Rent-a-theft is a booming new business. Fraudsters target second hand car buyers using a vehicle they have rented for the day, often with a stolen credit card or other false documents. “We’ve heard of a number of instances whereby consumers have fallen prey to the rental car con,” explains Neil Hodson, Managing Director for HPI. “The fraudsters go to quite some lengths to pull the scam … [Read more...]
News
Marcos founder and racer dies
Larger than life character, Jem Marsh, a regular face at the Castle Combe circuit, has passed away at the age of 84. Jem, who was born in Clifton, Bristol was the founder of Marcos Cars, once based at nearby Westbury. Jem was a well-known character at the circuit, having first raced there in 1964, taking 2 race wins in his Marcos 1000GT. He scored another 2 race wins in his Marcos Volvo in … [Read more...]
Newslines
Conking out on the way to the airport is the most stressful breakdown scenario, reports the AA, which has updated its popular AA app to let you track the approaching patrol. AA-Populus research among 23,450 AA members revealed that anxiety about missing a flight would cause the most stress for more than half (56%), followed by breaking down in bad weather (43%) and driving abroad (31%). The … [Read more...]
Newslines
Jaguar Land Rover is considering a North American auto plant to keep up with growing world demand for luxury vehicles. News of the possible expansion was confirmed by Tata Motors Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata who led his Indian company’s 2008 acquisition of the British luxury marques from Ford Motor. Suzuki has completed the recall and modification of its new Celerio city car after tests led to … [Read more...]
Payment perils of automatic insurance renewal
Laziness is costing motorists money. Gocompare.com's latest survey reveals that 5.7 million motorists a year fall into the auto-renewal trap by simply allowing their car insurance to automatically renew without checking other quotes first. March is traditionally one of the busiest months for car insurance renewals due to the high volume of new car sales. However, the new survey shows that … [Read more...]
Newslines
An electric car from Apple is being slated for 2020. It has been working on the project for a number of years and its launch would pitch up against new models planned by Tesla and GM, who already have EVs on sale. Nearly 62,000 Range Rover models from 2012 to 2015 are being recalled in America to replace faulty passenger seat weight sensors which could disable an airbag. It is also dealing … [Read more...]
Warning about bogus DVLA email
The DVLA is warning the public of an email scam that asks drivers to verify their driving licence and vehicle tax details via an online link. The email, which wrongly claims to have been sent from DVLA Swansea, appears to be an attempt to trick drivers into providing personal details. DVLA have not sent out an email asking customers to update or verify their details. In a statement, the … [Read more...]
Welsh tyre dealer keeps rescue team rolling
Leading tyre specialist Michelin and local Michelin Accredited Partner, Huw Lewis Tyres, has donated a set of tyres to the Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team to keep its emergency response vehicle safe both on and off the road. Huw Lewis Tyres, a Michelin Accredited Partner based at the Maglona Garage in Machynlleth, was approached by the search and rescue team who needed new tyres for its … [Read more...]
UK car making stalls as ranges update
UK car output went down 1.2% to 127,385 in January, as manufacturers prepared for new models, but European sales are rising. Outlook remains positive for 2015 with manufacturers set to realise £7 billion-worth investment in new products and facilities and many will be shown at next month’s Geneva motor show. January 2015 output 16% higher than month’s mean performance from 2009 so there it’s … [Read more...]
Newslines
A nationwide study of driving habits in rental cars has revealed that female customers are considerably more likely to exceed the speed limit than their male counterparts. Telematics technology provider, In-Car Cleverness, which monitored the hire of more than 10,000 rental vehicles over a six-month period, recorded the surprising finding that women exceeded the speed limit 17.5% more on average … [Read more...]