Motability nightmare

  • bestieno7's Avatar
    My wifes motability car broke down , it was left into the garage for repair , the replacement car i received was not to the same standard as our original car , we got a 1.6 2 door astra replacing a 2.0 4 door mazda 6.
    I rang the RAC who told me in no uncertain terms that the car i received was a group c and the equivalent to mine, i disagreed but was told to contact motability if i wasn,t happy , i did.
    When i contacted motability they told me it was not their issue and to contact RAC again , after expressing my disgust at this i did , eventually they agreed to give me the correct standard of car but only if i went to the suppliers myself and picked the car up!
    Now , the main crux of my complaint is with the attitude from both sources which seems to be , beggars cant be choosers , take what your given and like it , also they both questioned why my wife could not get into this car comfortably , wanting to know what her diasbilities were , unbeleivable! ,
    i feel totally disgusted and degraded by this whole exerience and hope i never have to deal with this situation ever again , so humiliating. I believed when entering into the motablity scheme we would be treated fairly and with respect , this sadly does not seem to be the case .
    I don,t think my requests were unreasonable , the comfort of my wife is paramount , simple as that!
  • 23 Replies

  • Best Answer

    Watcher's Avatar
    Best Answer
    Oh yes?

    You 100% wrong!

    NO, I'm never 100% wrong, sometimes a little wrong, but never 100%; from Motability's website,

    "Courtesy cars are similar throughout the industry and will be the same cars offered to keep non scheme members mobile. They are usually provided for short periods of time. If you required a courtesy car for a long period of time and the size of the car is unsuitable because of your disability the supplier will try to provide an alternative solution. Your contract does not provide a 'like for like' courtesy vehicle."
  • Watcher's Avatar
    loan car

    so make a formal complaint to Motability services - we can't help from here! :(
  • bestieno7's Avatar
    Great!!!!!

    Thanks for the super advice , of course i,ve cmplained to motability , i was just letting members of this forum be aware of the shoody standards of the RAC in this matter . If you,ve nothing constructive please don,t waste the mine and the forums time !!!!!!! :eek::eek::eek:
  • Mike Gray's Avatar
    I have passed your complaint on to RAC Customer Services.
  • AdamB's Avatar
    Why are you so upset that you were asked what difficulties would be encountered with using what is, in effect, a temporary vehicle? I think you are being a tad over sensitive? :confused:

    Whilst i appreciate its not the same, in the same vein, 'courtesy' or replacement vehicles that i have had have not been 'like-for-like' and to a certain extent, as it is a temporary situation, i think you need to meet in the middle sometimes? :confused:

    At the end of the day, there will not be an 'off the shelf' replacement to be collected on a whim.
  • bestieno7's Avatar
    Why are you so upset that you were asked what difficulties would be encountered with using what is, in effect, a temporary vehicle? I think you are being a tad over sensitive? :confused:

    Whilst i appreciate its not the same, in the same vein, 'courtesy' or replacement vehicles that i have had have not been 'like-for-like' and to a certain extent, as it is a temporary situation, i think you need to meet in the middle sometimes? :confused:

    At the end of the day, there will not be an 'off the shelf' replacement to be collected on a whim.


    Sadly AdamB is again of the opinion take what you,re given and like it!
    This car is not free it is paid for! If you hired a car , say a family saloon and it packed in and was replaced by the hire firm with a mini would you be satisfied ?
    I think not , please understand its not replaced by the garage it is replaced from a hire firm , and it seems the RAC will replace with a cheap option.

    As for being "a tad over sensitive" i explained my wife found it too difficult to get in and out of the car due to her disability , do you think i should go into every aching detail?
  • AdamB's Avatar
    Methinks for you its more a case of my way or no way.

    If the car was in the same grade as what you pay for there isnt any argument as far as I can see. Like I said, I contract hire my vehicle and others as circumstances dictate and there have been times when a replacement vehicle has been a slightly different spec but in the same grade so I have had to live with it for a few days. In the circumstances when the replacement has not had a drawbar fitted I have had to go to another depot to collect a suitable one. Its whats called 'meeting in the middle'

    I hardly think that comparing an Astra to a Mazda 6 is akin to Saloon to Mini which you are comparing it too. This exaggeration on your part indicates that probably the root cause of your complaint is that you haven't got exactly your way and you dont like it.

