Green Flag

Car Share: It’s not just drivers who get stressed by commuting to work

27/05/2015

This is what it really looks like inside Peter Kay’s Car Share Fiat 500 MPW (Picture © @Conorjtwomey/Twitter)

Car share might be a comedy that gives millions of us a good laugh. But in the real world it can leave passengers feeling as stressed out as drivers. The sit com starring Peter Kay follows the twists and turns of two colleagues forced into commuting together. However, new research has revealed that a commute of just 20 minutes can be so stressful it may cause professional burn out. And in a car share situation, it’s the passengers who are more likely to feel the heat than drivers. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

The best in-car cameras and dash cams for less and more than £100

22/05/2015

Halfords says it is stocking in-car dash cams to help drivers guard against ‘cash for crash’ insurance fraud (Picture © Halfords)

Increasing numbers of drivers are choosing to fit in-car cameras or ‘dash cams’ to their cars. If you don’t own one, the chances are you know someone who does, or have spotted them in other drivers’ cars. But how do you know if you should have one? And which are the best dash cams available? Continue reading →

James Mills 12 Comments

Drink-drive limit: Calls to halve it to cut number of drivers prosecuted

20/05/2015

Drink driving prosecutions have been cut in Scotland by reducing the limit

The police want to slash the drink-drive limit by nearly a half amid concerns that women drivers are increasingly being caught over the limit. The Police Federation of England and Wales has called for the tougher legislation. It could mean a pint of beer will be enough to put some drivers over the drink-drive limit. Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

Car electronic safety kit: what’s worth paying extra for on a new car

18/05/2015

Drivers can now specify electronics that enable cars to brake automatically (Picture © Volvo)

Electronic safety kit is increasingly available on even the smallest cars. While some equipment, such as the Electronic Stability Control that prevents spins, is standard on virtually every car, drivers have to pay extra for other gizmos. But which are worth the added expense? We look at five safety features and give our rating on whether they’re worth ticking as an optional extra or flicking as a waste of money. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

Changing car light bulbs: How much does it cost you?

11/05/2015

It may cost nothing for a dealer to change the headlight bulb in this Renault Captur. Or it may cost you £40. (Picture © Renault)

Changing car light bulbs used to be something anyone with the scantest mechanical know-how could manage. But as cars become ever more complicated, so replacing a broken bulb has become increasingly expensive – for some drivers at least.

A new investigation has revealed a shocking variation in the price charged by motor makers for this simple repair. Some dealers offer free bulbs, some do the actual fitting for free, and some provide both at no cost. However, others can charge upwards of £70. And there’s no uniformity across manufacturers. Continue reading →

James Foxall 3 Comments

Expert tips: Choosing the best garage to service your car

01/05/2015

Franchised dealers often have the latest equipment and knowledge of relatively new cars

Franchised dealers often have the latest equipment and best knowledge of relatively new cars (Picture © Volvo)

Looking after a car, especially when it’s new or a driver’s pride and joy, can be a nerve-racking affair. Entrusting strangers with what is, more likely than not, one of the most expensive things any of us owns is enough to send shivers down a driver’s spine and have them turn around and head for home again. But it’s important to have a car serviced according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule – so how do drivers decide which is the best garage to maintain their car?

This guide looks at the pros and cons of having a car serviced at a franchised dealer, an independent trader and a fast-fit chain. Continue reading →

James Mills 5 Comments

Eco cars could prompt tax increases

29/04/2015

Even owners of some SUVs such as the Nissan Qashqai no longer have to pay road tax because their cars are so clean (Picture © Nissan)

Booming sales of low-emission eco cars could slash the amount the government raises from road tax. The result could mean tax increases for all but the most economical cars. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

Lost car keys: how more secure keys could soon be cheaper to replace

27/04/2015

This Chevrolet makes lost keys a thing of the past. You unlock it with your eyes (Picture © GM)

Lost car keys is a nightmare scenario for many drivers. Whether they’ve been accidentally locked in the car or stolen from a house or handbag, replacing car keys can be a major expense. However, over the past few years, it has actually got cheaper. And in years to come it could cost less still. Continue reading →

James Foxall 1 Comment

Expert advice: Looking after car tyres

24/04/2015

Not looking after your tyres properly can see you end up in a world of sorrow (Picture © TyreSafe)

Looking after car tyres is one of the easiest elements of motoring. Yet how many times do we look at our cars and not see the tyres? Wheels yes, bodywork yes, but generally tyres can be neglected and taken for granted, even though they’re the greatest contributor to our safety on the road. Continue reading →

Mike Shaw 3 Comments

Track days: all you need to know

17/04/2015

Track days are a great way of safely finding the limit – of both you and your car (Picture © Vauxhall)

Track days are all about letting drivers have fun in their car in a safe environment away from public roads. They’re not about going faster than the next person or overtaking lots of other cars, despite what some track day regulars might insist. They’re about developing your skills at the wheel and exploring the limits of your driving ability and those of your car. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

White vans slammed: Drivers urged to act on unsafe overloaded vans

15/04/2015

Sadly, not all vans are as well looked after as this one (Picture © Iveco)

Van owners and drivers are being encouraged to take more care of their vehicles. It comes after research revealed many are unsafe or overloaded. A study showed almost two thirds have a serious mechanical defect. More than nine out of 10 stopped are overloaded. It has prompted a van maintenance and awareness scheme, launched by industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

Car security devices: make your car hard for thieves to steal

13/04/2015

Cars might be ever more sophisticated but police still have to hunt out ones that have been stolen (Picture © Tracker)

You may think car security devices are a thing of the past. After all, less than 100,000 cars a year are stolen in the UK, a sixth of the number being taken illegally in the car-crime ridden 1990s. But a new breed of technically-savvy car thief is on the prowl.

