Breakdown cover can save wasting holiday time (Picture © TyreSafe)
Having your vehicle break down is never something you expect and when it does happen it’s frequently at the most inconvenient time. Green Flag’s Sam Jackson explains how having breakdown cover can transform what would have been a difficult experience into a minor adjustment to your trip, even if you’re in foreign climes. Continue reading
According to a survey, the majority of British drivers are hopeless at parking and admit that poor parking etiquette is their worst driving habit.
But in defence of drivers, is it any wonder most of us find parking brings us out in a cold sweat? Cars have grown and parking bays haven’t. The average car is now said to be two inches wider than the minimum 5ft 11ins gap they have to squeeze into.
So despite parking systems becoming increasingly common, it’s little wonder that thousands of motorists regret not choosing a used car fitted with parking sensors, or wish they’d spent that little bit extra on a new motor and added the sensors as an option.
However, help is at hand. Parisian-style bump-and-grind parking can be banished by fitting aftermarket parking sensors to a car. Here’s how to attain parking perfection.
One in 10 car buyers don’t drive their new car until they’ve actually bought it
Used car buying can be a stressful business while selling can be equally nerve-wracking. It’s probably hardly surprising that the majority of us dread getting rid of our existing cars. And nearly a million car buyers don’t even bother test driving the car that they do buy.
If you’ve ever left your car parked under trees on a hot day you’ll know just how tough it can be to remove sap from its paintwork.
If left in place, sap can damage bodywork, eat through the wax and clear coat finish that sits on top of the coloured paint, and leave unsightly blemishes that look a little like a water stain.
Sap transports vital water, nutrients and hormones through a tree, and can leak from the tree naturally or be produced after pruning. Given that many trees are pruned in the autumn and winter, it means that sap isn’t only abundant in hot weather, when pressure builds in trees.
So drivers who find the sticky goo on their car should roll up their sleeves and use a spot of elbow grease to get rid of it. Here’s how.
Every day, approximately 20,000 drivers begin the head-scratching process of selling their car. A staggering 7.2 million were sold in 2014, the last full year figures are available for, which means for every new car bought, 3.3 used cars were sold.
For drivers who are changing their car for another, the first hurdle is to find out what your existing motor is worth. Because whether selling it privately or trading it in to a dealer against the value of a new or used car, you could end up hundreds or thousands of pounds out of pocket if you don’t do your homework.
Although you might view selling your car as a daunting process, it’s the work of a moment; something you can do while enjoying a cup of tea with biscuits. Follow this guide to accurately value and sell your car for the best price.
The Ford Focus was the most popular white car with 14,103 sold last year (Picture © Ford)
White cars were the most popular in 2015. But drivers who choose ice-cool white cars may see red when it comes to selling their motors on. White cars could lose their value quicker than other colours, according to used car experts. And drivers who pick green for their next motor are more likely to have it stolen or written off than if it’s in any other shade.
Of the 2.6m cars sold in the UK throughout 2015, more than a fifth were white. It was the third straight year that this has been the nation’s most popular paint colour, according to trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The SMMT added that demand for white cars grew by 2.2 per cent in 2015. A decade ago, just one per cent of cars were ordered with the neutral tone. Continue reading
A car battery is a bit like the family pet dog. With the right care and attention, it will be faithful and obedient. But drivers who don’t give it a moment’s thought could find it lets them down and goes flat when they need it the most. And unfortunately, that’s most of us: a flat battery is one of the most common causes of car breakdowns for Green Flag members, and the most common in winter.
That goes some way to explaining why this Thursday (18 February) has been named National Battery Day. Knowing how to care for a car battery means knowing how to charge it from time to time. Researching the charging process will throw up all manner of well-meaning amateur and professional advice with conflicting guidance. So this guide is intended to help drivers understand how to better care for their car and charge its battery. Continue reading
There’s plenty to think about before you even get to the slopes
February half-term skiing is a popular pursuit for many British families seeking more than a sun lounger and swimming pool from their holiday. France, Italy and Austria are popular winter sports destinations for Brits, and their relative proximity combined with the hassle of navigating airports while heavily laden with all the luggage a skiing holiday requires means driving to the slopes is becoming an increasingly popular option.
However, it’s not all plain sailing. In the run up to Christmas 2014, 15,000 cars were stranded in the Alps when a sudden heavy fall of snow caught local authorities and police napping. Those thinking about driving to their skiing or snowboarding holiday need to prepare in advance. That way they’ll have a greater chance of enjoying a trouble-free journey, in addition to time on the slopes. Continue reading
Janine McCarthy’s car rolled six times after a tyre burst; she urges mums-to-be to check their car’s tyres (Picture © TyreSafe)
When it comes to offering advice to new or first-time parents, everyone has words of wisdom to speed mums and dads towards a blissful time with baby. From sleep routines to feeding, pushchairs to car child seats, the parenting tips come think and fast. But it’s rare that those who mean well would ever advise checking your car’s tyres.
However, that’s the message to proud parents across the nation, as a safety campaign gets under way, aimed at parents of the 695,000 babies born in England and Wales each year. It suggests that checking the condition of car tyres is just as critical as making sure babies are taken home from hospital in an appropriate child seat if travelling by car.
Toyota Prius started the petrol-electric revolution (Picture © Toyota)
Hybrid battery problems courtesy of wiring faults are becoming a common cause of breakdowns with the increasingly popular petrol-electric cars. The old cliché is that modern cars have more computing power than the first Apollo moon rockets. It’s true but it also means they have more wiring. And the more complex the electronics, the greater the capacity there is for something to go wrong. Here we look at how battery problems can afflict cars that use electricity to supplement petrol or diesel power.
