Scrapping cars: everything you need to know

How to scrap your old car

Scrapping an old car in favour of a newer model is a straightforward process (Picture © Ford)

Many of us imagine scrapping an old car involves taking it to a junk yard where a huge crane drops it into a massive machine that compresses a once-loved motor into a suitcase-sized cube. In reality, scrapping cars doesn’t involve a scrap heap at all: in Eurocrat-speak, worn out cars are subjected to recycling and energy recovery as part of the End of Life Vehicle Directive (ELV). And as of 2015, the law demands that an impressive 95 per cent of every new car must be recycled. Continue reading →

James Mills 5 Comments

Owning some new cars cheaper than used

New cars cheaper than used

Audi A1 is one of the new cars that can be cheaper to own from new than buy used. (Picture © Audi)

New cars cheaper than used? Surely it flies in the face of popular wisdom that suggests you’ll save money owning a used car compared to a new model. This is because from the moment you start owning a car its value starts tumbling. It’s called depreciation and it beats the cost of fuel, insurance and servicing to be the largest contributor towards the amount we pay to go motoring. Depreciation is at its steepest – and therefore costliest – in year one of the life of most new cars. That’s why it’s generally regarded as being cheaper to own a used car.  Continue reading →

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Electric car myths busted

Electric car myths

Electric cars spend a lot of time doing this. That and other myths explained. (Picture © Nissan)

New research from the Government and Britain’s car industry claims 62 per cent of potential car buyers believe the electric car myths that surround battery powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The survey by Go Ultra Low reviews drivers’ attitudes to electric or Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs). It claims a third have considered purchasing a ULEV, while nearly a third believe it’s more expensive to buy, own and run a ULEV over five years compared to a conventional car. Here we bust some of the more popular electric car myths.  Continue reading →

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In-car cameras: all you need to know

In-car cameras

As insurance fraud increases so does the popularity of in-car cameras

In-car cameras or dash cams as they’re more commonly known are rapidly becoming the must-have gadget for drivers. The increase in the number of ‘crash for cash’ scams, where criminals prompt prangs to make hefty compensation claims, is causing law-abiding drivers to fight back.  Continue reading →

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Driving in fog: all you need to know

Driving in fog

Fog can cause drivers big problems. (Picture © IAM)

Being on the road in the winter can mean driving in fog which is responsible for some of the most treacherous conditions car owners face. Hardly surprising that it’s believed a large number of crashes every year are caused by poor visibility. In 2013, 60 drivers were injured (35 of them hospitalised) when 130 vehicles were involved in a series of accidents in heavy fog on the Sheppey Crossing in Kent. Here’s all you need to know about driving in fog and the steps you can take to avoid something similar happening to you.  Continue reading →

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£6bn not enough to fix pothole plague

Pothole plague

Potholes have become a regular and unwelcome feature of our motoring landscape. (Picture © Warranty Direct)

The Government’s promised £6 billion over six years to tackle the country’s pothole plague won’t be enough to fix the huge backlog of road repairs, according to councils. Some local authorities claim it will take them £100m to complete work on the holes in the road that can wreck car tyres, wheels and suspension parts.  Continue reading →

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Great British Drives: The Wash

Great British Drives The Wash

Cromer is famous for its beach, pier and of course crabs. It’s a great drive getting there too. (Picture © North Norfolk District Council)

Where? Boston to Cromer

When to drive it? Winter/Spring

Essential stop? Henry Blogg Museum

Perfect Stay: Captains House, Cromer, Norfolk

Say Boston and many will instantly think of the city on the US east coast. However, it gets its name from Boston in Lincolnshire, the starting point for a version of Great British Drives that takes in the beautiful coastline of The Wash.  Continue reading →

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How far can you drive for cheap fuel prices?

Cheap fuel prices

Even a small drop in cost per litre can save big money when you’re filling up. (Picture © Ford)

If you go out of your way to find cheap fuel prices, you won’t be alone. Research shows that 42 per cent of drivers buy their fuel purely on cost. As proof, look no further than a Worcestershire garage that has run out of fuel three times in the past two weeks after its manager slashed fuel prices to just £1.09 for a litre of petrol.  Continue reading →

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Expert tips: how to drive safely in winter weather

Driving tips for winter weather

As winter sets in, drivers face a host of hazards from the harsh weather. From dark mornings to icy roads, and smearing windscreens to sudden heavy snowfall, the winter brings added challenges that are just waiting to catch out drivers.

