Friday 23 November 2012

Drink Driving Laws Set to Change



In the UK drink driving is a growing problem, many people die on our roads each year as a result of drink driving. Last year around 280 people died on the road as a result of drink driving. The government have decided to make changes to the current drink drive laws in the UK.

At the moment if you are found over the limit but are still less than 50 micrograms in 100ml of breath you can legally demand that you have a blood or urine test. This is often abused to buy ‘sobering-up time’. 

This means that while the police have to wait for a doctor to get to the station to perform the test, people who are just over the limit will have sobered up by this time. This rule was put into place as the early breathalyser tests were not as accurate. With much advancement in technology this rule is no longer necessary.

Now the rules are set to change, you will no longer be able to demand a blood or urine test. The test you provide at the side of the road will now be used as the final decision.  

The government are planning to release a new super accurate breath test that will give an unmistakeable reading which will be used to arrest the driver on the spot and be used in court.

What do you think of these changes? Do you think it will help protect the UK’s road users?

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Most Reliable Vans



In a survey carried out last year to find the most reliable van, the Ford Transit came at the top of the list. It is no surprise that the Transit came out on top as it has been one of the most popular vans for quite some time. The Transit is used is many different trades and has been since it was first produced back in the 1960’s. There have been many different versions since then, but the Transit still remains the most popular van of choice.

Coming in at second place is another victory for Ford with the Ford Transit Connect, which is Ford’s smaller van.

Voted the third most reliable van is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Volkswagen took forth and fifth place with the Transporter and the Caddy. The vans were chosen for reliability based on breakdown and warranty claims.

The managing director for Ford has said, “Ford is extremely proud that the Ford Transit and Ford Transit Connect have taken the top two spots in this reliability survey which is based on hard facts.
“This is a tribute to the passion and dedication of our designers and engineers at Dunton who make quality the highest priority, and which has kept Ford at the top of the UK Commercial Vehicle market for over 46 years.”

Here is the top ten list of most reliable vans,

First - Ford Transit
Second - Ford Transit Connect
Third - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Fourth - Volkswagen Transporter
Fifth - Volkswagen Caddy
Sixth - Mercedes-Benz Vito
Seventh - Vauxhall Vivaro
Eighth - Renault Trafic
Ninth - Vauxhall Movano
Tenth - Citroen Berling

Wednesday 24 October 2012

New Nissan Extrem Concept



Nissan have just released the first pictures of their bold new concept car, the Nissan Extrem. The new design is different to anything we have seen recently, but you can see elements of the Nissan Juke's design if you look closely.

Nissan have said that they want to make something that is feasible, but a bit more exciting than the rest. We have been told that the features in the Extrem’s design are something that we will likely be seeing in a lot of Nissan's Future cars.

Nissan wanted to achieve a design that was similar to a rally car, but was also more muscular and butch. Looking at Extrem concept I think they achieved what they set out for!

The Extrem is to make its debut at the Sao Paulo motor show this week, in Brazil. This is very fitting as elements of the Extrem’s design were based on Brazil; Nissan have said that they want the Extrem to capture Brazil’s colourful and flamboyant country.

Some people may be asking, why the Brazilian influence? Well a lot of the worlds focus will soon be on Brazil in the next few years with the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics being hosted there.

Inside the Extrem you get a 98bhp three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine which is from the Micra, which Nissan thinks offers the perfect combination of sportiness and affordability.

Thursday 18 October 2012

Are we ready for electric cars?


In the world of vehicles electric cars have been a popular topic for some time now. Some people love them, and others hate them. But do you think the world is ready for the electric car? We see electric cars all the time, but because of the limitations they are still not a popular choice with a lot of motorists.

Car manufacturer Toyota has reviewed plans for their electric vehicles and has since scaled down plans for future electric cars. They believe that the market is not yet ready for electric cars as they still have many issues that do not fit in with our lifestyles.

For a start they still take way too long to charge, which is a pain for anyone. They are also limited by distance with the battery only being able to take you so far. It was thought that sales for electric cars would have picked up by now, especially with the government providing a £5,000 grant to but an electric car, and a £8,000 grant to purchase an electric van.

