The Ford Mustang Mach-E was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered significant issues with
discretionary commission arrangements in motor finance, affecting millions of consumers.
How the Ford Mustang Mach-E was Typically Financed
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is a popular electric car that often comes with higher upfront costs due to its advanced technology and features. During the period under scrutiny by the FCA, it was common for buyers to finance their purchases through PCP or HP agreements, which ranged from £15,000 to £30,000. Common lenders who provided financing for this vehicle included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
PCP contracts typically offered terms ranging from 36 to 48 months, with a balloon payment at the end of the agreement that must be settled if the customer wishes to own the car. This structure often led to consumers being locked into agreements they may not have fully understood or could afford in the long term.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation revealed that many lenders were involved in discretionary commission arrangements, where finance brokers received additional payments for steering customers towards higher-cost finance products. These practices affected an estimated 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) and resulted in a total overcharge of £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026). The average amount paid by each customer as a result of this mis-selling was around £829 (FCA estimate).
These discretionary commissions were often not disclosed to customers, leading many to enter into finance agreements that may have been more expensive than necessary. The FCA's findings highlighted significant issues with transparency and fairness in the motor finance market during this period.
How to Check Your Agreement Look for any mention of additional charges, fees, or commissions that were not clearly explained at the time of purchase.
Relevant dates to consider are from 6 April 2007 through 1 November 2024, as this is the period covered by the FCA's investigation. If your agreement falls within these dates and includes discretionary commissions or other hidden fees, it may be affected.
check if your finance agreement mentions "Discretionary Charging Arrangements" (DCA). This term refers to the undisclosed commission structures that were prevalent during this time period and could indicate mis-selling issues with your contract.
If you suspect that your Ford Mustang Mach-E finance agreement was affected by discretionary commissions or other misleading practices, it is important to address these concerns directly with your lender. Common lenders for the Ford Mustang Mach-E include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When contacting your lender, clearly explain any discrepancies you have found in your finance agreement or terms that were not fully disclosed at the time of purchase. Lenders are required to address complaints fairly and without charge. You do not need a
claims management company; many consumers successfully resolve their issues by communicating directly with their lenders.
You can complain directly to your lender for free, and you do not need a claims management company. This straightforward approach often leads to quicker resolution and avoids unnecessary fees associated with third-party services.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimates
- Office for National Statistics Census 2021
Based on 10,802 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Ford Mustang has a pass rate of 86.6%. This is above the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Mustang performs well in MOT testing.
The Mustang pass rate is better than the overall Ford average of 78.3%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 37,951 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 86.6%
- MOT failure rate: 13.4%
- Tests analysed: 10,802 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 37,951 miles
- Ford average pass rate: 78.3%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.