Fast Daddies: Re-size vs Compromise.

Fast Daddies

We’ve all probably seen a recent advert from Renault about how your life can change in 4 years. It starts with a guy on his university days who owns a blue Clio RenaultSport, he falls in love with the girl who he then marries, she then falls pregnant and now, with having a baby, the Clio just won‘t do anymore. Hence they trade their Clio RenaultSport for a dark red Renault Grand Scenic. It’s a way to show how their brand can offer a car to suit a growing family but also a 4 years Finance/Warranty/Road Assistance/Servicing package for peace of mind. So far it looks like a good idea but I don’t know many guys in their 20s who can change their motoring views in such short time! Obviously the birth of a child is a very precious moment and people will need to adapt and change their cars. I guess if he graduated 4 years ago, he should be around the age of 25. Suppose that, unless he drove the Clio like an hooligan and gathered several points on his licence, he should be able to afford the insurance premium of something a bit more exciting than a dark red Grand Scenic. 

Here is my selection of used but recent cars that our newby-dad could buy for less than £19000:
2009 Audi S3 Sport back     - 21000mls - £18995
2012 Ford Focus ST            -  3000mls  - £18260
2010 Mitsubishi Evo X          - 27000mls - £18495
2011 Seat Leon Cupra R      - 12000mls - £16990
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX - 21000mls - £17990
2009 VW Golf R32 DSG      - 32000mls - £14650
All these cars are practical five door hatchbacks which fit perfectly the lifestyle of a small family without the need of compromising to the dull extreme of a 7 seat people carrier! MG

German car makers: Boring or Clever?

 German car makers: Boring or Clever?

I have been thinking for a while about German car makers and their success. We all know about their engineering skills and the reliability of their cars. There is something though that I personally want to get off of my chest. I’m bored of their Epson design skills, all of their range looks like it has came out of a photocopier but in different sizes! I consider myself to be an observant individual and I have a good attention to detail but I’m struggling to distinguish them. I often have to look twice and three times to see whether the car behind me is an Audi A4 or an A6? Just like the car in front, is it a BMW 3-series or a 5-series? There are all too similar. Mercedes is still recognisable but slowly is getting into the boredom area. It goes the same for their interiors, a £60k Audi Q7 has the same steering wheel of a £17k A1. The awesome looking £180 thousand Mercedes SLS has loads of dashboard components found on a £20 thousand B-class. Even the new mk7 VW Golf  looks like a Passat without a boot and no car wants to be as dull as a Passat. I could go on for ages with examples!
However, in a proactive way, I’ve been asking myself about the sales figures of these German makers compared to their competitors and the answer is simple: They make a car for anyone’s budget and desire, from a 1.2ltr Audi A1 to a 6.2ltr Mercedes SLS supercar. Audi has 20 different bodies of cars available in their range, BMW has 18 and Mercedes has 19 and their engine range is endless.
The competition simply can’t handle it, some car makers like Alfa Romeo have minimised their range to 2 models without replacing cars like the 159, Brera, GT and so on. Probably they will replace them in the future but, at the moment, they discontinued them and buyers go elsewhere and stay elsewhere. Like a shop that doesn’t open in regular basis, people simply won’t shop there anymore. Even big names like Jaguar only have an handful of models, clearly missing on a 4x4, a family hatchback, a substitute for the X-Type and clearly leaving gaps in the market which the Germans are quite happy to fill. When I was a child, Mercedes was a luxurious maker of big saloons and when I firstly seen the mk1 A-Class, I thought it was a poor and desperate bet to reach another niche in the market but times have changed and people need to adapt. Jaguar needs to step out from the usual and start to make more cars like the new XF Sportbrake and quickly catch up with the successful Germans. After all, the latest A-Class shows that even a successful car maker like Mercedes can adapt and change the A-Class from being a small people carrier to a very stylish hatchback and very soon the CLA four door coupe. The bottom line is that people will go to the shop that it’s always open and sells a big variety and range of products, Sainsbury’s “Basics” is the range of products for people on budget and “Taste the difference” is the range for the indulgent customers and everyone is happy. MG

CAR REVIEW: Lamborghini Aventador. Enough said!