Toyota has said that they are ready to release more electric cars, but they do not feel that charging system is developed enough yet. Toyota is however expected to have a line-up of 21 petrol electric hybrid vehicles by 2015.

Toyota believes that hybrid technology is the way forward at this point in time, rather than purely electric vehicles. With Toyota releasing 3 new hybrid vehicles this year and the potential for more, it looks like this is Toyota’s main focus for the future.

It is still early days for the electric car, but will we ever be able the technology that will cater to all our vehicles needs? And if we do have to live with some limitations, how certain will the electric cars future be?

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Dangers of Winter Driving



The summer is now over (not that we got much of one!) and it is officially autumn. The days become shorter, it becomes darker and the weather becomes colder. All these conditions make driving a lot more difficult, so you need to be prepared before you set off in the winter months. Sometimes it can be hard to adjust from easier summer driving to more challenging winter driving, but with these tips you can keep safe and prepared on the roads this winter.

Before leaving the house in challenging weather conditions you should always stop to consider if your journey is essential. If your journey is absolutely necessary you need to prepare yourself. Consider these things before leaving the house,

  •        Check the weather forecast before you leave, if possible take an alternative route to the worst effected areas.
  •         Larger main roads will be cleared first, plan to use these when possible.
  •         Make sure you are contactable; charge your mobile phone before you leave the house.
  •          Make sure you have breakdown cover for your vehicle.
  •         Before you leave the house check that you are ok to drive, if you are unwell or tired then you should make alternative plans. You will need to be fully alert to drive in bad weather conditions.

Prepare your vehicle before you set off,

  •     Clear any ice or snow from your windows, mirrors and lights before you leave.
  •      Check that all lights are working correctly before leaving.
  •      Keep in mind that in snowy and icy conditions the braking distance can be 10 times more than usual, so driving slower and giving plenty of time for breaking is essential.

Once you have set off,

  •  Driving in bad weather conditions can be more tiring than normal, make sure you have had enough sleep and if you begin to feel tired, plan to make a stop and grab a coffee.
  •  Leave plenty of space between you and other cars around you.
  •  Try to warm your tires as much as possible; they grip more when they are warmer.
  •  Bridges become a lot icier than normal roads, be very careful when crossing them.
  •  Be aware that fresh snow gives more grip than compressed snow.
  •  Be extra aware of pedestrians and be extra careful when travelling between 4pm and 6pm, school children will still be making their journey home in this time.
  •  Make sure someone knows your expected arrival time and that they are able to contact you.
  •  If you become stranded you can use the heater inside the car to keep warm.
  •  Ensure you have spare clothing to put on if you get stranded.
  •  Keep your acceleration and steering smooth.
Things you should keep in the car during harsh weather conditions,

  •       At least a litre of water (or other drinkable fluids).
  •       Energy bars or other energy foods.
  •       Blankets.
  •       Scarf, hat and gloves.
  •       Waterproof boots or shoes.
  •       Mobile phone.
  •       Torch.
  •       Reflective jacket and reflective warning triangle.
  •       Piece of old carpet.
  •       Sponge.

One of the most important things to remember when driving in the winter months is to use your common sense, keep to speed limits and be extra vigilant. All of these things will help not only you but other road users too.

Friday 12 October 2012

Nissan Teams Up With Usain Bolt



If you are a car company, who do you think would be the best person to team up with? Maybe the fastest man in the world? Nissan have done just that. They have teamed up with Usain Bolt to create a one off gold Nissan GT-R.Usain Bolt helped Nissan to produce the special edition GT-R.

The new gold GT-R features Bolt’s signature and interior fittings that are made from real gold. This special GT-R will be auctioned for charity on eBay in late October. So if you fancy a chance at having this very unique GT-R you need to get onto eBay and put in a bid for it.

All the money that is raised will go to the Usain Bolt Foundation, this great charity hopes to create opportunities for young people all over Jamaica.

Nissan have said that if you are not fortunate enough to win this amazing car, they will be creating a limited edition version of the GT-R which you will be able to get your hands on. Details on the special Usain Bolt GT-R model will be released at a later stage.

Usain Bolt himself currently drives a Bolt GT-R; this GT-R has been tuned specially for Bolt.