To help ensure everyone gets to their destination safely, Green Flag turned to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) which promotes better driving, and asked Peter Rodger, its head of driving advice, to share his top 10 tips for driving safely in winter weather. Continue reading →

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How to clean and care for your car in winter weather

Clean and care for your car this winter

Give your car a good clean and work off the Christmas excess while you’re at it. (Picture © Autoglym)

Many drivers rarely give their car a second glance, but our motors do need a bit of TLC. So here are half a dozen ways you can clean and care for your car in the harsh winter weather Continue reading →

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Green Flag promises to help Father Christmas – whoever he may be

Father Christmas

“Is this how you put fuel into one of these?” A Green Flag patrol helps get Father Christmas’s stalled sleigh going again

Green Flag is spreading festive cheer for the hundreds of temporary workers playing Father Christmas this year. Any Santa who breaks down on his way to the grotto will be entitled to complimentary cover over the holiday period courtesy of the break down provider.  Continue reading →

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Perfect Christmas gifts for car fans

Perfect Christmas gifts for car fans

Track days where you drive your own car can be a brilliant present (Picture © Guild of Motoring Writers)

The perfect Christmas gifts for car fans can vary from something they’ll use on their car to something about their car or something to do with their car. It may even be their first car, if they’re very young. Or it could be an item of retro clothing that helps them turn back the years. Here are five ideas for the perfect Christmas gifts for the car enthusiast in your life.  Continue reading →

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How to get your car ready for cold weather

How to get your car ready for cold weather

You don’t need four-wheel drive to stay safe in snow – but it helps. And there are other ways to get your car ready for cold weather. (Picture © Ford)

With temperatures set to plunge this week, new research reveals how unprepared many drivers are for the onset of freezing weather. With the Met Office predicting snow in some parts of the country, along with the thermometer dropping to -5 degrees Celsius in rural areas, Green Flag shows how to get your car ready for cold weather.  Continue reading →

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Great British Drives: Yorkshire Dales

Great British Drive Yorkshire

Amazing views are guaranteed in the Yorkshire Dales. (Picture courtesy of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority)

Where? Settle to Richmond

When to drive it? Winter

Essential stop? Buttertubs Pass

Perfect stay: The Punchbowl Inn, Low Row, North Yorks

To see another side of our green and pleasant land, try a Great British Drive in the Yorkshire Dales in the winter months. The mornings can be crisp and the winds chill but you’ll catch sight of some of nature’s most inspired efforts and arguably, some of man’s too.  Continue reading →

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How Green Flag’s training keeps you and yours safe

Green Flag roadside recovery technicians are trained to the highest industry standard

It’s late, the traffic is bad and the kids are asking the perennial ‘are we there yet?’ Time to take a break. After filling up with fuel and picking up drinks and snacks, the final push for home can begin. And then it happens. As you pull away from the pumps, the car’s engine splutters, warning lights glow like Christmas decorations and suddenly you realise you’ve filled up with the wrong fuel. This is where Green Flag’s training kicks in.  Continue reading →

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Expert tips: how to put screen wash in your car

Screen wash helps ensure you can see in low winter sun

Topping up your screen wash helps ensure you can see in low winter sun. (Picture © Prestone)

Car maintenance such as topping up screen wash isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But there are some things drivers really should be able to do to ensure their cars are as roadworthy as possible. It’s quite a worry that a new survey shows that two thirds of drivers can’t check the oil level in their cars; 31 per cent don’t know how to check tyre pressures; and nearly a third don’t know how to fill their screen wash bottle.  Continue reading →

Mike Shaw 14 Comments

Prangs up as parking space sizes fail to keep pace with bigger cars

Parking spaces are getting smaller.

\\\\\\ Cars are getting cleverer with self-parking functions. But parking spaces are becoming smaller. (Picture © Nissan)

As cars are getting bigger, parking spaces are staying the same size, prompting an increase in the number of people claiming for low-speed damage. According to new figures, Britain’s drivers are having to spend between £500million and £760m a year on repairs.  Continue reading →

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How to choose between petrol and diesel cars

The right choice between petrol or diesel cars will save you money at the pumps

The right choice between petrol or diesel cars saves money at the pumps (Picture © Vauxhall)

The modern motor buyer has a quandary: which will prove the most cost effective between petrol or diesel cars? The answer varies depending on who is asking the question. It used to be that diesel-powered cars were unquestionably the cheaper option to buy and run, as they were more economical and the fuel was cheaper. Now, however, diesel is more expensive and petrol engines are becoming more efficient which muddies what used to be a clear-cut decision.  Continue reading →

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