Lamborghini Aventador
The New Lamborghini Aventador is one of the fastest accelerating production cars ever. The style is simply jaw-dropping. Unfortunately it's only available in 3 colours but that won't matter. This car is unbelievable!!

CAR REVIEW: The new Toyota Yaris.

The new Toyota Yaris 

The third generation Yaris is a sharply and sleek styled car with a grown up feeling. The first generation has created a solid and reliable reputation on its class yet was lacking comfort and refinement. The second generation managed to sort those niggles out but the Yaris still had the looks of a car driven by an old lady. Hence the latest version is a closer bet to catch a much younger generation. You can see this attempt to sportiveness on the deep cut headlights and arrow-shaped wing mirrors. The profile has a robust shoulder line and the sculpted tailgate and rear bumper complete the aggressive looks. All this package is still kept in a relatively compact size of only 3.89m. The interior is also completely new with the instruments now located in front of the driver opposed to the previous Yaris which had a centre binnacle and digital readouts. I personally disliked the centred instruments and I believe some potential buyers of the previous generations did at the time. The centre console houses the ventilation controls and, on selected models, the Toyota "Touch & Go". This high-tech device has a full touch screen combining sat nav, rear-view parking camera, Google® Local Search and superb Bluetooth® connectivity. It also connects to your iPod or MP3 player so you can stream your music through the car speakers. All this gadgetry sounds great for a young person but at the same it won't scare the older audience as the touch screen is very intutive to use. The Yaris is available in two petrol engines, 1.0 and 1.33ltr and 1.4ltr diesel and a choice of 5 or 6 speed manual and a 7 speed automatic. Running costs are kept low by an average fuel consumption of 54-67mpg and emission range of 109-120g/km of CO2 depending on the engine. Road tax will cost between £20 and £30 per year which is also very reasonable. There is a an Hybrid version returns 89mpg and 79g/km of CO2 which makes it exempt from road tax. Every version of the new Yaris will also come with Stability Control as standard and features a 5 Star EuroNCAP rating. It's obvious to think that the new Yaris will be the default choice of the people who have already enjoyed the superb reliability record of the Toyota brand. However, with 9 smart body colours, anthracite alloy wheels and darkened windows for a sportier look, the new Yaris is certain to lure away the younger clientele from the plethora of european cars. MG

SNOW: weather for a 4x4. We search the best bargain.

Snow and Bargain 4x4 

As the snowy and icy weather takes hold and the long nights draw in, sales of 4x4s begin to boom. Many motorists want to beat this snowy weather that may roll around for a little while and will turn to a 4x4 – or a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). Choice is expanding year by year – and it is possible to spend anything from a few hundred pound up to £75,000 on a used example. 

It is also true to say that during the winter months 4X4s will suffer little or no depreciation and this is the time of year when all other cars are experiencing a more accelerated rate of price fall. Three-year old cars can often be a good bet in the value-stakes as they will usually have already suffered the ‘big drop’ in depreciation from their original list price that can amount from anything between 40 per cent and 65 per cent. At three years of age there is a wide choice available because many customers who buy new tend to change after three years as the manufacturer warranty expires. 

Here is the MOTORSGURU list of the top five second-hand bargain 4x4s that are three years old and cost under £15,000: 

Honda CR-V 2011 2.2 I-DTEC SE+ 5DR 4800mls £13990
Reliable, Residuals, Smart.

Hyundai Santa Fe 2010 2.2CRDi Style (7 Seat) 5dr 20000mls £14995
Value-for-Money, 7 seats, Warranty.

Land Rover Freelander 2010 2.2 TD4e S 5dr 30000mls £14999
Desirable, Good Engine, Off-Road Manners.

Toyota RAV4 2010 2.2 D-4D XT-R 5DR 29000mls £14999
 Highly Reliable, Comfortable, Trendy.

VW Tiguan 2010 2.0 TDi S 5dr 32000mls £14988
Stylish, Easy to Drive, Strong Engine.

Feeling flashy? You will be happy with this:
Land Rover Range Rover 2012 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography 4dr Auto 4000mls £74994

Cheap escape? This will still keep you going:
Suzuki Grand Vitara 2010 1.6 VVT SZ3 3dr 17000mls £8795.

