Can I get a discount on my Motability car?

The Motability Scheme is a way for those who are eligible for a disability allowance to use all or part of it to lease a new car. There are hundreds of different makes and models of cars available on the scheme ranging from small city runabouts to large SUVs. 

The cost of leasing a car on Motability generally depends on its purchase price – cheaper models may only cost part of your mobility allowance, while you may have to pay the total allowance and an Advance Payment for more expensive models. The Advance Payment represents the difference between the total of the weekly allowance payments that you’ll make over the three-year lease period and the total cost of owning the car for that period. 

Each Advance Payment is calculated by taking into account factors such as the cost of the car, its servicing and maintenance and its expected resale value at the end of the lease agreement. The Motability team negotiates with car manufacturers every three months to get the best prices for scheme users, so the haggling has already been done on the cost of the car by the time you come to lease your car. 

Although Motability secures the best prices it can for cars, and the prices cars are offered for are non-negotiable, it’s also worth asking your supplying dealership if they are prepared to throw in any extras – anything from mats to paint or upholstery protection – to enhance your deal. With dealers keen to make up for lost sales due to the coronavirus lockdown, it’s worth asking if they can offer any additional incentives for you to choose them for your lease. 

Lease prices can change every three months, so it’s worth checking up on models you’re interested in advance to see if any of the cars on your shortlist become more affordable. This could happen towards the end of the lifecycle of a particular model – prices might go down when it nears the end of production and a replacement is due to be introduced. Once you’ve signed up for your lease, though, your Advance Payment and instalments are fixed for the three years of the lease deal. 

To read all of What Car?'s Motability guides click here

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here