Disabled Man's Mustang Order Sparks Dispute

A disabled man from Reading is in a dispute with Hartwell Ford after claiming they botched his order for a new Mustang via the Motability scheme.

Dave Jurgensen ordered a 2026 Mustang Mach‑E Select in race red through Motability. He says the 2026 Select was on the scheme when he ordered in January, but Hartwell Ford ordered the 2025 Mach‑E instead.

When he pointed this out, the order was cancelled, leaving him without the car he wanted.

On his preference for the 2026 model, Mr Jurgensen explained: "My disability‑related needs mean that the 2026 Mustang Mach‑E Select is significantly more suitable and safer for me than the 2025 model.

"The 2026 model includes several accessibility‑critical features that the 2025 model does not have, which are improved lighting and visibility, updated steering-wheel controls, door handles on every door, and a better internal layout.

Georgina Forbes, the company secretary of the Hartwell Group, said: "Mr Jurgensen can either return the advance payment or select a new car.

"The cancellation could have been a misunderstanding, but we cannot physically order that vehicle.

"There clearly has been a misunderstanding.  It is quite a complicated scheme, and if there has been an error in cancelling the order that is on us, but other than saying ‘we can't get this car, is there another one he would like’, we are not able to do much more.

She said staff absences may have caused an error and added: "The 2026 Mach-E Select is not available on the Motability scheme at this time, so we are not able to order him that car.

A Motability spokesperson had not responded before publication.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter