Stellantis appears to be manipulating the new car market and making buyers pay for it. The trade press has reported the massive PSA/ Fiat/ Vauxhall conglomerate has been making dealers register cars still on their way or in logistics hubs but not on the road in the hands of their buyers. Motorists have also been made to pay for the cars in advance or lose the order and racked up finance … [Read more...]
Finance
Fleets must deliver greater value than before
Electrification and the impact of the recession look set to be the key fleet issues of 2023, the Association of Fleet Professionals is predicting. Chair Paul Hollick said that that businesses would be looking to fleet managers to deliver more value than ever, especially when it came to cost control and carbon savings. “Next year is going to be a tough one, no question, and there will be … [Read more...]
Ten most common driving test failures
It’s rare to pass the driving test without picking up a few faults. And it’s not just the serious or dangerous mistakes you need to worry about, Go.Compare said after looking at the results. If you add up 15 minor faults, or make the same one three times, you’ll fail your test. But which mistakes do learners make the most? Scotland wins hands down for the highest pass rates in … [Read more...]
Porsche and JLR knocked for reliability
Porsche has been named the most unreliable marque according to Warrantywise. Joining it is a range of premium luxury passenger car makers; proving that despite a high price tag, even for a used car, luxury cars could also cost owners more in the long run. Analysing over 131,000 extended car warranty plans, the Reliability Index places Porsche as least reliable used car marque - scoring a mere … [Read more...]
Newslines 13 December
McLaren has sold part of its heritage collection to its main shareholder to raise money for its Artura project. The manufacturer went in search of the money after discovering that ‘certain technical upgrades’ to the hybrid supercar were needed so the Bahrain-based sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat Holding Co – which owns almost 60 per cent of McLaren – agreed to stump up £100m, says Bloomberg UK … [Read more...]
Parking is in the news again
An increasing number of councils are raising car parking fees in town centres to combat further budget deficits as the seasonal Christmas shopping spree is underway. Significant financial constraints put on councils sees some parking spot prices rise up to 33 per cent amid cost of living crisis. Online parking portal sees over 4,000 more parking space owners register in the past three months, … [Read more...]
Newslines 12 December
Our data shows that without advertising the fact Asda has taken an average of 4.5p off the cost of litre of unleaded across its 320 sites and around 5.5p off diesel, said RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams. “While we’re pleased one major supermarket retailer has finally started heeding our calls to pass on the enormous drop in the wholesale prices of both fuels, the fact these price cuts have been … [Read more...]
Honda and Audi roll out newcomers
The launch of the all-new 329ps Honda Civic Type R comes as Honda celebrates 25 years of its iconic high-performance hatchback – and 50 years of Civic. The next-generation model has been engineered to deliver the fastest Civic Type R to date, building on a long tradition of performance cars inspired by the spirit of racing. Prices for Civic Type R start from £46,995, or £499 per month / 8.9% … [Read more...]
Wales offers used car bargains
Three of the top 20 places in Britain to buy a used car are in Wales, shows a new survey. The best value place in Britain to buy a second-hand car is the Hertfordshire town of Letchworth — because the used cars on sale there offer the optimum combination of age, price and low mileage, according to AA Cars. Across the UK, the average price of used cars is falling. Official data from the ONS shows … [Read more...]
Plan to save UK Auto must be actioned
The UK automotive industry has urged the government to take rapid action to secure the long-term future of one of the country’s most important assets, while accelerating its decarbonisation. The call comes as the sector finally begins to emerge from the pandemic-induced downturn, with new analysis from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders suggesting its return to growth could be worth … [Read more...]