With travel abroad still uncertain, many people are staying in the UK. And what better way to enjoy the great British summer than with some scenic drives? Here we look at four possible routes you could take in England, Scotland and Wales. At their heart, all feature roads that are brilliant to drive on with awe-inspiring backdrops and fun activities for all the family.
We learn how to drive, repeat the mantra ‘mirror, signal, manoeuvre’ and remember what road signs mean. But how many drivers know their car’s dashboard warning lights?
It’s important to heed any warning flagged up on your dashboard. Typically, they give drivers the opportunity to have a mechanical or electrical problem investigated and repaired by a garage, before it becomes serious enough to cause lasting damage to a car.
So, it’s well worth knowing what those warning lights mean. Take our quiz now to see how much you know.
With restrictions in the UK lifting and school holidays approaching, increasing numbers of us will be hitting the road. And that means our cars will be getting a serious work out.
Our five summer tips are designed to ensure they – and you – cope with the miles you cover comfortably, reliably and above all safely.
From 2030, every new car sold in the UK will have to be electric. That’s great for the environment. And it’ll probably mean daily motoring will cost less for drivers because certainly at the moment, electricity is cheaper than petrol or diesel.
The downside is electric cars are expensive to buy. So what about converting your petrol or diesel car to battery power? Is it possible? And if so, how much would it cost?
Drivers are likely to face even tougher traffic enforcement from December onwards. Under new plans any council in England and Wales will be able to fine drivers for traffic offences. That means up to 300 councils will be able to apply to take over traffic enforcement. Read on to find out how this will hit drivers.
We’re frequently told the future of motoring will be self-driving or autonomous cars. But how much do you actually know about them? Other than they have yet to make an appearance in a car dealer near you.
Take our cunning quiz to find out. It’s packed with interesting facts so even if you get the answer wrong, you’ll learn something.
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You might have noticed your car doesn’t have a full-size spare wheel and tyre. On more modern motors you might not find any kind of spare wheel at all. Instead, many cars come with tyre inflation kits, sometimes sometimes known as mobility kits.
We’re called out to an awful lot of punctures so how effective are these mobility kits?
If you’re behind the wheel of a newish motor, driver distraction might be diverting your attention away from the business of driving.
Anything that potentially interferes in the driver’s relationship with the road can be hazardous. Latest Department for Transport figures for the UK show annually, driver distraction causes 3500 casualties.
These always used to be non-car related factors. They might have included advertising billboards, confusing road signs, children arguing in the back or map reading. But now experts believe cars are just as likely to be the cause of driver distraction. And top of the list of offenders are their sometimes confusing in-car infotainment systems.
You know the make and model of your car. You probably know how much fuel it uses and maybe even what it’s worth. But how much does your car know about you? Read on to find out if new cars really can spy on drivers and record personal information.
Car drivers, particularly in cities, are having to deal with a new feature: the low traffic neighbourhood. Brought in during first pandemic lockdown in mid-2020, they’ve split neighbourhoods. Some people are very pro; others seriously anti. Read on to find out all about LTNs as they’re often known.
We’ve all spent time looking at car hacks that will make our life easier. It might be using a common household product instead of going to a motor retailer. Or perhaps trying something wacky, either as a last resort or so you can tell your mates.
But how many of them really work? We’ve taken half a dozen popular car hacks that you might be tempted to try. The trouble is, if you do, they might cost you more than you would have paid to get a professional in, or buy the proper product for the job.
Back in May, COVID-19 lockdown measures eased, and we’re expecting further easing of measure in the near future. Many of us are excited to get back on the road, see friends and family, and maybe even enjoy a summer staycation.
But, before you hit the road, it’s important to make sure you and your vehicle are prepared. Here’s some handy advice.
With continued uncertainty over whether we’ll be allowed to go abroad without extensive quarantining, 2021 is looking like the year of the staycation. And that means rather than letting the plane take the strain, a lot of drivers will be turning to their cars.
Here we look at what you need to ensure you have a dream holiday rather than a trip from hell. The key is planning. If you carry out our checks the week before you go away, it gives you options to act on them. Do them the day before your holiday and it might result in more stress than you need.
And because a lot of people will be taking their motorhome or caravan away, we’re including those too.
Around one in five of the drivers who opted for the MOT extension during the pandemic last year hasn’t had their car retested. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) which oversees the annual roadworthiness checks said that around 1.86 million vehicles (19.5 per cent) still have to take their test.
It means hundreds of thousands of vehicles that are potentially unsafe could be on the road. Using a dangerous car is illegal and their drivers could be liable for a £2500 fine.
Our car tyres are one of the vehicle’s most important pieces of safety equipment. They’re its only contact with the road so keeping them in good condition is vital for reliable and safe motoring.
But how much do you actually know about them? Take our quiz to find out.
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Spring has sprung, the bulbs are coming up and the birds are getting frisky. But chances are, your motor is looking far from perky, wearing the cloak of winter in the mucky form of an all-encompassing film of dirt. With warm weather (hopefully) just around the corner, now’s the time to get out and give your car a good spring car wash. There are plenty of good reasons to. Here we list nine of them.
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Lockdown restrictions may have eased a little on 12 April, but some Brits aren’t rushing to get back behind the wheel.
We spoke to 2,000 drivers, and a fifth of them told us they feel less confident about driving from the 12th. In fact, well over half (61%) said they would rather walk or cycle than drive at the moment.
Many drivers believe that as long as their car has passed its MOT test, other mechanical jobs are optional. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Here I look at the difference between the MOT and servicing and why both are equally important for your car.
If your car’s been damaged by a pothole, you’re not alone. New research suggests at worst one in three drivers has suffered in this way; at best the figure is one in five.
And another annual study of the state of the nation’s roads paints a picture of a network that’s gradually crumbling. The report blames years of inconsistent funding combined with extreme weather conditions.
Ever more cars use turbocharging on their engines. And that makes turbo trouble a problem some drivers might face for the first time. A turbo is a way of getting a smaller, more fuel-efficient engine to match the power of a larger capacity unit.
To work their magic, turbos have to work at high speeds, high temperatures and high pressures so they can be susceptible to failures. But if a turbo packs up, the engine won’t necessarily stop. Here I look at what a turbo is and the kinds of problems your turbo car might experience.