    Also, considering you are dealing with Motorbility, who specialise in accessible vehicles for the mobility impaired, then to a certain extent within reason you should be expected to explain why the replacement is not suitable for the end user, rather than stamp your feet and say you dont want it.
  • smudger's Avatar
    To be honest I would have been grateful just to get a courtesy car at all.
    Just got the read some of the posts in here, about folk having problems with their insurance companies about this matter?

    We have been with the Mobility Scheme for eight years now, and I think they do a great job. Of course, they cant keep everybody happy all the time, but then again, who can?;)
  • bestieno7's Avatar
    To be honest I would have been grateful just to get a courtesy car at all.
    Just got the read some of the posts in here, about folk having problems with their insurance companies about this matter?

    We have been with the Mobility Scheme for eight years now, and I think they do a great job. Of course, they cant keep everybody happy all the time, but then again, who can?;)


    So you,d be happy paying £50 a week and not have transport, wise up!
  • bestieno7's Avatar
    Methinks for you its more a case of my way or no way.

    If the car was in the same grade as what you pay for there isnt any argument as far as I can see. Like I said, I contract hire my vehicle and others as circumstances dictate and there have been times when a replacement vehicle has been a slightly different spec but in the same grade so I have had to live with it for a few days. In the circumstances when the replacement has not had a drawbar fitted I have had to go to another depot to collect a suitable one. Its whats called 'meeting in the middle'

    I hardly think that comparing an Astra to a Mazda 6 is akin to Saloon to Mini which you are comparing it too. This exaggeration on your part indicates that probably the root cause of your complaint is that you haven't got exactly your way and you dont like it.

    Also, considering you are dealing with Motorbility, who specialise in accessible vehicles for the mobility impaired, then to a certain extent within reason you should be expected to explain why the replacement is not suitable for the end user, rather than stamp your feet and say you dont want it.

    I,m astounded by your ignorance , you really believe a 3 door astra is in the same class as a 5 door mazda 6 , wow!!!!

    Again , i will repeat you are a take what your given and like it merchant , i did explain the car was too small , to awkward to enter , my wife needs the room of the back seats , but i was not going to explain all her disabilities in full to a complete stranger!

    Are you on the motability scheme , do you know how it works , can you grasp the"same spec of car or better" promise that comes with the agreement.

    Stamp my feet? , phew , you haven,t a clue!!!!!!!!

    Something fishy about your post , do you work for the RAC per chance?
  • Watcher's Avatar
    complaint

    There's no use coming on here stamping your feet. As far as I know Motability conditions SPECIFICALLY say that they cannot guarantee that a temporary loan vehicle will necessarily be similar, and if you think about it for a moment it is unreasonable to expect otherwise. Loan cars/courtesy cars almost never are similar - from anywhere!
  • bestieno7's Avatar
    There's no use coming on here stamping your feet. As far as I know Motability conditions SPECIFICALLY say that they cannot guarantee that a temporary loan vehicle will necessarily be similar, and if you think about it for a moment it is unreasonable to expect otherwise. Loan cars/courtesy cars almost never are similar - from anywhere!

    You 100% wrong!
  • Mike Gray's Avatar
    User bestieno7 has been banned. In the interest of clarity, he hasn't been banned for making a complaint - I've never had to ban anyone with a complaint before - but for continued abuse towards other members despite a request to refrain from this behaviour.
  • AdamB's Avatar
    Ahhh thats a shame Mike! :) I just read his little rant at me on another thread where he called me all sorts of names, really made me laugh and i was relishing replying to it today but looks like you deleted that post! ;)
    What makes me laugh is people like him have plenty to say hiding behind a computer but would never have the balls to say it to anyones face. :rolleyes:
  • bby gti's Avatar
    So you,d be happy paying £50 a week and not have transport, wise up!