They’re able to hack supposedly sophisticated electronic security systems in seconds meaning increasing numbers of new cars being ‘stolen to order’ by organised criminal gangs. Last month, the UK’s 10 most stolen cars were revealed by Tracker, a maker of car security devices. But even if your car isn’t on that list it could be vulnerable. The answer is to fit additional security. There’s a wide range on the market but only a limited number are recognised as being effective by the insurance industry. Here are the ones its official tester, Thatcham Research, recommends… Continue reading →

James Mills Leave a comment

Great British Drives: Anglesey

10/04/2015

Beaumaris Castle has been called an unfinished masterpiece (Picture © CADW)

Where? Around Anglesey

When to drive it? Spring/summer

Essential stop? Red Wharf Bay

Perfect stay: Chateau Rhianfa, Beaumaris

In Great British Drives Anglesey is a must. All the drives in our series feature dramatic scenery but North Wales moves breath-taking to a new level. The combination of mountainous countryside and only light traffic means the roads are relatively deserted and the views spectacular. However, rather than the obvious choice of driving through the Snowdonia National Park – it is beautiful and the roads are well worth sampling – we’ve gone for Anglesey. Continue reading →

James Foxall 8 Comments

Roof boxes reduce mpg: Tests prove carriers cost

08/04/2015

No, that’s not an outboard motor on the back. It’s complicated test gear to prove the real cost of a roof box (Picture © What Car?)

With the Easter holiday in full swing and many drivers needing extra carrying capacity in their cars, a new investigation has proved that roof boxes reduce mpg. The test, conducted by authoritative magazine What Car?, tested a pair of popular family cars first without a roof box, then with one. Fitting the load lugger reduced economy by more than a third on one of the cars.

While roof boxes appear to reduce mpg, we’ve got some handy hints that drivers can deploy to help limit that decrease in economy. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

Car spring clean: six things you should know

30/03/2015

Spring has sprung and the Easter weekend presents the ideal opportunity to work off some chocolate by doing a car spring clean. Now’s a good time to do it because winter equals salt on the road, which means the car’s bodywork will have been drenched with corrosive liquid for months on end.

Not only does giving it a good clean enable you to spruce up the bodywork, it also means you’ll be up close and personal with your car and able to check for any other wear and tear. As well as regular maintenance such as checking the fluids, here are six top tips for a car spring clean that your motor will really thank you for. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

Britain’s roads: pothole plague, compensation & billions in repairs

27/03/2015

Britain’s roads are getting worse with one in six of them classed as in poor condition. The result is a backlog of 13 years’ worth of required repair work. The most accurate survey into the state of the nation’s carriageways now shows the number of potholes being filled in England and Wales is up by a third to 2.7 million. And it reveals that the amount of compensation paid to drivers whose vehicles have been damaged by unavoidable holes in the road has rocketed. Here are the main findings of the 2015 Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey of councils, produced by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA). Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

‘Woefully poor’ motorway service areas slammed

25/03/2015

Britain’s motorway service areas have been condemned as being ‘woefully poor’. As drivers prepare for trips to visit friends and family over the long Easter weekend, the motorway service stations many will have to stop at have been called ‘inadequate’, ‘filthy’ and ‘ill-maintained’. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

Breakdown causes: Why Green Flag is called out

13/03/2015

Sensible drivers have breakdown cover and ring to be rescued

For some drivers, Friday the 13th really will be unlucky. They’ll be the thousands of car owners whose vehicles break down. Obviously cars are very complex machines with a lot of different components working together. At Green Flag we’re proud of our ability to get members’ cars going again when we attend breakdowns. And last year we helped out nearly 200,000 people. Here are the most popular reasons for calling out our technicians in 2014. Continue reading →

Mike Shaw Leave a comment

Low emission diesel cars: not as smelly as you might think

11/03/2015

Low emission diesel cars are just as friendly for the planet as battery driven or petrol-electric hybrids. That’s the message from car manufacturer trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Its campaign comes after new consumer research revealed that the majority of UK adults – incorrectly – blame cars and commercial vehicles as the biggest cause of air pollution in the UK. Continue reading →

James Foxall Leave a comment

Expert advice: the importance of car servicing

06/03/2015

The importance of car servicing should never be underestimated. There have been various surveys suggesting that at the height of the recession, increasing numbers of drivers were trying to save money by cutting back on scheduled car maintenance. In Green Flag’s experience at the roadside, it’s evident that many of the breakdowns our technicians attend are the result of cars not being properly looked after. Here’s all you need to know about the importance of sticking to your car manufacturer’s recommended servicing intervals. Continue reading →

Mike Shaw 9 Comments