The global car market is currently facing an unprecedented number of challenges which are causing delivery delays and shortages of many new makes and models. We kindly ask for your patience.
If you’re currently looking to order your first car, choosing your next car on the Motability Scheme or if you’re awaiting delivery, we understand that you may have questions regarding this matter and what may be causing current delays and what you can do if your order is affected.
What is causing the vehicle supply issues?
One of the main problems is a worldwide shortage of semiconductors, also known as “chips”. These are used in most electrical products, however, every new vehicle built contains approximately 1500 of these parts. This shortage is expected to last until at least the end of 2022 but may be longer.
However, it is not just the chips that are causing issues, global supply chains for so many different items are being affected by the after-effects of COVID-19, Brexit, and more recently the Ukraine War.
The impact of global supply issues on Brook Miller Mobility’s WAV supply
Unfortunately, due to vehicle supply issues, the range of vehicles we can currently offer is much smaller than it has ever been.
An example of this is the Vauxhall Combo, which we cannot currently demonstrate as production has been suspended indefinitely.
Another example is the Volkswagen Caddy. Unfortunately, the lead time on this vehicle is currently 18-24 months and we are currently unable to order this vehicle. Because of this, we have put a pause on demonstrating this vehicle, until a time when we are able to order the vehicle within a reasonable timescale following your demonstration.
Our Renault Trafic demonstrations are also suspended, as the lead time on these vehicles has been deemed too high, as these are also estimated to be at least 18 – 24 months.
We do not feel it is fair on our customers to demonstrate a vehicle, which in 2 years’ time, may no longer be suitable for their needs, which is the reason behind this decision.
What wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available for Brook Miller Mobility customers?
The wheelchair-accessible vehicles which we are still able to demonstrate for our customers currently are:
Renault Master
- Rear Lift wheelchair entry
Volkswagen Shuttle with the following options:
- Rear Lift wheelchair entry
- Centro; lowered floor and wheelchair ramp
- Internal Transfer for Wheelchair User
- Upfront Wheelchair Passenger
As things stand the timescales for ordering a Renault Master or Volkswagen Shuttle currently stand at 12 – 18 months. However, this is only a guide, as with so many things during this global vehicle supply shortage, these timescales can change, sometimes at short notice.
How has Brook Miller responded to the global crisis?
Unfortunately, so much of what is affecting our industry is outside of Brook Miller’s control. We have been doing all we can to keep our customers informed about the status of their orders.
Often the dealers and manufacturers who supply to us do not have accurate or reliable timescale information available to provide to us. Many manufacturers rely on the supply and delivery of thousands of parts, and if they are let down by just one supplier, the whole vehicle can be delayed.
There are also implications with stricter import rules following Brexit, where vehicles can be held up entering the country, which can delay the date they arrive at Brook Miller, prior to our conversion.
All the above, we have no influence on, there is nothing we can do to speed things up, and often the information we are given can change at short notice.
We hope if you have a vehicle on order which has been impacted by this crisis, that we have managed to keep you as informed as possible, and we truly thank our wonderful customers for their patience and understanding.
Extending your current Motability Vehicle
If you have a current Motability lease and do not think your new vehicle will be ready by the end of the current lease, you should speak to Motability who will be able to advise you on your best options.
They also have a FAQ section on their website which answers lots of the questions you may have:
Nearly New Motability Vehicles
At present, Brook Miller does not have any nearly new WAVs available, and they are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.
This is because, as delays affect new vehicle production for customers who already have a Motability vehicle, those customers are extending their current lease, and so their nearly new and used vehicles are not being returned to Motability as would usually happen.
However, if you are looking for a Nearly New Motability Vehicle, the best thing to do is to contact a member of our team who can add your details and requirements to our enquiry list.
If a Nearly New vehicle becomes available, our team will cross-reference the vehicle against our enquiry list and contact any relevant customers.
Do you urgently require a WAV?
Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to speed up or influence your orders, please believe us we wish we could. We understand that many of our customers are in urgent need of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
We are checking daily for any vehicles which may become available. If you have registered on our Nearly New Motability Vehicles enquiry list, we will contact you should any suitable vehicles become available.
It may also be worth contacting other converters who offer the vehicle conversion you require, sometimes companies may end up with cancelled orders which become available at short notice, or for other circumstances, different companies may also have different vehicle supply chains which may affect their supply and availability; however, this is problem ever business linked with vehicle manufacturing and supply is currently experiencing.
Receiving Vehicle Updates
We will keep updating this page with any general industry updates we receive.
If you have an order placed with Brook Miller Mobility, a member of our team will contact you with any update on your order, and periodically in-between.
However, if you have any additional questions or if there is anything else we can assist with, please do not hesitate to contact us.
No Comments