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My gadget of the week isn’t really my gadget it’s a list of them courtesy of Auto Express. We are all looking at ways of saving fuel as it hits a new high every week so it was good of them to list out a few gadgets aimed at saving fuel and money. Top of their list is a portable sat-nav. It’s called the Vexia Econav (www.vexia.co.uk) and uses a car database to Read more »

The Graham Hill gadget of the week is a tyre pressure warning system. I’ve reported on many occasions the importance of running tyres at the correct pressure. Not only is it a legal requirement punishable by points and a fine, tyres wear quicker, grip is reduced and fuel consumption can increase by up to 10%. We all know that we should check our tyres daily and at worst fortnightly (as suggested by tyre Read more »

New tyres must meet European standards for safety and a raft of other basic regulations covering grip, economy, speed etc. British standards cover re-treads and remoulds as well as puncture repairs so many motorists look to replace their current tyres with the cheapest they can find, believing that all tyres that are sold meet basic standards and that the standards mean that whilst the cheepo tyres might not last quite Read more »

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It’s gadget time again! Just as I was adjusting myself to touch screen technology in cars with the new touch screens able to control the sat nav, heating system, on board computer and stereo I’m told it is now old hat! The new technology about to be introduced is hover technology whereby you simply hover your finger over the key you would have previously touched on the screen and the screen senses it Read more »

Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions have warned drivers to ensure that they don’t risk their lives and the lives of others by missing services on cars. In a study carried out by Ford it was shown that 15% of Britons miss out a service in order to save money during this recession whilst 18% don’t have breakdown cover. The biggest culprits are the 18-24 age group who miss services with over a third not having a breakdown Read more »

Daft gadget of the week award – Tyrepal. That’s probably a little unfair because this new device monitors the tyre pressures and tyre temperatures and therefore could prevent an accident and even save a life. You fit four sensors on your tyre valves to replace the valve caps and a small screen that looks a bit like a sat nav monitors each wheel and warns of any dangers, all done wirelessly. The device, according to Read more »

Tyre prices have started to increase according to Continental and Goodyear as a result of a global shortage of rubber. Drivers will be expected to pay more for tyres as a result of a drought in Thailand and increasing Asian demand. The price of rubber as a raw material rose by 40% in January which reflected an increase of 150% year on year. The recent price hikes announced by Continental and Goodyear of 10% is expected to be followed by all other tyre manufacturers. Hmmm, must get on to the fetish club, this news will shock them if nothing else does! By Graham Hill

Kwik Fit have revealed the puncture capital of the UK, yep, it’s true they have actually carried out a survey and found that London is the capital, not only of the country but also for punctures. Amazing or what? In fact drivers in London are twice as likely to get a puncture than drivers in the East Midlands. 4 in 10 drivers in London had a puncture last year compared to 2 in 10 in the East Midlands. Nationally the Read more »

According to tyre provider, Protyre, pothole damage is increasing whilst local authorities are unwilling to carry out repair work until the bad weather is over, for fear that any work done now will be wasted if the cold weather continues and re-pops out the filler. Protyre suggest that 300 new potholes are being identified in Britain every day with hundreds of pounds of damage being caused to tyres and suspension. Read more »