Nissan have said that Bolt is now the “Director of Excitement”. Bolt has said, "Racing is my inspiration, and I want to help Nissan become an even more exciting brand for everyone." So we hope to see the new gold GT-R go to a very good home.

This new partnership makes you wonder, what will we see next from Bolt and Nissan?

Friday 5 October 2012

Changes to MOT Testing



It has been announced that when a vehicle comes in for an MOT it must now have the current mileage recorded and it must also have the recorded mileage from the last three tests.

The change to MOT certificating takes effect on November 18th 2012. This will give any buyers a more accurate history of the vehicle. We think this is very good news and will solve some issues for potential buyers of any vehicle before they actually purchase.

Another change being brought in on the 18th of November is that classic cars and motorbikes (any car or motorbike made before the 1960’s) will be MOT exempt. The DVLA has confirmed that from this date all classic cars will no longer need the test.

 The reasoning behind this new rule is that classic motor owners typically look after their vehicles a lot more carefully than the average motorist, they go out in all conditions making changes and repairs to their classic vehicle. So the MOT is considered a waste of money for these people. Obviously the owner will still legally have to maintain their vehicle and keep it road safe, but they can be spared of the unnecessary MOT test which will save them money.

The downside to this new rule is that a small number of classic car owners may not be as good at maintaining their vehicle, with the lack of MOT this will mean that their vehicle could become unsafe, but as they will no longer have to get the vehicle tested they may not know about a problem until it is too late.

So is this crazy and unsafe? Or is it a good idea that will save a lot of people money?


Wednesday 3 October 2012

The Weird and Wonderful Paris Motor Show



We have previously talked about the great line-up for the Paris Motor Show 2012, but this time we want to talk about the more weird and wonderful selection of vehicles on show.

The Land Rover Defender is being displayed at the show, but this Land Rover has a twist, it is the Battle-Scarred Bond Defender that features in the new James Bond film Skyfall, which is due for release later this month. The film Skyfall has also been provided with Range Rovers and Jaguar XJs for use on and off camera. Being in a Bond film is one of the coolest things you can do, so we give a thumbs up to the Land Rover Defender!

Also Featuring at the Show is the Venturi “High Voltage Buggy”. The High Voltage buggy is an electric two-seat that has been designed around the Fetish, the concept for the Fetish was first shown around 10 years ago. The Buggy is capable of reaching 60mph in about 5 seconds. Sales of the Buggy opened at the Paris show, with the starting price around £239,000, expected delivery would be late in 2013.

 
The Wallyscar Izis is a low costing utilitarian 4x4. The Tunisian company are planning to release an electric version of the Izis that will have a 65 mile range. The price for the Izis is set to be around £9,500.


The Paris Motor Show is hosting a range of weird, beautiful and powerful vehicles. But which one do you think should hold the top spot? Out of the stranger bunch we personally like the Battle-Scarred Bond Defender, its super cool and super practical, oh and did we mention James Bond!? What more can you ask for in a vehicle?

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Paris Motor Show Line-Up 2012



On the 29th of September 2012 the Paris Motor Show 2012 will open its doors to the public and we will finally get to see what exciting new models are revealed for the next year. The Paris Motor show is one of the biggest events of the year for any car lover and this year will not disappoint.

We have picked out our top five most highly anticipated cars to be revealed at the show. First we have the new 2013 Volkswagen Golf MK7. The Golf MK7 is the seventh generation of the model. It has been made more efficient and lighter than its predecessor. The changes to the new Golf are quite subtle, but they definitely improve the overall look and efficiency of the model. The edge of the new bonnet is a little bit lower than the previous model and the front wheels have moved forward slightly.
The C02 emissions have been reduced by around 13.9%, this brings the CO2 for the entry level in at 113g/km.  The entry level engine will be an 84bhp 1.2 TSI petrol that averages 57.7mpg. The VK Golf MK7 is on sale in October and the price starts at £16,200.

 The next car in our top five is the 2013 Toyota Auris. The Auris design is now longer and lower as well as being a lot lighter than the previous model. The Auris is set to be a strong rival for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf MK7. The rear windows now extend past the back doors and the new design gives the car a more angular look. As well as the hybrid, engine options consist of a 1.33-litre Dual VVT-i and 1.6-litre ‘Valvematic’ petrol engine, and a 1.4-litre D-4D diesel engine. The starting price for the Auris is around £14,495.

