Car ownership

The real cost of learning to drive

Cost of learning to drive

Experts say learning to drive is far more than simply moving a car from A to B. (Picture © Renault)

The cost of learning to drive varies from driver to driver. But it’s safe to say it’s one of the pricier parts of motoring, particularly considering that every year only around half of the 1.5 million drivers who take their test will actually pass. Here we look at the costs and potential pitfalls. As Mike Frisby from the Driving Instructors Association (DIA) explained, learning to drive is far more than simply moving a car from A to B. “It’s about attitude, behaviour, a whole variety of situations and how you go about dealing with them,” he said.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

Expert advice: what you should know about checking engine oil

Checking engine oil

Wearing a ball gown to inspect your oil in a field might be taking things a bit far… But it’s still important to check it regularly. (Picture © Mobil 1)

If the engine is the heart of your car, the oil is its blood, but checking engine oil is a lot simpler than major surgery! Without oil your engine can’t function as the oil lubricates all the moving parts and ensures your engine leads a long, healthy and happy life. It’s a worry that surveys show the majority of drivers can’t and don’t check the oil level in their cars because if the lubricant level gets too low, an engine will literally grind to a halt.  Continue reading →

Mike Shaw 3 Comments

Scrapping cars: everything you need to know

How to scrap your old car

Scrapping an old car in favour of a newer model is a straightforward process (Picture © Ford)

Many of us imagine scrapping an old car involves taking it to a junk yard where a huge crane drops it into a massive machine that compresses a once-loved motor into a suitcase-sized cube. In reality, scrapping cars doesn’t involve a scrap heap at all: in Eurocrat-speak, worn out cars are subjected to recycling and energy recovery as part of the End of Life Vehicle Directive (ELV). And as of 2015, the law demands that an impressive 95 per cent of every new car must be recycled. Continue reading →

James Mills 5 Comments

Electric car myths busted

Electric car myths

Electric cars spend a lot of time doing this. That and other myths explained. (Picture © Nissan)

New research from the Government and Britain’s car industry claims 62 per cent of potential car buyers believe the electric car myths that surround battery powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The survey by Go Ultra Low reviews drivers’ attitudes to electric or Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs). It claims a third have considered purchasing a ULEV, while nearly a third believe it’s more expensive to buy, own and run a ULEV over five years compared to a conventional car. Here we bust some of the more popular electric car myths.  Continue reading →

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In-car cameras: all you need to know

In-car cameras

As insurance fraud increases so does the popularity of in-car cameras

In-car cameras or dash cams as they’re more commonly known are rapidly becoming the must-have gadget for drivers. The increase in the number of ‘crash for cash’ scams, where criminals prompt prangs to make hefty compensation claims, is causing law-abiding drivers to fight back.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 5 Comments

How far can you drive for cheap fuel prices?

Cheap fuel prices

Even a small drop in cost per litre can save big money when you’re filling up. (Picture © Ford)

If you go out of your way to find cheap fuel prices, you won’t be alone. Research shows that 42 per cent of drivers buy their fuel purely on cost. As proof, look no further than a Worcestershire garage that has run out of fuel three times in the past two weeks after its manager slashed fuel prices to just £1.09 for a litre of petrol.  Continue reading →

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How to clean and care for your car in winter weather

Clean and care for your car this winter

Give your car a good clean and work off the Christmas excess while you’re at it. (Picture © Autoglym)

Many drivers rarely give their car a second glance, but our motors do need a bit of TLC. So here are half a dozen ways you can clean and care for your car in the harsh winter weather Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

Expert tips: how to put screen wash in your car

Screen wash helps ensure you can see in low winter sun

Topping up your screen wash helps ensure you can see in low winter sun. (Picture © Prestone)

Car maintenance such as topping up screen wash isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But there are some things drivers really should be able to do to ensure their cars are as roadworthy as possible. It’s quite a worry that a new survey shows that two thirds of drivers can’t check the oil level in their cars; 31 per cent don’t know how to check tyre pressures; and nearly a third don’t know how to fill their screen wash bottle.  Continue reading →

Mike Shaw 14 Comments

Prangs up as parking space sizes fail to keep pace with bigger cars

Parking spaces are getting smaller.

