car buying

Weight a minute! Are heavy cars really law breakers?

heavy cars
Hummer EV weighs more than 4 tonnes (Picture GMC)

British drivers can now buy a car that is so big it won’t fit into our parking spaces. And younger owners will even need an HGV licence to drive it. The all-electric GMC Hummer EV might be exceptional but it’s an example of how cars are continually growing.

Some reports are even suggesting that drivers could inadvertently break the law because they might have the wrong licence to drive such heavy cars. We investigate.

How heavy are today’s cars?

Continue reading

Buying a new car for the 72-reg plate change – what you need to know

72-reg plate change
Getting to this point is more difficult that it was a few years ago (Picuture iStock/Clerkenwell)

It’s time for the 72-reg plate change. Traditionally, September has been one of the two months (along with March) when car sales peak. And the more new cars sold, the more used models are freed up for buyers to get their hands on.

But since the dark days of the pandemic, the supply of new cars has slowed dramatically. The knock-on is a shortage of used cars with the models that are available costing more. We look at how to get a good buy for the 72-reg plate change.

Go for existing stock

Continue reading

Experts claim high returns from investing in a classic car

classic car
Buy a Ford Cortina Mk1 and you could see its value increase by nearly a fifth in a year (Picture Ford)

Interest rates have been super low for years so rather than investing in a savings account, why not invest in a classic car? And we’re not talking about putting money into a motor with a famous name such as Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin or Jaguar.

Experts are claiming that the prices of many cars once considered run of the mill are on the up. It’s been fuelled by enthusiasts who following the pandemic find they have more time and funds on their hands. It means finding an old car might make a more sensible investment than putting your money in the bank.

What age of cars should you look for?

Continue reading

Flood damaged cars: 9 ways to tell a motor that’s had a soaking

flood damaged cars
Once it’s been dried out, would you know this car has been partially submerged? (Picture iStock/ProjectB)

Rain and flooding might be in the news at the moment. But anyone buying a used motor over the next few months has got the prospect of purchasing flood damaged cars to be wary of.

Having a good soaking in a flood can cause a car to have numerous problems, not all of them immediately evident. Here are nine ways you can tell if the car you’re thinking of buying is flood damaged.

Look at the windows

Continue reading

How easy is it to buy a car online?

Buy a car online
Buying a car online is simple and safe (Picture iStock)

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many activities online, car buying among them. If future lockdowns dictate that all car dealers must close again, more of us will have to buy our next car over the internet. But how secure is it? What’s the choice like? Can you haggle over the price? And how likely are you to end up with a dodgy motor?

Can you buy a used car online?

Continue reading

December car buying: We weigh up pros and cons

December car buying

Car showrooms aren’t exactly rammed with people in the run-up to Xmas. But there might be a good reason for that…

Is it time to change your car? Looking for a bargain new or used motor? If that’s the case, it could be time to dust off your haggling skills and go December car buying. Of all the times of the year, the run up to Christmas is arguably the best to grab a car bargain. But will it save you in the long run? We weigh up the pros and cons of buying a car in December.

Why December may not be the best time to buy a car

Continue reading