Tuesday, 8. June 2010
The importance of using a good car finance broker has been once again highlighted by press reports confirming a lack of money available to lend, as the effects of the credit crunch continue. In a recent article, John Lewis, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, pointed out that funding is still in limited supply and ‘the days of easy credit are long gone.’ He went on to confirm what I have been saying Read more »
Monday, 7. June 2010
Whiplash claims are becoming a pain in the neck to all motorists not just those that suffer the injury. Car insurance has increased by 25% in the last year according to the latest Retail Price Index (RPI). Insurers have blamed the massive surge on whiplash injuries. According to a spokesman for esure/Sheila’s Wheels group it’s the desire to push up injury claims, often by people chatting in the pub, that has pushed up Read more »
Sunday, 6. June 2010
Bonkers Boris is charging ahead with plans to build 25,000 recharging points for electric cars. This will attract 100,000 battery vehicles into the city. Now correct me if I’m wrong but I understood that there was a ‘Congestion’ charge, aimed at keeping cars out of London. It isn’t a ‘Stop London from getting smelly’ charge or a ‘Let’s reduce the emissions’ charge, it’s aim was to try to get everyone onto public transport Read more »
Sunday, 6. June 2010
Guess which is the most expensive toll road in the world? I’ll give you a little clue – it’s the M6. Correct, the M6 relief road which charges drivers £5 each way is indeed the most expensive in the world. Now I must say I have been on it and for the cost of a fiver it’s a dream to drive on especially as you just know that cars are moving at about 2 miles per hour on the main M6 whilst I’m cruising at, um, 70mph. The Read more »
Saturday, 5. June 2010
This week in my car review I thought I would find something that I could get excited about, something I could wax lyrically about, and then someone sent me some pictures of an estate on show at the Geneva Motor Show. Now I have to say that I’ve never really understood estates but I can just about understand why a salesman or engineer might want a big car to stick his samples or tools in the back of. Volvo estates Read more »
Friday, 4. June 2010
The key is – well, in the key, according to some road safety experts. We already have keys that chat away to the car’s engine management systems and record service information then transmit it to your local dealer. We now have an Alco-Lock which requires the driver to blow into the key and if they are over the limit the key won’t allow them to drive by locking up the immobiliser. Until the reading drops below the Read more »
Thursday, 3. June 2010
Just as we were hoping to see more lease deals come through and rates start to drop CAP, the used car valuation company, has announced a weakening of the used car market and prices through auction starting to fall slightly. Mike Hind of CAP said that he wasn’t too concerned as ‘This is not the same dynamic as the panic of 2008.’ Although he went on to point out that the market is at its weakest for 12 months with no Read more »
Wednesday, 2. June 2010
Another consequence of the bad winter last winter has been the resulting shortage of windscreens. It is normally as a result of gritting that the windscreen replacement companies become very busy but this year it has been the poor conditions of our roads that has led to windscreen replacement companies, such as Auto Windscreens, running out of screens. In the past a stone hitting the glass has caused a chip Read more »
Tuesday, 1. June 2010
As companies look at various ways to raise money, as we slowly emerge from recession, some are now looking at their company cars as a possible way to raise funds for expansion. For those that don’t want to approach their bank to increase their borrowings this could be a good alternative. The scheme, known as sale and leaseback, is an arrangement between a leasing company and the customer whereby the leasing Read more »