Over a third (37%) of UK drivers avoid driving on motorways (men 29% and women 45%), over half (52%) avoid city centres and 50% avoid parallel parking and parking on a hill. A Censuswide survey for InsuretheGap.com, an independent provider of Guaranteed Asset Protection car insurance, of over 1,500 UK drivers identifies the top situations that drivers avoid. Older drivers are much more likely to … [Read more...]
News
Pre-registered cars challenge 1 September newcomers
Huge savings on nearly-new 2020-registered cars are putting pressure on new car sales targets for next week’s registration plate change. Online car supermarket BuyaCar.co.uk is reporting savings of up to 42% compared with list price for 2020 cars, often with as little as 10 miles on the clock. Tough times for dealers, who are facing the biggest decline in new car sales for decades, spell good … [Read more...]
65,000 learners have penalty points before test
More than 65,000 learners have points on their licence even before passing their test. A staggering 10,639 learner drivers have 7-9 points on their provisional licence, while 1,803 have 10 or more. This means a total of 12,442 learners could have their licence cancelled immediately after passing the test, as provisional points are carried over to the full licence. If you get more than six … [Read more...]
Auto-renew at your own peril
With the September peak of car insurance renewals, GoCompare is warning about letting a policy auto-renew without checking for a better deal. One in five motorists allowed their insurer to auto-renew their policy without seeing if they could get the same cover for less money compared with 15% in February 2020. Number of drivers auto-renewing is worth £6.7 Million, its highest level since … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Skoda Octavia SE L FE Hatch 2.0 TDI 150hp
The new fourth generation Skoda Octavia Hatch and Estate models are here following the Covid-19 lockdown and UK customers can now take delivery of their new models or now more likely to wait until the new registration plate change month of September, writes David Miles. The Octavia has been a huge global sales success but UK buyers have had a strong association with the models with over 500,000 … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Skoda Octavia SE L First Edition Estate
We live in a 24/7 world, expect everything to work at any time and not let us down. One guide to choosing a good car is looking at what police, ambulance and taxi companies use because they are on the road 24/7 and one of the most prolific of vehicles is the Skoda Octavia Estate. Without being whincingly expensive to buy and run they fulfill their roles and deliver mile after mile, year after … [Read more...]
Williams F1 team sold to US business
The struggling Williams F1 team has been sold. Dorilton Capital is a New York-based private investment firm in sectors such as healthcare, engineering and manufacturing and will finance the team which continues with its current racing plans and it also has a separate engineering business. … [Read more...]
Ultimate road trip snacks
There are many elements that make a long car journey more endurable and enjoyable. The right playlist and company, decent service stations, but at the heart of all the best car trips sit the snacks. The right blend of car snacks can make or break a trip, and with 52% of Brits opting for a UK holiday this year and averaging 310 miles per trip, there’s never been a more important time to ace … [Read more...]
Speeding rose three-fold during lockdown
Motorists were speeding three times more frequently during lockdown compared to normal, according to AX. The study of telematics data by the vehicle protection and management technology provider suggests motorists were making the most of unusually low traffic levels, giving drivers the opportunity to speed in otherwise normally congested areas. Serious speeding events – the most … [Read more...]
Newslines 21 August
Ford has commissioned custom tyres that can leave key water safety messages imprinted on stretches of sand as part of a new initiative with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The custom tyres have been designed to leave 3 key water safety messages in the sand, including ‘float to live’, ‘no inflatables’, and ‘emergency? call 999’. Each year Brits spend over five and a half million hours … [Read more...]