER costs of your disability related needs, plus fuelling etc. the car - which is to say, mDLA doesn't even come *close* to covering the extra costs you have if you are severely disabled.

So, basically, you have a problem with the OP putting in a pile of his own cash to get what he needs, because the basics he's offered don't actually meet his needs at all?

[elephantstone]

frosted said:

It still costs the country 11billion a year in motainsanity alone but don't let that in the way of you thinking your only screwing hard working people out of only £ 51 a week

How did I know you'd crop up in this thread?

We've all heard it before of you, give it a fking rest. Your opinion isn't going to change anything and anyways this "what car" is about the OP's motability car not his wife.. Which leads me on to the fact have you not learnt that disability is a touchy subject and anything can happen so its probably best to keep your opinions to yourself? (Regarding the 'other' motability thread and the poor guys wife)


Anyways back on subject and apologies to the OP for getting carried away..

I have no experience with the GTC but I've driven the VW and the space between base of seat and top of door is quite tight (aswell as being low).

The C30 seems like a good choice? Last time I looked you could get the R-design spec diesel for 600downpayment? Could've changed with the new T&C's..

Either way ignore the negative views and opinions.. My mum has MS and I know how what its like, so get a faster car and enjoy blasting around

[BlackVanDyke]

frosted said:

It still costs the country 11billion a year in motainsanity alone but don't let that in the way of you thinking your only screwing hard working people out of only £ 51 a week

Got a source for that figure?

Think every person who gets DLA doesn't work or doesn't contribute to this country?

Think that people with severe or profound disability, and/or terminal illess shouldn't be supported to live a basic, decent quality life?

'screwing hard working people out of...'

That really is a load of offensive bullst. I'm not sure why I've just wasted 5 minutes of my life even responding to this. You're a pillock.

[Chrisw666]

BlackVanDyke said:

That really is a load of offensive bullst. I'm not sure why I've just wasted 5 minutes of my life even responding to this. You're a pillock.

To be honest every thread about motabliity brings out jealous morons who will not read the facts put forward by those who understand how the scheme works. I despise benefit cheats and scroungers as much as the next person, but I am confident that far more people who deserve a bit of a helping hand in life benefit from DLA and the car scheme than use it to get a free car they don't need.

If people do rip the system off then that isn't the fault of the principles the scheme was founded on but one that shows the ugly side of human nature. As the only effective way to stop the truly undeserving would be to punish those who are disabled and unable to get around without a vehicle.

[Ari]

Should we have a dedicated Mobility thread where we can explain how Motability works?

Then we can simply direct the hard to thinking to it whenever we get the same tiresome Daily Mail questions in an otherwise sensible post.

[TheFungle]

elephantstone said:

Either way ignore the negative views and opinions.. My mum has MS and I know how what its like, so get a faster car and enjoy blasting around

With his poor eyesight I'd much prefer it if he wasn't blasting around actually.

[Jimmy No Hands]

Out of those two I'd go for the Volkswagen personally, although I do like the looks of the Astra.

I think there is probably more suitable and practical options available for you possibly, but hey if you aren't too restricted in your needs then why not go for the nicest, newest warm hatch.

[GreatGranny]

TheFungle said:

With his poor eyesight I'd much prefer it if he wasn't blasting around actually.

Do you honestly think he would be allowed to drive if his sight was that bad?

We don't know what impairment he has so lets not (again) jump to conclusions.

[frosted]

BlackVanDyke said:

Got a source for that figure?

Think every person who gets DLA doesn't work or doesn't contribute to this country?

Think that people with severe or profound disability, and/or terminal illess shouldn't be supported to live a basic, decent quality life?

'screwing hard working people out of...'

That really is a load of offensive bullst. I'm not sure why I've just wasted 5 minutes of my life even responding to this. You're a pillock.

I think the word disability should be used more scarcely in today's society. Having to use a walking stick and a bad back doesn't mean you are in the same boat as someone who was blown up by bomb.

I'm sorry that you feel like I'm talking about you, maybe that says something ?