Whatever your choice will be, Enjoy the freedom of unstoppable motoring!! MG

Alonso to fight from start!

Fernando Alonso is confident Ferrari will fight for the Formula One world title right from the start this season and picks Lewis Hamilton as the man to beat, rather than triple champion Sebastian Vettel.

Alonso lost out on the title in the final race of last season, finishing just three points behind Vettel as Ferrari's poor start to 2012 proved costly.

Ferrari struggled in the opening rounds, with its new car proving uncompetitive — apart from Alonso's win in the second race in Malaysia.

"It is maybe impossible to be worse than last year, so I am confident," Alonso said at Ferrari's annual winter retreat in the Italian Dolomites on Thursday. "The rules are continuing more or less the same as last year in terms of aerodynamics. In the winter of 2012 we changed completely the exhaust position compared to 2011, and it was a little bit of a guess what we found on the car.

"But this year everything should be much more normal and we are much more confident. We can be faster or slower (than our rivals) but not 1.5 or two seconds off the pace, because that was a record we had last year."

Two-time champion Alonso claims he feels no added pressure to win the title after three seasons with the Italian team.

"The aim of the best team in F1 history, Ferrari, is to win the title," the Spaniard said. "It's also my personal goal, to lift the trophy in red would be the best. But I don't feel the pressure of being obliged to win, that obligation never exists in sport.

"However, it's been many years now that at the end of the season we have a few less points than the winner and still everyone says I'm the best. It increases your self-esteem, it repays you a bit for your sacrifices, but the aim is always to win."

Vettel won his third successive title in 2012, edging out Alonso into second place, just as he had done in 2010.

But it is Hamilton who Alonso sees as his fiercest rival, following the British driver's move from McLaren to Mercedes.

"Hamilton remains the best driver," Alonso said. "Vettel was only that in parts, but he deserved to win three titles in a row.

"I don't know who my main rival will be, because it will be the one who has the strongest package overall: car, team, luck...but Hamilton will be the strongest driver, just as he was last year."

CAR MAINTENANCE: Basic vehicle checks can save you £££.

       BASIC VEHICLE CHECKS CAN SAVE YOU £££ ON MOT & SERVICE COSTS

Vehicle maintenance can be expensive as well as a real headache. Every driver can easily carry out some basic vehicle inspections to keep their car roadworthy. If this is done regularly, it can save you a lot of money on vehicle servicing and certainly will reduce the chance of a breakdown. A good and easy way to ensure that your car is roadworthy is to follow the POWER check. POWER stands for Petrol, Oil, Water, Electrics and Rubber. These simple checks cover the majority of things that, a normal driver without mechanical skills, can do to keep their car in tip top condition.

PETROL: Make sure you always have enough fuel to complete your journey. Unless you are setting off for a long drive, avoid to have anymore than half a tank. If you fill up the tank to the brim, you could be carrying around an extra 30-60kgs of unnecessary weight resulting in using more fuel.

OIL: Check the engine oil on a weekly basis. Make sure your car is on a level surface and the engine is cold. Avoid to wait until you get an oil/service light in the dashboard as, by that point, the engine could have suffered some mechanical damage. Please refer to the owner’s manual to find out the type of oil to use to top up the level. If in doubt, take your car to an authorised dealership/mechanic. There are different types of engine oil and they don’t mix and match.

WATER: Check the engine coolant fluid on a weekly basis when the engine is cold. This fluid is in a sealed, pressurised circuit so it could last long time. If there is any loss, please take it to an authorised dealership/mechanic for a system inspection. Check the windscreen washer reservoir and top it up with either water or windscreen washer solution. The latter will actually prolong the life of your wipers and, as a result, give you a better visibility. It will also prevent the fluid to freeze in harsh winter weather.

ELECTRICS: Check all the light bulbs regularly and consider carrying a kit of spare bulbs and fuses so you can replace them as early as possible. A faulty brake light could lead to 3 points on your licence and an expensive fine if stopped by the police. Remember to also check those lights that don’t get used very often such as fog lights.

