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Avis Valet Services have been giving out some great tips for motorists looking to take better care of their car without spending a fortune. The suggest the following:

• Mayonnaise can be good at removing road tar stuck to tyres and paintwork.

• Try using cooking oil on tyres and paintwork to remove black marks left by stubborn brake dust on wheel arches. It’s also great for removing bird droppings or splattered bugs on your windscreen.

• Baking soda is excellent for lifting any kind of stain or mark, just dab the interior and leave for 20 mins before rinsing off. Leaves a fresh smell as well.

• Use white vinegar on windscreens for crystal clear visibility as vinegar stops dust and smells collecting on the glass.

• Wrap an ice cube in a cloth or pop some in a freezer bag and hold over chewing gum stuck to car seats or carpet. The gum will eventually snap off leaving no sticky residue.

• Linseed oil – this can be used to clean leather upholstery in you car as it cleans and softens at the same time.

• Sticky tape – use this to remove any hidden dust particles from seat fabric. The tape lifts the dust whereas a brush would simply push it in deeper.

 
So there you have it some interesting advice from Avis so blame them and not me if anything goes wrong. By Graham Hill

Whilst we are pretty much ripped off in the UK when it comes to new cars compared to the US it sometimes has advantages. At the moment many leasing companies in the US have refused to take on any more leasing business as the risk is all on them and the current drop in used car values is costing them a fortune. In order to achieve cheap rates in the UK the manufacturers have to Read more »

According to figures released by Warranty Direct, labour rates for mechanics have risen by 11.3% since the summer of 2006 to an average £75.17 per hour. Rates have increased sharpest by the independent garages to narrow the gap between them and the more expensive franchised dealer networks. The average franchised dealer is charging £95 an hour today compared with £88 in 2006, up 7.7%. In comparison Read more »

Most car cloning has been carried out to avoid parking tickets and speeding tickets but insurer Direct Line has warned of another reason for cars being cloned, to carry out a crime. The most common, according to Direct Line is forecourt petrol theft. According to the British Oil Security Syndicate, thieves are stealing a significant amount of fuel with the average offender escaping with fuel worth Read more »

Fraud is on the increase as consumers and small businesses are driven to desperate lengths. Not only are applicants providing incorrect details and proofs, brokers are also falsifying documents in order to ensure that applications are accepted and they earn their commissions. There has also been an increase in premeditated motor finance crime with multiple applications being made in the expectation that Read more »

Whilst there appears to be a great deal of doom and gloom about, the latest new car sale figures issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) to the end of June shows a modest drop of just 1.6% over the same period in 2007. A lot of that was due to the sharp action of the manufacturers to discount cars into Read more »

The 1st October sees the introduction of new regulations that ensures that customers with hire purchase or conditional sale agreements are reminded specifically of their rights to voluntary terminate (VT) the agreement when 50% of the total amount due has been paid. The Consumer Credit Act 2006 states that Read more »

Having been the first to break the news that the takeover of HBOS by Lloyds TSB would also result in the amalgamation of the two contract hire giants Lex and Autolease many are now reviewing what this could mean to the industry. Whilst the takeover still has to be approved by the FSA and needs shareholder approval both MD’s have said that in the meantime it is business as usual. As both companies are Read more »

A recent conference sponsored by leasing company Lex suggested that drivers and all businesses should consider ways of saving money. They concluded, as I have already suggested, that finance is one important area of consideration along with vehicle choice, emissions limits, fuel policies and for fleets even drink and drugs policies. Nothing very new there then but the interesting debate was over fuel choice. The proposal was that diesel Read more »

New regulations have come before Parliament that will allow Highways Agency traffic officers to authorise the removal of broken down and abandoned vehicles from motorways and A roads. This will give Highways officers similar powers to the police. Could this be the thin end of the wedge? By Graham Hill