 
The 2013 Audi A3 Sportback makes it onto our list and into the Paris Motor Show. The A3 looks very similar to the previous model; the new A3 is built to be longer and a little lighter than before. The wheel base has been extended by 35mm which gives more interior space and you get about 10 litres more boot space than the predecessor. The entry level engine is a 104bhp 1.2 TSI petrol engine. The starting price for the A3 will be around £19,825.


The new 2013 Hyundai i30 3dr will feature at the Paris Motor show this year. The main difference between the new i30 and the previous model is that the new version has been design to have a sportier look. The bumpers, grille and fog lamps have been re-designed for this purpose. The price of the new i30 has not yet been confirmed but it is set to be around £300 less than the i30 5dr model.

The final car in our list is the 2014 BMW Concept Active Tourer. The production version will be at the motor show which is likely to be called the 1 Series Gran Turismo which is set to go on sale in 2014.  The Concept Active Tourer is a practical hatchback with a tall body. At 435cm long and 156cm high it is very similar to the size of a Mercedes B-Class; it’s 3cm shorter than the current BMW 1 Series and 10cm taller.

All of these five cars deserve to be at the Paris Motor Show, but which one is the top car?

Monday 24 September 2012

New Jaguar F-Type 2013



The first official pictures of the long awaited Jaguar F-type have been released. The new Jag will make its first proper appearance at the Paris Motor Show this year.

The new F-type brings back pleasant memories for Jaguar fans as a reincarnation of the Jaguar E-type, this shows on the F-type's sculpted rear flank and the central twin exhaust. At the front of the F-type, it incorporates the design cues on the C-X16, this includes a square front grille and 'sabre tooth' air intakes on both sides.

The F-type also has a pop-up spoiler at the back to ensure the performance and profile remain uncompromisable. When the F-type is first released it will be available with a soft-top roof, this will be early 2013. The prices will start at around £55,000. A new coupe version will follow one year later, which will be ahead of a likely 'R' model with supercharged V8 to take up the mantle as the new Jaguar flagship.

All three of the petrol engine choices will send power to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Stop-start technology will also be included as standard.

As the successor, it is clear that it will be quite heavily based around the E-type, but we have to ask just how much the design and features will be influenced by the E-type.

The size is set to be in-between the Porsche 911 and the Porsche Boxster. Look out for the new E-type at the 2012 Paris Motor show.

Friday 21 September 2012

Shell to Open UK’s Largest Filling Station



Shell provides filling stations to motorists all around the country, but Shell has now opened up the largest filling station in the UK. The filling station has been opened on the M25 near to Cobham in Surrey. The station has the largest number of pumps and highest amount of fuel available out of all filling stations in the country.

This station is part of a new service area in Cobham; the new service area even has its own junction. The service area is located between junctions 9 and 10 on the M25 and is between Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The station can be accessed from either side of the M25.

So exactly how big is this filling station? Well it has a grand total of 141 fuel pumps and also provides autogas (Automotive Liquefied Petroleum Gas), which is not sold anywhere else on the M25. In addition to these pumps it also offers 6 High Speed Heavy Goods (HGV) Lanes and 3 Adblue pumps which help to reduce exhaust emissions from diesel engines. The Adblue pumps are not widely available in most other locations in the UK at this point.

The filling station was built for the needs of the large amount of motorists using the M25 every single day, which, at last count was around 150,000 people.  

A regular filling station can cater to around 700 vehicles every day, but the new Shell station can serve around 3,400 vehicles each day, which is quite an improvement. The service area is expected to see around 10,000 motorists visit each day for all its different services.

The station will see around four fuel tankers making deliveries each day and the fuel tanks that are on site are able to store over a million litres of fuel, this should be just about enough!

Shell is expecting to open 250 sites by the end of the year.

So you know where to go if you are running low!

Friday 14 September 2012

Demand for Improvement to Bus Services


Bus services in the UK are one of the highest used travel services in the country. They are essential for getting people around, but many feel that the services being provided by many bus companies are not a good enough standard.

Over three times as many people travel by bus than by train, but bus passenger still feel that they are not given as good service as someone travelling by train.

