coolcarsblog.co.uk

First of all let me explain that I have and always will be a new car buyer. Why? I put it down to the satisfaction gained from knowing that no other has had their paws on it! However, looking at the roads lately it seems that there are less new cars being driven than ever before. Of course, this is no doubt due to the current credit crunch that we find ourselves in but nonetheless, I am quite surprised at the amount of the new registrations that I seen. It seems that more and more people then are turning to used cars if they are upgrading – many are not even doing that and are simply keeping what they have got. So we are nearly half way through October, which is around six weeks since the new registrations were introduced to the cars market and being honest, I must have seen around a dozen 58 plates on the roads. However, people around me are indeed upgrading their cars but not for a new vehicle. Instead it is a short trip to the local used cars dealer who they visit and bargain with for an upgrade. I remember the good old days where on the 1st of March and the 1st of September there would be a huge influx of new cars being sent out in to the open from the local dealers and car manufacturers up and down the country. Let’s hope by the time the 2009 registrations are due to be released, these good old times will re-ignite.

It has come to my knowledge that the amount of car accessories being offered to drivers is becoming too much! A perfect example of this was given when I recently visited my local BMW showroom to look for a new car. I saw the perfect vehicle on display and sought the attention of the salesman to get a better understanding of the car, what it had to offer and any other bits that he could bring to my attention. After much persuasion, I agreed to sit down with him and discuss costs. Now, going back to what I said earlier – the car on show in the showroom looked the business and was certainly one that was right up my street so to speak. My plan was simple; trade in my old car and get the best price possible for it and then buy this new vehicle that was on show. I did look around a few used cars showrooms but quite find what I was looking for. Instead, after much competition with Audi, I decided on a new BMW. So, after sipping my coffee and explaining the above to the salesman, he begins to go through the different options and accessories the car had to offer. Bearing in mind that the one on the shop floor was exactly what I wanted – I was disappointed to learn that one of the reasons it looked so god was due to it having all the available accessories. Before I knew it then, I soon realised that in order to purchase the car as I would have wanted it – I would have had to pay in excess of £10.000 to give it my ideal look and feel. Robustly but with much politeness, I informed the car salesman that I would be making my way to get a used vehicle instead.

I would love to see a new version of the BMW 6 series even though the current model is only a few years old! Why? Well it is one of my favourite cars for a start and I think that with a few modifications and updates, it could quite possible be one of the very best. I was hoping that there would be some ever so slight changes to the exterior of the vehicle in that the back end could offer more of a curvy shaped spoiler with the back brake light being more levitated (like on the new Honda Civic cars). Everything else is just fine as it is but maybe they could increase the wheel arch a bit more to allow for bigger alloys (that’s just me being very picky though to be honest). On a separate note, I would love to see a new 4×4 model be introduced into the BMW range. The X5 are nice used cars, the X3 less so, but I think a bit more could be done to enhance the BMW range of such cars to bring them more in line with Land Rover as they, in my opinion, set the benchmark for 4×4 designs. We have already seen Audi introduce a new 4×4 vehicle into their production range as a way of enhancing their already sleek looking Q7 model. So, I suggest that BMW get their act together and come up with something special before they get left behind.

I am thinking of upgrading my Audi, bought a few years back in order to get the newer model and trim. I have a used Audi TT and it has been the best car that I have ever had in terms of performance, reliability and efficiency. I can probably name not even a handful of problems that I have had with it in close to three years. The new TT model looks even better, which is why I am thinking of upgrading. The great thing about Audi is that they are just so reliable and I don’t know anyone that has had any major issues with them either with new or used cars. The only thing that is preventing me from buying a new car is the current financial climate and the fact that I would more than likely have to use a car finance option as a way of funding the purchase. Also, now is not an ideal time to sell and so I would probably get less for my used Audi than I normally would. However, I suppose that I need to balance this with the fact that the longer I keep it – the more likely it is to lose its residual value anyway as it gets older. The flip side to this though is that there may be a chance the new vehicle will cost less. However, from what I can gather there isn’t much, if any , bargaining powers on the new TT model – purely because of the high demand that they bring. Maybe then a used version of the new model is the best way forward. Shoes and coat on – off I go to the local dealership to see what they can offer me.

We have all had them but how much do we actually know about vehicle repairs? Statistics from the UK show that the average cost of repairs for some used cars on a yearly basis is up to four hundred pounds. So much for just getting a flat tyre hey! Now this figure is just an average figure. Some makes and models of cars actually cost up to five times as much in yearly maintenance fees as the costs faced by owners of reliable used cars. Apparently we spend just less than four billion pounds repairing vehicles that are between four and eight years old. This being after the warranty expires. Now to me these statistics do seem quite high. However, manufacturer warranties are set for a reason and so with the costs in local garages as they are – it may not be such a surprise after all. So if this is the case, maybe it is time to look at those cars with a longer manufacturer warranty or, even better, those that are known to be reliable. Toyota and Nissan are just two that spring to mind as being efficient. Honda is another and regularly promoted this via media and television. Other attributions to overall repair costs are the price of manufacturer parts. Therefore, it isn’t just the garages and mechanic charges that we should concern ourselves with.

