Been to a couple of auctions lately which have included Motability cars. Some of these are three years old but others are as young as 3 months.
Is it safe to assume that all Motability cars would be serviced as per manufacturers guidelines so therefore any remainder of the 3 year warranty would still be applicable?
Should I be suspicious of cars under 3 years old or are these handed back if there is sadly no longer a need for them for whatever reason?
Any guidance would be appreciated as some of the prices seem to be extremely competitive against forecourt prices.
On a separate note, when you go to the auction and pay £2 for the listing, this has guide prices on it for each car, namely
CAP clean: Average Below GG
Now I assume GG is Glass's guide, but are these prices all trade in prices? How would I be able to compare what the retail price is ? I understand the dealers will have their own books but when they are looking at the above prices what are they seeing?
How do I tell how good a deal a car is?
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Almost all will be serviced on the dot. Low mileage/short journey issues and residual damage from disabled driver adaptations are potential problems. A small number will have been obtained/used fraudulently for example thrashed as mini cabs or drug dealers cars. Look carefully for evidence like seat wear, fag damage, tyre damage and general neglect.
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There's good reason for motobility cars being cheap at auction.
You can't tax them until you've had the taxation class changed, which means a visit to the local DVLA office and a wait. This isn't too much of a problem for a dealer, or for a disabled private buyer, but for Joe Punter with nowhere to store a car off road that they can't use for a week or two then its a real issue.
The only way of ever telling if a car is good value or not is if you can buy it for less than you're prepared to pay for it. Guides are just that, guides!
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I read often, only post occasionally
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Some are OK and looked after. I've seen a fair number that have been badly treated though. As ever, whatever the source of the car, just each individual motor on its merits and 'buyer beware'.
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I've bought a couple of cars over the years on behalf of a friend from used car dealers - one of them was a Ford Fiesta that had been a Motability registered vehicle and was coming up to three years old with less than 20k on the clock.
It proved a cracker and he's still delighted with it more than two years later.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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We have an ex-Motability car - all it took was one visit to the DVLA office, about 3 mins of forms, and out of the door with a tax disc.
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For whatever reason I always seem to notice that a higher percentage of them seem to have had repairs than typical ex-lease cars at auction (and a lot of them have been repaired too). Dealers and private buyers seem to go for Motability auctions in a big way because the mix of cars is different to many typical ex-fleet auction types but I've never been very keen on them.
Remember to add on typically 4-5% buyers premium (BCA or Manheim will charge this - smaller independents may be less) on top of the hammer price and remember that auctions are cheaper than forecourts for a very good reason - when the hammer goes down it is yours regardless of what faults you may or may not find. Always be careful to be sure that the savings (and don't forget the premium) are worth the risk and don't do what so many private buyers do at auction and decide on "a" car and end up paying a total over what they could have haggled a dealer down to.
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Two years ago we looked at an 18 month old ex Motability Nissan Almera auto with about 10k on the clock that an independent dealer was selling. It was a real shed. Filthy inside, dings in the bodywork and rusty holes in the driver's floor where something had been removed.
I was really disappointed having expected it to be a minter.
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My query is for a friend who wants a C-Max and only a C-Max.
She has een the same one go through auction twice but not meet the money. Car is minted, an 05 1.6Zetec with 8000 miles on clock. Highest it reached was £7400 but not sold. Would be another 300 I think for buyers premium but on the forecourt they are going for nearer, or even over, £9k.
OK you don;t know how much you could negotiate off that but even if she pays £8k then it looks like she is still getting a bargain especially if it is still covered by Ford Warranty.
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Just as a follow up to this she finally got this same car at auction today.
Cost £7200 plus £240 costs = £7440 for an Aug 05 C Max 1.6 Zetec with only 4800 miles (Original mileage I quoted was incorrect).
She is delighted with it, price is very good compared to forecourt and private prices. Just needs to get it taxed and insured and drive it away!
As someone said above, a good price is one where the buyer is happy, she is delighted!
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Suggest she gets it moved soonest BobbyG before things go missing off it or little dings happen
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Bell Boy, when she collected the car everything was still intact. Gotthe car and brought it home (2 miles without a tax disc although DVLA wensite said still taxed so hoped it wouldn't be picked up on a camera).
Got her insurance in the next day, went to DVLA office, filled out a form and got new tax disc within 15 minutes.
Would definitely recommend it.
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Glad to hear you got a 'deal'!
But, I also hope I misunderstood your last comment - she spent out over £7000 & used/kept it on the road without insurance!!?? However short a time, this would be crazy, from the £$£$ point of view, let alone any legal implicatiioons!
Also the existing taxation class would, possibly NOT have been valid, as the vehicle would not fall within the same class. Plus, of course, the licience disc wasn't displayed, or transfered with the vehicle.
Safest way for a private buyer, to transport their purchase, is to let the auction house deliver on trade plates. Minimum cost - maximum protection!!
VB
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Sorry it was insured. I was referring to the insurance certificate she got it in the post the next day and then was able to tax it.
But yes, she did drive it a couple of miles to her house insured, but not taxed.
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On a further note on the insurance, she phoned her ins company and was able to keep her 2 cars insured together (by paying a £30 premium) until she had sold her old car.
Didn't realise you could do this! Made life easier for selling it.
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I think these cars can be a bit hit or miss. I know someone out there will buy an ex-motability 55 plate focus without knowing that has been driven around by a prolific burglar before being abandoned with slashed tyres and stolen then recovered off a traveller's site. Would you want this as your new car? The first you'll know is when you start getting stopped by the police on every journey.
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Nothing like a sweeping statement is there!!!
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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>>Would you want this as your new car? >>
What a bizarre posting...:-)
Used Motability vehicles are normally one of the best buys around - fully serviced and maintained for three years.
I should know, I've bought several of them over the years for friends.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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I got an ex-mobility C-Max 2 weeks ago. Used the services of Joe Dowd and he got one of his colleagues to bid on the car at BCA Bridgwater. Very happy with the car, it's an 04 1.8 Zetec with 17,000 miles.
Issues with the car were/are:
Engine management light on - battery was flat and went out once charged. £0
Interior stunk of fags - valeter solved that. £30
Scrapes to front and rear bumpers - looking for someone to fix - see Technical (maybe should have posted in Discussion?) - Bodyshop quote of £200
Air-con not working - a fractured pipe - not uncommon I understand. £125
Only one key - £148 ouch!, but I had the same thing when I last bought for myself at auction.
So car cost £5,700 + £80 buyers fee + £300 for Joe + £500 to sort = £6,580. Ford dealer has one up for £8,999 with 30,000 miles. OK it will have a warranty and there's some room for haggling, but I'm still happy with the price I paid. Joe Dowd also gets the thumbs up, although I did miss the buzz of the auction, but then I didn't waste any holiday on wasted trips to auctions.
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