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What Car have reminded us of the dangers of using a phone whilst driving. They have estimated that around 100,000 drivers are risking their lives and prosecution, at any point in time, by using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving. The original laws introduced in 2003 were beefed up in 2007 to guarantee you 3 points on your licence and a £60 fine if caught using a mobile phone whilst driving (which means the engine is running even though you may not be moving). As What Car points out, even with hands free kits Read more »

The number of dealerships in the UK is dropping, as one would expect in a recession. The number of franchised dealerships 10 years ago stood at 6,139 but has now dropped to 5,077, a 17% loss. For those that are still trading this of course isn’t all bad news because it has meant that they have increased their average sales across all franchises from 442 in 1999 to the current level of 502. Less than 10 new cars per week per franchised dealer, that doesn’t seem a lot does it? By Graham Hill

What is BlueMotion, is it a hybrid? We are seeing the emergence of the colour blue as a replacement for the far less attractive green as an expression of environmental friendliness! Why? I don’t know but in terms of German cars – no it doesn’t define a new type of hybrid engine. Instead VW’s BlueMotion and Mercedes Blue Efficiency are simply terms they have started to use to describe the ultra efficient nature of their cars. By incorporating stop/start technology or systems that heavily Read more »

This time of year many people are jetting off to hotter climes for their summer holidays. They have probably searched around to get the best deal for their holiday but are then faced with a horrific cost for parking up the car for 2 weeks or rely upon public transport to get them and the kids to the airport for a 2.00am flight. Well I have read what seems to be the answer. Read more »

Shell has announced the launch of a new engine oil which it claims reduces fuel consumption by up to 2.2% per annum. The oil, called Helix Ultra E, is a synthetic low viscosity motor oil aimed at reducing friction more effectively than conventional mineral oils. Shell also claims that it can cut a car’s carbon emissions by up to 72kg of CO2 per annum. By Graham Hill

Specsavers Corporate Eyecare has launched a new range of sunglasses as part of its corporate optical care voucher scheme. Each voucher costs the employer £35 and includes:

A full eye examination at any of their 623 stores

 A pair of prescription glasses from their £45 range or

 A pair of non prescription sunglasses from their newly launched range

 Employees can use the voucher for £45 off any of the more expensive glasses in their range. Specsavers point out that the addition means that if an employee has an eye test and finds that he doesn’t need glasses it gives an assurance to the employer who is seen to be taking health and safety seriously and the employee still receives a nice pair of sunglasses. For more information on the scheme contact Specsavers direct by emailing:  corporateeyecare@uk.specsavers.com, By Graham Hill

Sorry about this but it all seems like bad news this week. Manheim DeFleet, the defleeting arm of the major auction house, has reported that average end of lease refurbishment charges have increased from £265 a year ago to £290 this year. As they explain contract hire companies see damage recovery as a mainstream activity. A few years ago they would budget to collect around 35% of all charges whereas these days they look to collect around 70%. David Mercer of Manheim DeFleet Services said Read more »

There are now some wide fluctuations in monthly contract hire rentals as many factors come into play. Amid fears that the industry is predicting the collapse of one of the major contract hire companies before the end of the year and possibly the loss of a few smaller ones, the industry is in a mess with rates all over the place. It isn’t uncommon for rates to have a spread of £50 + VAT per month between the cheapest and most expensive rates on the same car. Fleet Operations have found that in the case of a Ford Focus the spread was Read more »

I have received a couple of words of warning about topping your oil up. The first is probably fairly obvious, make sure that the car is on flat ground when you check it. It may seem obvious but in cars where electronic sensors are fitted drivers often forget that when the level is checked the car still needs to be on flat ground. But the lesser known piece of advice is not to overfill the engine with oil. This is especially important with diesels as the oil can find its way into the exhaust and damage the particulate filter which can be very expensive to replace and would not be covered by the warranty. By Graham Hill

As drivers continue to feel the pinch of recession insurance groups warn about the dangers of not telling the truth when taking out car insurance. Every claim is now being closely scrutinised as a result in the upsurge in fraudulent claims, as explained in my recent crash for cash fraud item. As a result lies or mistakes made at the time of proposal is causing claims to be rejected so great care needs to be taken when completing proposals or you may not only find a claim rejected but Read more »