I asked for a price for my Motability car which is on an extended lease till August. My son wants to buy it. When I looked through the paperwork again today, I realised that there doesn't seem to be any warranty at all. Or am I missing something. I thought that there would be some sort of warranty on any second-hand car. Does anyone know if there is definitely no warranty. Thank You.
Teri
Sorry - I just found out the answer myself by ringing Motability. Apparently, they provided a warranty until a year ago but have now stopped it.
Teri
Last edited by Teri; 02-07-14 at 13:42.
You would have the usual Sale of Goods Act 1979 rights buying from a business: item is as described, reasonably fit for purpose, and of satisfactory quality. However, the value of these rights in respect of latent defects in the car is likely to be diminished somewhat by the years you have had to acquaint yourself with the car and any possible weaknesses. You are, after all, intending to buy a car that you have hired for several years for your son, not a second-hand car that you had no previous knowledge of.
If something happened soon after purchase that you could have had no reasonable way of knowing was a possibility, you might be able to claim using the SoGA 1979 rights.
So far as vehicle warranties go, you need to weigh the risks and benefits carefully. Buying a vehicle warranty can be expensive, and you need to check the small print for what is not covered.
Motability's position makes sense - it seems better to let purchasers make their own decision on any warranty cover when buying a vehicle that is known to them, rather than including a warranty in the purchase price or covering the costs of repairing defects on cars sold to the previous user on the scheme.
You should find out exactly what is included in your purchase. At the very least, I would expect an annual service, MoT and any necessary repairs to be done at Motability's expense. If you are aware of any possible problems with the car, it is up to you to negotiate for a discount on the purchase price or some sort of warranty.
Thank you for this info. I just wanted to confirm that there is no warranty. My service and MOT were done approx. 2 months ago - will be 14 weeks by the time the lease is finished.
Teri
You're welcome. I wanted you to be aware that you weren't buying the car 'as seen' with no remedies whatsoever, though the rights you have under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 are unlikely to offer much protection on what is a known second-hand car. That knowledge hopefully helps you to be an informed consumer if you decide to look at buying a vehicle warranty.
I hope all goes well with the purchase and that your son enjoys his new (to him) car. I can certainly understand you wanting to buy your ex-Motability car for him rather than an unknown second hand car - there is reassurance from knowing the full history of the car.
If you go shopping for warranties, it might help others in a similar position if you post on what you decide to do. Buying your Motability car seems to have become more popular with many people uncertain how they will fare when reassessed for PIP.
If you do decide to purchase a warranty it may be worth speaking to the dealer who supplied and/or serviced the car and obtain a price for a manufacturer extended warranty. These are usually more comprehensive but may be more costly.
I've done this myself on more than one occasion.
No single thing can define me; not my work, not my politics, not my hobbies, not my vices and not my disability. I'm way more complex than that!
I bought the car off Motability 20 months ago after an extended lease of 5 years. At that time a one year warrantee was included although I never needed to call on it.
Something that might be of interest to you. Motability will offer the car at a fair price. I was able to get them to do a service, MOT and get a tyre changed at their expense befre I bought the car off them.
You will automatically get the good condition bonus whatever the state of the car as it isn't inspected. Normally, after 3 years, it would be £250 but with it being an extended lease you will get a cheque for £450 two weeks after the sale.
Insurance. By all means shop around on comparison websites but it's difficult to get a true cost as your son has been insured through a 'block insurance' policy so hasn't built up any no cams bonus.
Paul on this site recommended fish car insurance and I would too. They just need clarification from RSA as to how ong your son has been on Motabiity and how many claims he's made over the last three years. Their insurance cover is well thought through and offers an excellent package including home breakdown. I was even able to beat them down on an excellent cost which was a bit embarrassing but they won my business.
Twenty months later and nothing major has gone wrong, touch wood, but my MOT is due in three weeks.
I think cars are better made today and providing you get them serviced regularly it should be worry free motoring.
I think I bought my Renault Scenic Auto for £4200 minus £450 = £3750. It will depreciate by about 25% a year.
Thanks for the extra information. The car has had a recent service and MOT & tyre change not too long ago so it should be OK for a while.
Teri
i like to buy used car, whether it is safe...
Motability will sell a car to the user at the end of the lease. They are the only retail sales from Motability - all returned cars sold in trade only sales.Originally Posted by Simon08
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