RUBBER: Check the conditions of the windscreen wipers. These can easily split and tear if exposed to freezing weather or hot summer days. Check the conditions of the tyres for thread and pressure. The thread depth must be at least 1.6mm across the central ¾ of breath of the tyre or this can again lead to 3 points and up to £1000 fine. The tyre pressure must be checked when the tyres are cold and the pressure values can be found on the owner’s manual. An under inflated tyre can affect the stability of your car and it will increase fuel consumption. Don’t forget to check the spare tyre! MG

NEW CARS: Renault Captur

The NEW Renault Captur

From the first pictures, the Renault Captur looks very stylish. It’s a crossover as big as a Nissan Juke.

 

The front has stylish hints of the new Clio, the back reminds me of a Nissan Qashqai and the roof can be painted on a fashionable contrasting colour. Apparently is going to be cheaper to buy than a Vauxhall Mokka which only had average reviews. Renault claims that the Captur will have engines with better economy and lower emissions than the Juke and the Mokka. The dashboard looks very high-tech with all the latest electronic gadgets.

 Apparently is going to be cheaper to buy than a Vauxhall Mokka which only had average reviews. Renault claims that the Captur will have engines with better economy and lower emissions than the Juke and the Mokka. The dashboard looks very high-tech with all the latest electronic gadgets. However, in contrast with all the interior technology, we can also see the use of recycled parts firstly seen in a 2002 Megane such as the gearknob, pedals, the wing mirror controls and some other minor switches.

The dashboard looks very high-tech with all the latest electronic gadgets. However, in contrast with all the interior technology, we can also see the use of recycled parts firstly seen in a 2002 Megane such as the gearknob, pedals, the wing mirror controls and some other minor switches. 

 

Let’s hope these little glitches don’t stop potential buyers of the Captur. This new car also shows once again that, unlike some German makers like Audi, Renault can still produce some interesting looking vehicles and not just a photocopy of another model from their endless range. MG

CAR/DRIVING TIPS: Running a car.

Running a car.

In our busy lives sometimes we forget about the basics but, in recession times, this bullet point guide might save you a bit of money.

Buying a car is a big one-off expense, but running a car in the UK is an ongoing cost that can hit your pocket just as hard.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimise those running costs.

Here are the subjects to be looking at. Do your home work and it could save you a fortune!

Insurance: What cover do you need?

Fuel: Where is it cheaper to buy it? Is my car fuel efficient?

Road tax: How much will it pay? What does it depend on?

Company car tax: How to calculate.

Servicing costs: Do I need to take a plan? How often do I need to service the car?

Warranties: How long does it last? What does it actually cover?

Breakdown cover: What cover do I get? Who is the best value-for-money rescue company?

Range Rover Evoque Black Edition!

Range Rover Evoque Black Edition.

Apart from special edition Range Rover Evoque from car tuners like Kahn, so far we’ve only had the Victoria Beckham Evoque Special Edition from Land Rover’s most successful model.
But that changes with the arrival of a new special Edition Range Rover Evoque – the Sicilian Yellow Limited Edition Range Rover Evoque – that comes with bespoke paint jobs and debuts the arrival of the Black design Pack for the Evoque.
Based on the 2013 Range Rover Evoque Dynamic, the Sicilian Yellow Evoque comes with a striking paint job in Sicilian Yellow with a contrast black roof and door mirrors (or you can have it the other way round – black bodywork with yellow roof) with yellow contrast stitching inside and a yellow finisher across the dash.
The Sicilian Yellow Evoque also gets the new Black Design Pack for the Evoque (available on the Evoque with Dynamic trim from April) which adds in a rear spoiler, darkened headlights and front fogs, black ‘Range Rover’ lettering, 20″ gloss black alloys, dark exhaust tips and black painted bumper sections.
The Range Rover Evoque Sicilian Yellow can be had as a Coupe or 5 door and with either the 2.2 litre diesel or the 2.0 litre petrol engine. Land Rover hasn’t given us a price for the Sicilian Yellow Evoque yet, but we’d guess £45k wouldn’t be far off the mark.

Can AutoTrader help with your New Year's Resolution?