Louise Ellman MP, who is the chair of the Transport Committee, has said that;

“More than five billion journeys are made by bus in Great Britain each year, to workplaces, schools, shops and hospitals. While some bus services are good, too often passengers are dissatisfied with the reliability of the service, the level of fares and the need to buy another ticket if the trip involves two bus companies.

“More competition among bus operators may improve services in some areas but many routes simply cannot sustain more than one operator. It is worrying that the Traffic Commissioners who are responsible for bus safety and punctuality monitoring appear to have insufficient resources to carry out these crucial roles as effectively as they would wish.

“Outside London, the quality of bus services depends on partnerships between local authorities and the bus operators. Some partnerships, such as we saw in Oxford, are working well but effective partnership working needs to be developed more widely.”

The Transport Committee have also said that local authorities are given the right tools and resources they need to improve the local bus services. In some areas rail has taken priority over the bus services and in these cases some improvements may need to be made. The improvements would need financial assistance and the support of the government.  

They feel that different local authorities should be allowed to choose the areas, partnership and franchise options. The government should have readily available funds for the local authorities wishing to improve the bus service for the area.

The bus service industry has five main companies who should take a strong leadership and aim to resolve any issues passengers have with the service provided. They have also noted that easier ways to pay should be introduced such as smartcards and services information should be widely available to customers. They need to create a more stable service for everyone to use.

So what do you think the bus services are like in your area? How do you think they could be improved?


Wednesday 12 September 2012

Top 5 Best Cars of 2012


2012 has been a big year; we have seen so many exciting events take place across the country. It has also been a great year for motoring; so we are going to take a look at the top 5 cars on sale in the UK this year.

We are going to start with the Audi A3. The Audi A3 looks similar to its predecessor on the outside, which is probably a safe move as it was one of Audi’s best sellers in the UK. Although the looks are similar it does appear to have received a bit of a face lift, the A3 looks slimmer and has slightly smaller headlights.

Although not much has changed with appearance of the A3, much has changed on the inside. The A3’s cabin has been upgraded with no expense spared, the quality has improved greatly and looks like that of executive saloon.
You get a screen which comes out from the dashboard which acts as the multi media controls for the car, you also get Bluetooth, Voice Control and Air-con as standard. The A3 gives you a generous amount of leg room and importantly much larger boot space which can take up to 365 litres.

It looks great; you get up to 74.7mpg and lower CO2 emissions at 99g/km for £19,205. What more could you ask for?

Next in our list we have the Ford Focus ST, the original ST was very popular and Ford seems to be sticking to a similar formula as before. The Focus looks good and performs well, although it does seem to inherit a problem from the old ST, when you really put your foot down the steering wheel will pull left and then right, making handling a little difficult. But the handling in other ways is good; you get good grip and nice handling through the corners.

The ST features a great driving position but a smaller cabin. You get 39.2 mpg and CO2 levels of 169g/km. The price is good for the amount of car you get at £21,995, we think it is a good choice, but is it the best car in our top 5?

The next car to make it on to our list is the Hyundai Veloster. First of all we have to say that the price is the best we have had so far at £17.995. But is it worth that money? Well the Veloster has a quirky look to it with the unique door design; you get a single rear door on the passenger side, giving it practicality and an unusual look. The Veloster is slightly limited though as it does only have one engine choice, a 138bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine.

Inside you get all the usual kit such as Bluetooth, Climate Control, Reversing Sensors and Alloy wheels. You also get a 7 inch touch screen which controls the multi media devices such as the Bluetooth. You get 38 mpg and CO2 levels of 137g/km. A Good car for the price, but its rivals offer a bit more variety.

The Jaguar XF Sportbrake had to make it onto our list. The first thing anyone notices about the XF is its looks; the XF is a very handsome car! On the outside it is very similar to the Saloon, but it has had a bit of a face-lift. The roof has been lengthened and the pillars have been blacked out to give it a more slimmed down longer look. The appearance of inside remains the same as the saloon with the blue lighting and rotary gear selector that pops up when the car has been started.

