Difficulty Choosing Next Motability Car

[magwtwins]

Hi

I thought I would post on here as I seem to be going round in circles trying to search for what we need and wondered if anyone had any ideas on solutions.

I don't think what we are looking for is unreasonable bearing in mind this is a Motability Scheme.

We cannot afford a high deposit, would prefer nil but £250 is the max we can afford.
It needs to be automatic.
It needs to fit a power chair in the back and still have room for myself , husband and two teenagers to travel in.
The back sill needs to be of a height manageable for me to get the power chair in using ramps.

That's it. - fairly reasonable requests I would have thought for a scheme supplying vehicles for disabled people ?

I cannot come up with anything. Does anyone know something I don't ?

[Fliss]

Someone else will be more help than me in terms of specific cars. But I think you should call Motability and discuss this with them; as you say, your requirements sound very reasonable. Unfortunately auto cars that are large enough for a power chair are not cheap, and Motability certainly understand this in my experience. You maybe eligible for a grant to help with the advance payment; certainly worth discussing with them if you have not already done so.

[Lighttouch]

A Renault Grand Scenic Automatic springs to mind but the deposit is a lot more than you\d like. Automatics always have large deposits whichever make you buy. http://www.motability.co.uk/cars-and...Row=1&EndRow=1

However, there could be a solution to your problem . . .

1 Try asking Motability for a grant towards the deposit - this will be means tested.
2 If you are in receipt of the Mobility component of DLA and working contact Access to Work who would require you to pay about £250 and they would pay the rest
3 Go to the website Turn2us to look at charities that would help disabled individuals with car deposits. http://www.turn2us.org.uk/grants_search.aspx
4 Choosing a car http://www.rica.org.uk/content/motoring

[Paul]

What you need is a 7 seater but with the two rearmost seats left in the boot/removed from the car - or even better a van-based car.

A couple of cars spring to mind, but you will need a grant to help fund them

Citroen Doblo?
Citroen Grand C4 Picasso
Fiat 500L MPW?
Fiat Qubo?
Ford Grand Tourneo Connect
Ford SMax/Galaxy
Peugeot 5008
Seat Alhambra
Toyota Verso
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer
Volksagen Caddy Maxi
Volkswagen Sharan

I'll add more/put APs when it isn't nearly 2am

Definitely speak to Motability

What do you drive now?

[Fliss]

Thanks Paul, I left the details of cars to you!

Mags I'm aware that Motability are changing their rules about eligibility for grants, etc. Please don't let them put you off talking to them; I need a car that I can independently get a chair/ scooter in and out of, and have done for some time. Although I earn too much for a grant towards the AP, over the years they have been very helpful.

[magwtwins]

Thank you for all your responses.

We currently have a Fiat Qubo. Power chair can fit easily with the back seats down but if we want to go out as a family we have to take the manual wheelchair, my husband hates this as not unreasonably he wants to go where he wants not where I push him. Prior to this we had a Vauxhall Astra Estate which worked pretty well but all the latest estates seem to have such sloping backs that there is no hope of getting the chair in. The power chair is fairly compact as we bought it as a ''spare'' second hand one and chose it for smallest dimensions. The other issue I seem to have is that we live at the end of the world as far as dealers are concerned and a) dealers are few b) they have small stocks of cars and don't seem interested in helping us. Both Vauxhall and Ford don't have any estates at their showrooms and that was that. No help / suggestions of how we might see them. I did in the end get a Vauxhall Estate on extended test drive last week but the boot is useless. With regards to grants - I work in two part time jobs to keep a roof over our heads and we are always just over the £16ishk limit for financial help with anything - school meals, transport, etc etc. Only by a few hundred pounds but over the limit none the less. Of course it pays to work NOT but don't even get me started on that one. I know there are vehicles that will do the job but we simply can't afford the deposit. I guess I am just mightily frustrated that there are such a vast amount of low deposit cars on the ''MOTABILITY'' scheme none of which meet the needs of someone with a wheelchair.

[Paul]

Use the 2nd hand market to find cars to look at - I find it's easier than sourcing cars from dealers to test - in your case you just need to look at the boot sizes not necessarily go for a drive in them.

Motability will assess you, but the fact you need to use the car for work will actually go in your favour but if you have children over 16 they will not necessarily cater for them when looking to provide a grant.

Here is all the eligibility criteria http://www.motability.co.uk/understa...financial-help

(I started this reply 2 hrs ago but parenthood got in the way)