Happy New Year!

Once again it’s the time of the year when everyone feels guilty about the indulgences occurred over the Christmas period.
Somehow everyone decides to try and keep up with the unrealistic “New Year’s Resolution”.
This year, statistics say that in England the most common New Year’s Resolution is to read more books! As any petrolhead, I personally can think of a few more exciting things than a big pile of books! Here’s my advice: buy a used 2 seater convertible and get back in touch with your youth.
There are loads of reason to buy a convertible at this time of the year. The most logical reason is that, very few people would buy a soft top in the winter. Hence the seller is more keen to negotiate the selling price to your favour. Another good reason is that, if it’s not in perfect order, you have plenty of time to get the car ready for the summer days. Getting a decent used convertible is not as expensive as many people would assume. I can think of a few models which nowadays can be bought for less than two grand and still be great fun to own. Loads of people will now think of an MGF and surely you can find hundreds on the Autotrader. The same can be said for the Peugeot 206 which has the security of a metal roof but I wouldn’t want to get in the wrath of having it stuck half open in the middle of a storm! I prefer something more reliable like a Toyota MR2 or a Mazda MX5. This two Japanese cars have very decent chassis and can be a lot of fun to drive. Both of them come with a 1.8 litre engine with around 140 bhp for a 0-60mph in around 8 seconds. Common sense would suggest to steer away from any model which looks like it has been previously owned by an over enthusiastic driver. The usual signs are the presence of replaced alloy wheels or exhaust system. At the moment, for around £1700, you could get a 2000 (W/X) or a 2001 (Y/51) registered of either models with less than 60000 miles which leaves you with 300 pound spare to sort a few niggles out or to pay for the insurance. The best thing of all is that your “New Year’s Resolution” will actually last a full year. MG

Shell - Sensabot, a bionic inspector rolls in.

Sensabot - Investor in people

Sensabot is a robot bristling with sensors and cameras that can carry out inspections of oil and gas field equipment in the most challenging environments. It can go anywhere humans can but is controlled remotely by operators, reducing the exposure of people to potential dangers.

Undersea robots are commonly used in the energy industry to maintain equipment in deep waters, where extreme pressures stop humans from venturing. Now a robot can help tackle minor hazards on the surface or on land before they grow into more serious incidents, without putting people at risk. It can work on platforms in stormy seas, or in oil and gas fields in remote, hostile environments.

Oil and gas operations are usually safe enough for technicians in protective gear to carry out inspection and maintenance tasks. But to improve safety where potential hazards exist, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center in Pittsburgh, USA, worked with Shell engineers to develop Sensabot, a multi-talented robot packed with sensors and cameras.

A close-up view

Operators sitting safely up to 100 kilometres away can direct Sensabot with radio signals as it inspects pipes and valves in complex installations. It can measure heat, noise, vibration, and detect toxic and flammable gases, such as hydrogen sulphide and methane. With 10 cameras, Sensabot can zero in on the smallest detail to give its human controllers a close-up view.

Sensabot is 1.28 metres long, 75 centimetres wide and 75 centimetres deep. It weighs 250 kilograms (550 lbs), about as much as a fully-grown gorilla.

Shell hopes to put it to work in some of its most remote oil and gas fields, where harsh conditions pose tough technical challenges.

Councils rake in record profits from parking!

Fuel prices go up, Car Insurance Policies go up and...quite obviously we are paying too much even when our car is parked!!

Range Rover: Old vs New

Motoring legends don’t come much bigger than the Range Rover. Before the revolutionary Brit burst on to the scene back in 1970, there was no such thing as a luxury SUV. Off-roaders were rugged and rough workhorses that offered little in the way of creature comforts.
Yet with its effortless performance, executive car comfort, smart styling and go-anywhere off-road ability, the Range Rover was as much at home outside London’s upmarket Fortnum and Mason store as it was splashing through a muddy farmyard.

