Diesel vehicle drivers are facing a possible £1,000 bill when they start up after prolonged lockdown, unless they take precautions, warns warranty company Motor Easy. Duncan McClure Fisher, CEO at MotorEasy said, “Throughout the three lockdowns, we’ve seen a spike in battery and alternator claims as a result of cars not being used as much. Batteries are not getting the chance to charge up like … [Read more...]
Warranties surge as sales stagger
Warrantywise is one of Britain's largest car warranty companies and had a record year in sales growth.They are celebrating an outstanding 55% growth in sales year on year.Lawrence Whittaker, CEO of Warrantywise, attributes this to a number of reasons, "We've had a fantastic year for sales, and worked really hard on setting goals to achieve this.“We hired a new Chief … [Read more...]
Breakdowns rising and worst places in Wales
Analysis of RAC data confirms suspicions that car use by drivers in the UK has not fallen to the same extent as it did during the first coronavirus lockdown in March 2020. During the first week of the latest lockdown, data from RAC Black Box Insurance customers shows there were on average 10% more cars in daily use than during the first week of March’s lockdown, leading to 31% more daily miles … [Read more...]
New online directory and resources for aftermarket sector
Organisers of Automechanika Birmingham have launched auto:resource, a new online directory and resources platform to inform, train and connect the UK automotive aftermarket. The comprehensive website, www.autoresource.co.uk, was created following extensive research conducted to over 12,000 automotive professionals, who made it clear there is a need to inform and connect the industry via one … [Read more...]
Newslines 27 August
About 400 jobs are going at the MINI plant, Cowley, Oxford. The company said it’s halving its contracting force following a slump in demand for the models in the coronavirus lockdown. Learners have to contend with another collapse of the DVSA on-line driving test booking system. It failed within hours of being restarted after the lockdown and then again this week when it was restored after … [Read more...]
Repair costs still driving fleet manager decisions
Over 70% of fleet managers say the cost of vehicle repair influences the choice of vehicles in their fleet, according to new report ‘Fleet Managers, the pressures, challenges and opportunities.’ Being green is also a key factor with 56% making choices around the composition of their fleet based on protecting the environment. With more than 90% of motor accidents the result of human error the … [Read more...]
Drivers tell RAC they’re on the road again
RAC data confirms car use is rising despite the lockdown. Figures show a steady increase in breakdowns and average miles driven per day while more than a third of drivers say they are using their vehicles more for food shopping as well as trips to DIY stores Ahead of this weekend’s announcement on how the UK might begin to ease the current lockdown restrictions, an RAC study confirms drivers are … [Read more...]
Safety checks to laid up vehicles
Drivers will need guidance on returning laid-up company cars to the road when the coronavirus crisis ends, says Meridian Vehicle Solutions. Phil Jerome, managing director at the medium-term rental specialist, said that some vehicles may not turn a wheel for months, depending on the length of the lockdown, and would need to be quite carefully inspected in a risk management context. “Even if the … [Read more...]
Safety fears of majority drivers on ‘smart’ motorways
About 68% of drivers questioned by the RAC think removing the hard shoulder on the ever-increasing number of the country’s smart motorways compromises safety for those who breakdown in a live lane. To increase capacity on the country’s busiest roads over one hundred miles of hard shoulder have been converted by Highways England into running lanes for traffic, many removed permanently on ‘all lane … [Read more...]
Be aware & alert to winter dangers behind the wheel
With winter drawing in, the weather and darker nights put additional strains on drivers, particularly older and inexperienced motorists, so IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, shares his tips which might save you from having an accident or worse.Older people can be more susceptible to fatigue so tiredness can prove a real problem. Extreme tiredness can … [Read more...]
