Some of the UK's most popular cars are increasingly becoming susceptible to keyless theft, says the consumer group Which? It looked at a German engineering report which identified the Fiesta, Golf, Qashqai and Focus were at risk from thieves using over the counter electronic devices to highjack key codes, enter a vehicle and sometimes drive it away. The German equivalent of the RAC and AA … [Read more...]
Industry
Task force for Welsh workers losing jobs
A Welsh Government task force working with Llanelli council and DWP has been created to assist job hunting and training for the 220 Schaeffler employees after the German company confirmed it will close its 52 year old Bynea plant by the end of this year. The closure was announced in November and blamed on the fall in diesel engine sales and overcapacity of parts manufacturing, not on the … [Read more...]
Newslines 25 January
Jaguar Land Rover will take a week-long pause in production in April due to potential disruption from Brexit which would affect all three of its UK car plants and its engine plant. The automaker has previously warned about the impact of Brexit and cut production due to slowing demand in China last autumn. Ford faces a bill of up to $1 billion if Britain leaves the European Union without a … [Read more...]
Driving choices are changing
More than 15 million Brits are planning to take measures to be more environmentally conscious in the year ahead with a shift in driving habits expected as the most popular move, according to an analysis by AA Cars. Around half of Brits are expected to take steps to be more eco-friendly in 2019, with many making changes to how they own and run cars; one in five (17%) plan to use their car more … [Read more...]
Diesel shortages beginning to show, prices rising
New diesel car sales are falling so quickly that there could be shortages of them on the used market in the near future, says the Vehicle Remarketing Association. The organisation – which represent companies that handle, sell, inspect, transport or manage more than 1.5 million used vehicles every year – says that while new car diesel demand has plummeted, corresponding used demand has stayed … [Read more...]
Stretching the imagination to the real range of EVs
A persistent belief that pure electric vehicles are only suitable for low annual mileage needs to be overturned, says Arval. The vehicle leasing company says that the applications for which EVs are appropriate depend much more on the daily driving profile of each driver. Shaun Sadlier, Head of Consulting, said, “This is a myth that we hear regularly – that if you cover more than a few … [Read more...]
Tradelines 23 January
Blue Monday this week, which is said to be the most depressing day of the year, saw automotive charity Ben launch its new campaign to support people struggling with loneliness. Research shows that a quarter of British people feel at their loneliest in January, however loneliness is often or always a concern for over 9 million people in the UK all year-round. Ben’s own helpline sees an influx … [Read more...]
Wales’ Motokiki comparison site expands services
Following launch in November, Motokiki – the UK’s newest independent and truly impartial tyre comparison website based in Port Talbot – announced eight additional products available to customers. The additional products that customers can compare and buy include Alloy Wheel Repair, Vehicle Breakdown Cover, Extended Warranty Cover, Car Hire, Learn to Drive, Car Prizes and other products including … [Read more...]
Newslines 22 January
Flintshire council is among the quickest response times in Britain for filling serious potholes, new research has revealed. Figures released by motoring charity the RAC Foundation show the authority aims to make road repairs "immediately" but the longest response time in Wales was in Vale of Glamorgan, which promises to investigate the following working day. World War One hero soldier who … [Read more...]
Drivers ignoring car crime, say AA
Motorists are largely ignorant of car crime and leave themselves open to being robbed, according to a disturbing AA survey. It asked members about their knowledge of car theft and robberies and found a quarter did not consider it at all, a tenth believed modern cars are thief-proof, and 4% don’t lock cars. Yet police figures show that after years of decline, thefts of cars has jumped nearly … [Read more...]