    Man im gutted i missed this . just a quick point tho If some one can afford £50 per week for a car im sure you could buy your own for that ? Wish I could afford that
  • Watcher's Avatar
    Motability

    Man im gutted i missed this . just a quick point tho If some one can afford £50 per week for a car im sure you could buy your own for that ? Wish I could afford that

    Maybe you could, but that's hardly the point of the Motability Scheme. I suggest you read up on the scheme before you say anything else, or you are likely to be flamed by disabled drivers everywhere!
  • bby gti's Avatar
    I know enuff to get by , tried for years to get one for my grandparents and dealt with them for a long time of my working career not a real worry can stand up for myself if i dont believe it to be true i dont say it . There is always the flip side that if every disabled driver knew what the scheme covers and dosent cover alot of these problems could avoided !
  • Watcher's Avatar
    Motability

    I know enuff to get by , tried for years to get one for my grandparents and dealt with them for a long time of my working career not a real worry can stand up for myself if i dont believe it to be true i dont say it . There is always the flip side that if every disabled driver knew what the scheme covers and dosent cover alot of these problems could avoided !

    Hmm, I think I understand what you mean! I was concerned that your previous post sounded perilously close to having a dig at the Motability scheme itself, (and BTW, did you know that it is apparently the 3rd largest car leasing scheme in Europe?).
  • bby gti's Avatar
    No not having a dig at the scheme its self (although i think there if faults with it but thats for a different debate) but more at bestieno7 who i'd class as the bad side of the scheme . I knew it was a big scheme but did not know it was the 3rd biggest in europe
  • smudger's Avatar
    Yea! you could by a car on that £150 a month, but don't forget you also get free insurance/servicing and maintenance costs which covers tyres exhausts and so on.:cool:
  • Jack1505's Avatar
    @bestieno7 I have a 71 plate ford focus since Monday morning 8am I've been chasing a replacement car. Finally got after arguing they gave me a battered 19 plate Corsa that isn't big enough for me I've chased and argue and got no where. Liverpool airport branch said to me I quote " you will have to go without a car and be house bound I close at 4pm and not 10pm so tuff I was absolutely fuming so now I've gone throw my insurance. It absolutely disgraceful. They still haven't resolve anything so my car still hasn't been fixed as am refusing to take it in till I get a car that suitable.
  • Camieberwell's Avatar
    @bestieno7 I totally agree. I’m new to the scheme, I got my first motobility car at the beginning of March and was reassured that breakdowns would be a priority. Unfortunately this is far from the truth.
    i hit a pot hole which resulted in a flat rear driver’s side tyre. I raised a call out recovery job at 14:30 I didn’t get home until 22:00.
    the only reason I eventually got home was because I had to call my previous breakdown provider, the AA and literally beg them for help. I was a physical and emotional wreck by this time. Unfortunately they were unable to assist by the roadside but got me through to RAC, who had long since stopped answering my calls and pleas for recovery.
    they finally suggested to get me and the vehicle towed to my home address and then arrange to get another tow in the morning to kwikfit so that they could change the tyre. I took what I could get. By this time I just wanted to get home. Btw the recovery was SW5 home address is SE5
    so having spoken with Hannah at motobility the following morning, who just read from dedicated scripts and was woefully unhelpful; all she could do was send me out the policy agreement (which would take 7 days) and complain to the financial ombudsman because there was no complaint escalation process. I assume the fact that I expressed my disgust and disappointment with her assistance is the reason why they refused to authorise the fix at kwikfit. Now I have to go through insurance for a flat tyre.
    so I have no car for at least a week and I’ve got to wait and see what kind of vehicle they authorise for the courtesy car. And I can’t get to work even though I’m a priority worker.
    wil let you know what I get.
    I’ve never used RAC in more than 20+ years of driving and if and when I have to use them again, it’ll be a day too soon.
  • Drivingforfun's Avatar
    Old thread but I had a small incident with my Motability car and the RAC came out within 90 mins or so and sent me home in a taxi, which was a couple of counties away

    They were going to send my car to a local Kwik Fit but instead the RAC guy towed it all the way to a Kwik Fit garage close to my home instead

    I've found the scheme to be perfect personally, I really don't understand how they provide what they do for £300 a month, it would cost almost double that to lease just the car I'm in, then they provide insurance and everything else as well

    Just wanted to balance this out with a good experience

    Putting aside the entitled attitude of some customers...I do totally agree actually, that if you are physically disabled such that you need a big 4 door car, a 2 door car isn't really a substitute, is it??