Over the course of 42 years, the model’s technology, comfort and price have evolved beyond recognition, yet it has always stayed close to the “most versatile car in the world” sales pitch found in the original brochure.
Through the turbulent industrial troubles of the seventies, the brash, money-minded eighties and the environmental backlash of the nineties, the Range Rover has survived to become one of the best-loved luxury cars in the world. And now there’s an all-new model that sets even higher standards. Bigger, faster, cleaner, more luxurious and better to drive than ever, the latest Range Rover is still breaking new ground.
To celebrate, we look back at the car’s illustrious history, from the game-changing original through to the limousine-rivalling current machine. So sit back and relax as we take a ride in the best 4x4s by far.

Verdict

The Range Rover has survived numerous changes of company ownership, turbulent economic times and countless technical challenges. In the early days, customers endured poor reliability and questionable quality, yet the appeal of this classy car shone through.

Halfords to offer driving tests for the DSA

Watch out how this could lead to the DSA closing all test centres, saving their overheads and welcoming learner drivers to their £62 driving test in a random car park! I couldn't think of anything more unprofessional.

BMW M2 Preview

BMW M2 Preview

 What It Is: The M version of the upcoming BMW 2-series coupe and thus the successor of the immensely Unlike its predecessor the 1-Series M coupe which was rushed through development in record time, known internally as Project Pyrat—the 2015 M2 will undergo a longer gestation, allowing BMW to come up with a more polished package. Look for aggressive restyling, strongly differentiated from the M135i that’s available in overseas markets. The M2 will feature a unique front-end treatment, large air intakes, a wider track and wider rear fenders, as well as a rear spoiler and four exhaust finishers. The expected change in nomenclature from 1-series coupe to 2-series would fall in line with the rest of BMW’s offerings, recently adopted by the separation of the 3-series sedan and the 4-series coupe. Moreover, it allows BMW to give it a traditional M name. With the history of the M1 mid-engined supercar, the previous-gen 1-series M received a rather clunky title; M2 would work quite nicely. The M2 will be available only in coupe form; there are no plans for another body style.

Why It Matters: As a powerful rear-wheel-drive compact coupe with a manual transmission, the M2 is set to hit all the right buttons. Not only will it be the successor to the much-loved 1-series M, it would be the spiritual heir to the 2002 Turbo of so many years ago. That lineage proved fruitful for BMW, with the Bavarians selling more than 6300 1-series Ms in its single-model-year run. Expect BMW to take advantage of the market’s demand for this sort of vehicle, with volume double that of the 1M’s—so long as the M2’s pricing isn’t absurd, that is. "This car excites everyone around here," we hear from a source at M GmbH.

 

French Manufacturers and their Special Edition models.

Over the years, the 3 most popular French manufacturers, Citroen, Peugeot and Renault, have produced millions of  their "Special Edition" models. They were called with the most bizarre names. Peugeot called the 106 "Mardi Gras", Citroen called the Saxo "East Coast" and Renault called the Clio "Le Sport". They were generally the most basic trims with some new jazzy upholstery and a few stickers to the back and sides with the identification name. Loads of people will wonder whether it was a way to boost the sales or a way to recycle excess of spare parts left wondering in a warehouse. However, while back in the '80s and '90s was a simple way to do it, nowadays it's probably more expensive and a "special edition" becomes almost a "top of the range" model. If you look at the Citroen C1 Connexion, it comes with alloy wheels, MP3 socket, darkened rear windows, metallic paint and even personalised carpet mats! Whatever the reason could be, Citroen has already brought out a new special edition for the 2013 similar in colors with the C1 Connexion. It's called the DS3 "Red".

Outside, there's a red grille up front, a red roof, red wing mirrors and red wheel-centre caps. Inside, you will be dazzled by a red dashboard, and red door handle surrounds.

As standard, on the DStyle you get the Bluetooth and USB compatibility, plus an upgraded radio with extra speakers. Without going too deep with gadgets and specs, we can clearly see which age range this DS3 is aiming to.

The DS3 Red also features automatic headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors, heated and folding door mirrors, and interior mood lighting. Apparently it will cost around £500 cheaper than a factory order with the same specification. Only time will tell how successful this "Special Edition" will be. All we know is that, in a busy car park, there will be loads of these charming french cars and their major rival, the BMW Mini, will have to come out with something really interesting and good-value-for-money to keep up with the competition. MG