Your guide to Motability: Servicing

The Motability Scheme is a way for those who are eligible for a disability allowance to exchange it towards leasing a new car. As well as helping organise accessibility adaptations for your car, the Scheme also takes care of the financing, insurance and servicing throughout your lease. 

Regular servicing is essential for keeping your car running well. You may even get a ‘Good Condition Bonus’ at the end of your lease if your car has been well looked after.

The service for each type of car will be different, but will generally include the following checks:

• Engine oil
• Windscreen washer fluid
• Engine cooling system
• Lights
• Tyre tread
• Tyre pressure 

Other checks for brake pads or filters will be performed if it’s recommended by the manufacturer. Your installer will notify you if any regular maintenance is required for adaptations.

Waiting for your car

The length of a service can vary, so it might be a good idea to organise transport home. If you’ve given the dealership three weeks’ notice from when you booked, they should be able to give you a non-adapted courtesy car. 

Keep a record

Ensure that your dealer updates your car’s service book after every service. Keep this safe as it may be needed in future. 

For all car servicing and maintenance, you should take your car to the dealer that has been assigned as your managing dealer. Servicing will either be at set times during your lease agreement, or when your car has been driven a certain number of miles.  

Wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) servicing and Annual Vehicle Check

If you have a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV), on top of its regular service an Annual Vehicle Check is performed on the conversion elements during your lease. This free check will be carried out at your home every year by the WAV supplier, and will cover things like the ramp or lift and wheelchair tie downs to check they are working correctly.

For maintenance or repair of conversion items, such as winches and ramps, please contact your specialist WAV supplier. Any repairs needed that are not caused by general wear and tear must be approved by the Motability Scheme before any work is done.

Regular servicing and maintenance for your WAV will be arranged by either your WAV supplier or the vehicle manufacturer’s local dealer. For example, a Vauxhall Combo Life would be taken to a Vauxhall dealer. The company arranging the service will contact you when it is due.

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

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