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Could we see the end to speed cameras in the UK? The debate has raged for years as to the true benefits of speed cameras. Their purpose, we were told, was to slow traffic down in dangerous places to prevent accidents and save injuries and lives but we all know what actually happened! I remember the first time I was ‘flashed’ (ooer missus), it was just over the brow of a hill just as you dropped from the national A Read more »

OnePoll.com has carried out a survey amongst 3,000 male drivers asking their thoughts of letting their partners drive the car. The poll revealed that more than a third don’t feel safe when their ‘other half’ is driving. G makes no comment. Those who didn’t feel safe were asked the reasons why? They responded with braking too late, getting too close to other cars and fiddling with the stereo. Personally I would add Read more »

If you’re an avid reader of my newsletter and blog you will have read that you no longer need to have your car serviced by a main dealer in order to maintain your warranty. The rules that were relaxed several years ago that prevented you from having your car serviced wherever you wanted are known as the EU Block Exemption Rules. These rules have just been reviewed again and the rules pretty much left as they Read more »

We’re encouraged to keep cars for longer as the manufacturers review their warranty periods. Toyota have announced a warranty extension to 5 years/100,000 miles joining Hyundai on 5 years also and Kia now on 7 years. These being the only manufacturers to announce the extended warranties across their full range of cars. Fiat now offers 5 years but only on the Bravo. The move, according to Toyota, has Read more »

Having a Thatcham alarm fitted on your car can reduce your insurance premiums, in some cases quite substantially. But questions have arisen about the quality of fitting of these alarms, which, if fitted incorrectly could invalidate your insurance if the car is stolen and due to faulty installation the alarm didn’t activate. In order to overcome this Thatcham have now introduced a new scheme to approve fitters that Read more »

Annual MOT tests may be stretched out to 2 years according to new Government plans. The proposal will save motorists £465 million per annum. The announcement came via the Lords through the Government’s transport spokesman, Earl Attlee who promised a review this year. However safety groups are fearful of the dangers involved, especially with older cars. Britain has the most rigorous testing regime in Read more »

What do you think the main reason is for having a row in a car? Halfords surveyed those that were on their mailing list and two thirds responded and admitted that it was poor navigation or the getting lost that led to the worst rows. Whilst 80% of women argued that it was the lack of planning by their partners that led to the row the same point was argued by 65% of men. The second biggest cause was the continuing Read more »

If you are a regular reader of my articles and newsletter you will know how I bang on about the benefits of the Electronic Safety Control (ESC or also called ESP). Car testers EuroNCAP say that all cars should be fitted with ESC now without waiting till they are legally obliged to do so. Only 60% of new cars are fitted with ESC compared to 99% in Sweden, 80% in Germany and 72% in Spain. If ESC isn’t fitted as standard on Read more »

Warnings have come out again from the AA who have reported a 6% increase in callouts for miss-fuelling during the first 6 months of 2010. It all seemed to have settled down last year as filling stations made sure that pumps were more clearly marked and manufacturers made it more obvious as to what fuel needed to be pumped into the tank. But for no apparent reason we have suddenly had this increase. The AA Read more »

My gadget of the week is a 5 second jump start that is capable of charging up a flat battery in 5 – 8 seconds, enough to get the car started. If it doesn’t the manufacturer, Powertraveller, claims that a further 10 – 15 minute charge should do the trick. In 2009 there were a total of 1,084,150 callouts to emergency services to revive flat batteries, that’s two a minute! This handy new product can be stored in the glovebox Read more »