Tips for taking the perfect test drive

Make sure the dealer will let you test the model with the trim level and engine size you’re interested in buying

Make sure the dealer will let you test the model with the trim level and engine size you’re interested in buying. (Picture © Suzuki)

Test driving a new car is the ideal opportunity for buyers to find out if a model suits all their needs. Whether it’s a family estate that’s going to be filled with child seats for the school run, or a sports car that will have the roof lowered on sunny Sunday mornings, it’s important that drivers use the car during the test drive as they intend to use it in day-to-day life.

I’ve been testing new cars for the last 20 years and these are my top 10 tips to help you get the most out of your test drive and choose the right car for your needs.  Continue reading →

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How to choose the best tyres for your car

It pays to fit good quality tyre brands

Buying a new set of tyres for a car is an expensive business that nearly every driver grumbles about. And with over 30 million new replacement tyres sold each year, that’s a lot of grumbling.

Unlike paying for insurance or even buying the car, precious few tyre retailers offer drivers the option to spread payments over a period of time, so there’s little choice but to stump up the cash before you can drive away with new, safe tyres.

I should know. Recently I began to research replacement tyres for our four-year old Mercedes E-Class estate. The difference between the cost of household name premium tyres and budget brands I’d never heard of was staggering. For four new tyres, the largest potential saving between premium and budget was £862.

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James Mills 4 Comments

Spare wheel: is it the end of the road?

End of the road for spare wheels?

Puncture repair kits are increasingly replacing spare wheels

For drivers it’s a modern dilemma: to have a spare wheel or not. On the one hand there’s the risk of being one of the 23,000 drivers Green Flag attended in 2013 who were stranded at the side of the road because they didn’t have a spare wheel. On the other there’s the fuel and therefore tax you might save by not carrying the extra weight of a spare wheel that you might never use.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 4 Comments

Great British Drives: Somerset

Plenty of views to be had whether it's inland or at the coast. This is Porlock. (Picture © ENPA)

Plenty of views to be had whether it’s inland or at the coast. This is Porlock. (Picture © ENPA)

Where? Somerset

When to drive it? Summer/Autumn

Essential stop? Tropiquaria

Perfect Stay: The Langbury, Blue Anchor Bay, Minehead

Being an island makes Britain unique among its European siblings in many ways. One of them is that it’s possible to drive from coast to coast with ease in multiple parts of the country. For a combination of things to do and beauty head to the south west and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. However, few drives in Somerset have the all-round family appeal of one that actually starts in Dorset, at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis.  Continue reading →

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Expert advice: how to cope with a motorway breakdown

Slow moving motorway traffic. But what happens if you break down in it? Read on to find out (Picture © Volvo)

Slow moving motorway traffic. But what happens if you break down in it? Read on to find out (Picture © Volvo)

Motorways might be safe roads to drive on, but they can be a nightmare to break down on. What should you do if your car conks out in the fast lane? Where’s the safest place to stand? Who do you contact and what will they do? This answers all those questions and more.

For specific advice on what to do if you break down on a Smart motorway, read this article.
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Mike Shaw 4 Comments

Company drivers urged to ensure they are properly trained

Ford Kuga rear-view parking camera

Ensuring company cars have the latest safety aids such as a reversing camera and object detection helps those who drive for work (Picture © Ford)

Do you drive for your employer? Have you had the correct training or, indeed, any training at all? If the answer is no, then it’s time to take action: at least 24% of road deaths and serious injuries in this country involve a vehicle that is being driven for work.  Continue reading →

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Bigger engines closer to makers’ mpg claims

Honda Civic records the best 'true MPG' according to tests by What Car? mag (Picture © Honda)

Honda Civic records the best ‘true MPG’ according to tests by What Car? mag (Picture © Honda)

Fuel consumption – and more specifically cars’ inability to their match makers’ claims – is one of the biggest causes for complaint among drivers today. Now new research shows that smaller cars are more likely to return fewer miles to the gallon than larger models.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

Rejecting cars or motorbikes: all you need to know

Green Flag - guy on phone talking next to his broken down car

Many drivers put up with faults simply because they don’t know what to do if they’re unsatisfied with their car or motorbike. If you’re at your wits’ end with a problem on a recently bought vehicle that seems beyond repair, you may want to consider rejecting your vehicle.  Continue reading →

James Mills 1 Comment

Consumer rights when buying a car or motorbike

You still have rights, even when you buy an old nail like Del Boy's Reliant Regal. (Picture © Beaulieu)

You still have rights, even when you buy an old nail like Del Boy’s Reliant Regal. (Picture © Beaulieu)

Consumers complain about cars more than any other item, according to Citizens Advice. Typically, the consumer body receives over 45,000 grumbles a year, with just over two thirds relating to used cars.

However, few of us know the law or what it entitles us to if we’re not entirely satisfied. Read on to find out what you can and can’t ask for if things go wrong.  Continue reading →

James Mills 3 Comments

Now’s the time to check your tyres – and here’s how to do it

Defective tyres can cause crashes. (Picture © TyreSafe)

Defective tyres can cause crashes. (Picture © TyreSafe)

Latest official figures show that dangerous tyres were a factor in a third of the casualties caused by defective vehicles. Department for Transport statistics revealed that defective vehicles were responsible for 2855 casualties in 2013. Dangerous tyres contributed to 968 of those, or 34 per cent.  Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

Great British Drives: Suffolk

Step back in time at Lavenham Guildhall (Picture © Lavenham Photographic)

Step back in time at Lavenham Guildhall (Picture © Lavenham Photographic)

Where: Suffolk

When to drive it: Autumn

Essential stop: Fishing for crabs at Southwold

Perfect stay: The Crown, Southwold

As our Indian Summer continues and the sun heads off the more typical grey autumnal days, Suffolk is the perfect destination for families who want to unwind and grab some precious, undivided time together.  Continue reading →

James Mills

What is Autonomous Emergency Braking and how does it work?

Volvo was one of the pioneers of Autonomous Braking (Picture © Volvo)

Volvo was one of the pioneers of Autonomous Braking (Picture © Volvo)

From 2015 new cars must have Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) if they’re to get a maximum five-star rating from Euro NCAP, the independent crash-safety organisation. The aim is to encourage car makers to fit as standard the system that slows or stops a car automatically if it detects danger.

Read on to find all you need to know about an exciting new technology that could slash the number of accidents on British roads.  Continue reading →

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Is the Apple ‘iWatch’ legal to use when driving?

The DfT reveals the Apple Watch is not legal to use when driving

(Picture © Apple)

Drivers face a lot of potential distractions from today’s technology, and Apple’s new watch – dubbed the ‘iWatch’ – will be the latest to join the list when it goes on sale in the UK in spring. But drivers who count themselves as fans of the Apple brand shouldn’t get too excited just yet – Apple’s Watch will be illegal to use when driving.  Continue reading →

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How to tell if your car has been recalled

recalled

Toyota had to recall millions of vehicles including the Prius (Picture © Toyota)

Cars are by far the most complicated mechanical good consumers can buy, each consisting of around 12,000 components. Sometimes one or more of those parts goes wrong, either because they’ve been designed incorrectly or the materials used in them aren’t up to the job. Often this will result in the car being recalled for corrective work by the manufacturer; there were 480 notices served in 2013 on all vehicles from motorbikes to lorries. Here’s what you need to know.  Continue reading →

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