\\\\\\ Cars are getting cleverer with self-parking functions. But parking spaces are becoming smaller. (Picture © Nissan)

As cars are getting bigger, parking spaces are staying the same size, prompting an increase in the number of people claiming for low-speed damage. According to new figures, Britain’s drivers are having to spend between £500million and £760m a year on repairs.  Continue reading →

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Spare wheel: is it the end of the road?

End of the road for spare wheels?

Puncture repair kits are increasingly replacing spare wheels

For drivers it’s a modern dilemma: to have a spare wheel or not. On the one hand there’s the risk of being one of the 23,000 drivers Green Flag attended in 2013 who were stranded at the side of the road because they didn’t have a spare wheel. On the other there’s the fuel and therefore tax you might save by not carrying the extra weight of a spare wheel that you might never use.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 4 Comments

Expert advice: how to cope with a motorway breakdown

Slow moving motorway traffic. But what happens if you break down in it? Read on to find out (Picture © Volvo)

Slow moving motorway traffic. But what happens if you break down in it? Read on to find out (Picture © Volvo)

Motorways might be safe roads to drive on, but they can be a nightmare to break down on. What should you do if your car conks out in the fast lane? Where’s the safest place to stand? Who do you contact and what will they do? This answers all those questions and more.

For specific advice on what to do if you break down on a Smart motorway, read this article.
Continue reading →

Mike Shaw 4 Comments

Bigger engines closer to makers’ mpg claims

Honda Civic records the best 'true MPG' according to tests by What Car? mag (Picture © Honda)

Honda Civic records the best ‘true MPG’ according to tests by What Car? mag (Picture © Honda)

Fuel consumption – and more specifically cars’ inability to their match makers’ claims – is one of the biggest causes for complaint among drivers today. Now new research shows that smaller cars are more likely to return fewer miles to the gallon than larger models.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

Rejecting cars or motorbikes: all you need to know

Green Flag - guy on phone talking next to his broken down car

Many drivers put up with faults simply because they don’t know what to do if they’re unsatisfied with their car or motorbike. If you’re at your wits’ end with a problem on a recently bought vehicle that seems beyond repair, you may want to consider rejecting your vehicle.  Continue reading →

James Mills 1 Comment

Now’s the time to check your tyres – and here’s how to do it

Defective tyres can cause crashes. (Picture © TyreSafe)

Defective tyres can cause crashes. (Picture © TyreSafe)

Latest official figures show that dangerous tyres were a factor in a third of the casualties caused by defective vehicles. Department for Transport statistics revealed that defective vehicles were responsible for 2855 casualties in 2013. Dangerous tyres contributed to 968 of those, or 34 per cent.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

What is Autonomous Emergency Braking and how does it work?

Volvo was one of the pioneers of Autonomous Braking (Picture © Volvo)

Volvo was one of the pioneers of Autonomous Braking (Picture © Volvo)

From 2015 new cars must have Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) if they’re to get a maximum five-star rating from Euro NCAP, the independent crash-safety organisation. The aim is to encourage car makers to fit as standard the system that slows or stops a car automatically if it detects danger.

Read on to find all you need to know about an exciting new technology that could slash the number of accidents on British roads.  Continue reading →

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How to tell if your car has been recalled

recalled

Toyota had to recall millions of vehicles including the Prius (Picture © Toyota)

Cars are by far the most complicated mechanical good consumers can buy, each consisting of around 12,000 components. Sometimes one or more of those parts goes wrong, either because they’ve been designed incorrectly or the materials used in them aren’t up to the job. Often this will result in the car being recalled for corrective work by the manufacturer; there were 480 notices served in 2013 on all vehicles from motorbikes to lorries. Here’s what you need to know.  Continue reading →

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