Hands up then – who has had one of their new cars or used cars clamped at least once over the last few years?! There is nothing like the sight of seeing that big yellow brace hugging the wheel of your motor. Even worse would be not noticing the clamp, thinking the notice on the windscreen is merely an advertisement and attempting to drive away! Not that I would know what that feeling is like of course (cough, cough). Wheel clamping is getting quite a bit of bad press at the minute (hasn’t it always?) as there have been reports of pregnant women or disabled drivers (who had forgotten their display badges) having their vehicles clamped. The “victims” have even gone public with their story and insisted that the clamping took place even though there was no pay and display signs in view. It seems that in situations like this, it is only when things indeed to go public and threaten to embarrass the local governments – that things actually get done. My question is; why do they react to something after it is done, why not act beforehand? It costs as much as £250 to release the clamp off a cars wheel – add to that the time it takes for a company to come out do this – and it could contribute to a very tiresome day. Note to readers – while I am not condoning those that do park in places that they shouldn’t do, I am very much against the clampers that are conveniently “on hand” to do their job without weighing up the entire situation. A little rant there but I feel much better now thanks!

Let me start by saying that, in my opinion, Saab makes the comfiest cars on the planet. I remember being in the Republic of Ireland some time and making the journey from Dublin right up to the north of the country. Now I am not much of a traveller and so wasn’t particularly looking forward to the trip. However, unbeknown to me at the time, the hire car was a Saab (I forget the model) and so we set about our journey. Within the first moment of sitting in the passenger seat (I was driving the return part of the journey) I remember commenting on just how comfy the big, grey leather seats were. I kind if just sunk into it as though it was sponge and someone had wrapped me up. Before long both the driver and I were commenting on just how smooth the ride was; there was virtually no bumps and humps normally associated with country lanes as the suspension and tyre control was excellent. It really felt so smooth and we were both might impressed. To make things even more impressive, this was not a new car – it was a used car and by the looks of things (if my mind serves me correct) had been around the block a bit having accumulated over 70,000 miles. The gadgets it boasted in abundance were also impressive and I remember thinking that I was in some kind of spaceship! All in all it was a pleasant journey and really gave me a very good initial perception into Saab. I have since had the pleasure of sitting and driving in many other used cars from Saab and am yet to find one that doesn’t have everything you could possibly want in a car. Ten out of ten – definitely!

There are a few different types of cover that are used for car insurance. The main ones are comprehensive, third party and third party fire and theft. A comprehensive cover covers all aspects of an insurance claim such as accidental damage, accidents to passengers in your vehicle and passengers in other vehicles. Also covered is other peoples vehicles/properties and any medical expenses that are incurred. The next type of car insurance is third party. This usually covers injuries and damage to other people and their property and/or vehicle. Finally there is third party fire and theft, which covers pretty much the same as third party but also offers protection against fire or theft of your insured vehicle. Third party insurance is the cheapest of the three with comprehensive being the most expensive as it covers everything. However, although this may be the case, always check each quote / policy before entering into an official agreement as there are different levels of cover and agreed premiums to consider. For example, some may be based upon you paying a certain level of excess before a claim can be made. This can range from £100 to around £1,000 and can affect the overall insurance premium costs.

When you setup insurance for your car, the insurance company normally sends you two documents; certificate of motor insurance, which is your copy of the insurance required by the road traffic act and a policy document that outlines the type of cover you have and the full terms and conditions etc. One additional piece of documentation that you may also receive is a cover note, which is basically a temporary insurance certificate. Always be sure to thoroughly read each piece of document you are sent from the insurer and become familiar with each. Sometimes errors can be made and so it is important to check that all of your details are correct and that the correct level of cover is in place. If not, you will find that in the event of a claim, the insurer has the power not to pay out if any of the information is incorrect. Therefore, if you do notice any discrepancies within your certificate or car policy documents, be sure to contact the insurance company immediately and have them send out updated documents. It is advisable to keep all documentation in a safe place and make copies if necessary.

I am a big believer is vehicle window tinting. Why? First if all it offers that little bit extra privacy. I don’t mean just so that people cannot see me when driving, but in terms of valuable goods being less noticeable. After all, what a thief cannot see – they cannot take. Car crime in the UK is ever rife and so tinting your windows may well just offer that little bit more protection. Having such accessories built into your new or used car also offers a safer driving experience as tinted glass reduces the glare of the sun, which we all know can be a bit of a pain when travelling. Another safety feature car tinting offers is that it can help prevent shattered glass from disbanding and instead can keep it all together, which if anything helps keep our cars clean in the event of a smash. As with many things, you pay for what you get in this industry. Always look for a reputable company with a proven track record and one that offers warranty should things go wrong. One common problem encountered is with the vehicle doors that have windows, which thrust upwards once the door shuts. This can cause a slight “nick” in the tint itself and, over time, have a wear and tear effect in the form of the tint coming away from the glass. Be sure to ask your chosen supplier this question and what measures they can take to prevent it. More often than not this is with new cars as opposed to used cars. It is a pain, trust me – I am speaking from a not too distant incident with my car.