What car post (again i hear you all cry) ok what Motability car

In news:dlcgh8$i09$ snipped-for-privacy@news6.svr.pol.co.uk, loopy livernose decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Focus.

As someone else has said, if you can, get a Focus, even with the horrid new shape, they are still a good car.

Of the ones on your list, I would probably get the Astra 1.6. Don't get the

Yup, possibly in C-Max form?

Chris

Probably this one

Or this one

Not economical - weight and frontal area work against it

French

Also french

Also french. French cars are best left to the French.

We've just ordered a Verso. Toyota reliability moves us away from the two Zafiras we'd had to date.

On what?

Yup, they were designed, or so I was told, with a more elderly driver in mind so the doors are a little taller etc. A mate had one from a motobility scheme for his wife who had MS.

Agreed. The 1.6 is a spritly little engine and you can get it in an automatic as well. There is also a nice 1.6 TDCi diesel in the new version that is nice to drive as well although the extra front end weight makes the handling suffer compared to the petrol versions. The C-Max version is also a very easy car to get into and out of if that's important.

As a recipient of DLA who could get a car from Motability my advice is, don't.

You can use the DLA to fund a purchase and either trade up over time or spend less than the full amount on running a car.

Hmmm, the deal is not that bad, for us we need a six seater, the inclusive servicing and insurance makes it very much worthwhile.

I agree that you can get some fairly decent deals through Motability, but you can also get yourself a(n almost) free ALPINA with planning...

I also know of people who really exploit the VAT exemption on adapted cars to have a new upgrade every 6 months or so, but that requires quite a bit of cash at the start.

Motability (should) take all the stress out but they're not the only option.

The message from "Malc" contains these words:

Mum's got MS and is very immobile. She's got a Yaris, having for some time rejected the idea of these modern "Sit up and beg" style cars 'cos she thought they'd be too high to get into. We'd all told her the opposite would be true, but it wasn't till she tried one that she believed it.

The message from Alistair J Murray contains these words:

Just what my wife does. Her Clio cost her a grand three years ago and has consumed about £200 worth of maintenance in that time. I guess if she sold it she'd get a few hundred for it. A considerable advance over Motability.

The message from "Tim S Kemp" contains these words:

Really? You can pick up an Espace for £200!

I was still in hospital when I realised that the DLA would buy me an oldish Mercedes and leave me something for contingencies...

The only downside to buying your own is that you also own all the risks.

I now run a 170mph supercar for roughly the same cost as a beige hatchback; I made the right choice IMO. :)

Yes but would you want to?

The message from "Malc" contains these words:

Personally, no.

only stress is having to deal with main dealers, in the case of vauxhall that can be quite stressful

You never read any of my french car rants?

I hope you're joking.

Tim S Kemp ( snipped-for-privacy@timkemp.karoo.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

We should take car advice from a man that owns a Diesel ElkMerc after a series of Zafiras? And aspires to a diesel Toyota?

Excuse me, I think this beige cardigan might be a bit too... exciting.