She may be ready to drive. But are her parents ready for what it’ll cost?
For many young drivers, becoming 17-years old and being able to drive is one of the high points of their life. For many parents it means anxiety and extra expense. The majority of young drivers probably won’t be lucky enough to have their own car instantly, and are likely to have to borrow mum’s or dad’s.
This means parents must make insurance arrangements, but what impact does insuring young drivers have on a typical premium? And when it comes to covering a car in their name, what’s the best way to go about it? We get some answers by talking to experts and parents about their experiences.
New research says nearly every car pumps out illegal levels of toxic gases
It’s not just Volkswagens that allegedly pump dangerous toxins into the atmosphere, according to the latest emissions shock. New research claims nine out of 10 diesel cars on Britain’s roads exceed official limits for illegal gases. The study also found that 10 per cent of petrol cars surpassed nitrogen oxide (NOx) limits, set in 2011. And the majority of petrol cars go beyond EU carbon monoxide (CO) output levels.
According to Which?, part of the Consumer Association: “It’s not just Volkswagen. In fact, it’s not just diesel engines, either. It’s almost everyone. Whether diesel, petrol or hybrid, the majority of cars exceed EU emission limits when faced with our more realistic tests.” So what is the truth behind the latest revelations? And more importantly where, as drivers and car owners, do we stand? Continue reading
Poor old Chris Evans. The new front man for the BBC’s smash hit Top Gear television show not only has the unenviable task of taking over the most viewed factual TV programme in the world, but is allegedly finding that he suffers from terrible travel sickness.
Motion, or car sickness to the many who are blighted by it every time they get in a car, is estimated to affect around 20 million people in Britain. As Chris Evans is reported to have found, after riding along side a professional racer in a high performance Audi R8 sports car during filming for the new series of Top Gear, it often strikes when you’re a passenger in a car. But why are so many of us blighted by it? And how can we prevent ourselves becoming, well, queasy riders?
Blue Monday could be bad enough without breaking down. Follow our tips for trouble free motoring
We’ve had black ice, now it’s Blue Monday, officially the most depressing day of the year. And of any day, this is probably the one that you don’t want made worse by car trouble. So here are 10 dos and don’ts to ensure you – and your car ‑ enjoy trouble free motoring.
Turning an engine over is a tiring business for a battery. Cold weather thickens the engine oil and makes cranking the engine even harder, requiring more battery charge. To help your battery on its way, turn everything such as the lights, wipers and sound system off while you start the car. Dip the clutch too. It makes it easier for the battery to turn the engine, your battery will last longer, and it’s less likely to leave you stranded.
Black ice looks like the road surface has been freshly painted. From a car it’s frequently invisible until it’s too late
The current freezing but largely dry weather conditions pose a unique threat to motorists: black ice, a hazard that is all the more dangerous because it’s impossible to see. The first you know about black ice is usually when you lose control of the car. However, there are some steps you can take to be prepared. Peter Rodger from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) said: “We all need to respect that the weather changes and make adjustments to deal with it. Being mentally prepared as well as having the right equipment is vital, so think about last year, any problems it caused you, and what you need to do to overcome them if they recur.” Here are our expert tips for coping with the threat of black ice.
Lose your car key and it’ll probably cost more than you think
Replacing lost car keys is getting increasingly expensive. Drivers who get that feeling of dread in the pit of their stomach when they realise their car keys have gone AWOL would be well served to search more thoroughly. If they do have to replace the key to their vehicle it will cost more than in previous years. And ironically, the added expense is down to so-called ‘keyless’ technology.
New figures released by key insurers Keycare have revealed that drivers who mislaid their car keys last year had to pay 29 per cent more than they would have in 2013. Keycare looked into claims from 1482 drivers in 2015 and found that the average cost of replacing a key is now £215. However, that price can escalate to nearly £1500 if you need a new central locking system too.
This might look like a watery write-off but it could be dried out and sold on
Green Flag head of rescue and motor claims response, Neil Wilson, believes one in seven cars rescued by the company in parts of the country hit by flooding will be an insurance write-off. That means six out of seven cars from flooded areas – thousands – will be put back on the road. And some will undoubtedly be sold as used cars. Here are some simple checks to ensure you don’t buy a flood-damaged car.
Toyota’s reputation for reliability appears well founded (Picture © Toyota)
If you want a car that isn’t going to let you down, you should look to makers from the far east. New figures from guarantee firm Warrantywise show the top 10 most reliable cars comprises seven manufacturers from Japan and one from Korea.
The Warrantywise data revealed that the five most reliable manufacturers are Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Mazda – all from Japan. They are followed by Korean company Hyundai and Japan’s Nissan. Ford is the first non-far eastern brand. The findings tally with the 2015 Auto Express Driver Power survey where owners rated the Toyota iQ and the NX and IS from sister brand Lexus as the UK’s top three most reliable cars.
Most drivers appreciate the need to have their car serviced on a regular basis. They will follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended service intervals, or with modern digital systems, keep an eye on a display in the dashboard which counts down the miles or days until a car next needs servicing. But when the time comes to have the job done, how many of us shop around to save money and get the best standard of work?
The answer is probably not many. It’s all too easy to go with convenience, such as a local garage. And with younger cars, drivers are often swayed by sticking with franchised dealers.
However, the hourly labour rates that greatly influence how expensive a car’s servicing bill vary greatly.
Many garages offer to perform free winter checks on cars
No one wants to be stranded in winter, especially when we rely on our cars for visiting family and friends. Equally, we all want to spend time enjoying ourselves, rather than getting grimy carrying out car maintenance. That’s why drivers will like these simple DIY jobs that will keep cars in tip top condition in cold weather without taking hours to do. Continue reading