The Sportbrake will be available with diesel engines which the saloon does not offer. The XF focuses on practicality with large amounts of boot space and self-changing suspension for carrying heavier loads. It also features a ski hatch which lets you get longer items into the car. The XF gives you 52.3 mpg and 149g/km of CO2 emissions on the diesel engines. The XF Sportbrake is a really great car, but it is much more expensive than the others in the list at £31,940.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has a great new look that is appealing to a whole new audience. It is a contemporary and high quality car. You get the choice of 3 different petrol engines and 3 different diesel engines. The CO2 emissions for the A-Class are between 99 and 116g/km depending on which trim you choose.

The leg room inside the A-Class is generous and makes longer journeys much more bearable. Although you get plenty of leg room you don’t get as much boot space as some competitors at 341 litres. The Mercedes A-Class handles well, looks great and the price isn’t bad too at £18,945.

So which one of our top 5 2012 cars do you think should be number one?

If you found this article interesting, why not check out our articles on the Top 10 Most Economical Cars of 2012.

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Work on the Olympic fleet Pays Off


The BMW Olympic fleet have served us and the Olympians well, but with the Paralympic games soon drawing to a close, they will soon be off the roads of London. The fleet of 4,000 vehicles have been through a lot over the Olympic period, but have come out of it mostly undamaged.

The BMW’s were driven around London by around 9,000 different volunteers. With the Paralympics being on a slightly smaller scale, the demand for the Olympic fleet has been reduced and so only about half of the fleet have been sent out.

The Paralympics finishes this Sunday, after this we can really asses how much of a success the fleet have been to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The fleet have done well but some of the vehicles have received some minor damage, the damage consists of scrapes, scratches, bumps and kerbed wheels. Any damaged fleets were sent back to BMW to be repaired. It’s not bad considering they had to drive around London in one of the busiest times in its History.

The volunteer drivers of the Olympic fleet had to go through the Games makers’ recruitment process, check and training, all of which took place around two years ago.

At any one time during the Olympic Games there were around 1,300 Olympic drivers on the roads of London; making this one of the largest and most complicated fleet operations ever.

Overall most people are very pleased with the way the fleet were handled and the service they provided to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Monday 3 September 2012

New Audi A6 Hybrid Made Available

A new hybrid version of the Audi A6 has now been released and is available to order now, this new hybrid A6 will offer a lower tax alternative to the original.

 Prices start from £43,480; the price of this A6 hybrid is a good match for other rivals such as the BMW ActiveHybrid5 priced at £46,865 Lexus GS450h priced at£44,995 and the Infiniti M35h which is priced £42,020.

CO2 emissions are looking very good for this A6 hybrid at 145g/km which is lower than the 159g/km Infinity M35H, the 141g/km Lexus GS450h and the 149g/km ActiveHybrid5.

The difference between the A6 and the rival’s powerful six-cylinder petrol engines combined with an electric motor, is a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the 211bhp 2.0 TFSI, with an electric motor which offers 245bhp.

This means that the A6 does have a little less power than some of the competition, but at 1,770kg it weighs quite a bit less which results in 0-62 time of 7.3 seconds, it may be a little slower than some of the rivals, but it still packs a powerful punch!

The A6 hybrid is capable of running on the electric motor alone for around two miles before the petrol engine has to kick in. Another bonus of the A6.

The price and low CO2 emissions mean that company car drivers of the Audi A6 Hybrid would face much lower tax liability than a company car driver in the equivalent 245bhp A6 3.0 TDI Quattro, good news for company car drivers!

Thursday 30 August 2012

Does Playing Music While Driving Distract You?


Music is something that we all enjoy, whether you listen to it a little or a lot; we all like a good tune to sing along to. But does music cause problems in the car? 

Everyday most people travelling by car will put on the radio or put in their favourite CD, but does this music distract us from driving? Is it dangerous? And why do so many people choose to listen to music while they travel?

The average driver will listen to around 7 hours of music in their car every week. This amounts to around 12 billion hours of noise pollution each year in the UK.
 We also have to look at how this affects other people, if you have your music very loud in your car; it may not only be a distraction to you, but also to other drivers on the road. It has been revealed that around 63% become angry with other road users playing their music too loudly.

Drivers will play music around 72% of the time that they are in their car and around a quarter of these will listen to their music every single time they are in the car. Around 61% of people believe that listening to music makes the journey go by faster, people also find it relaxing and entertaining to sing along with the music, that’s even more noise pollution! 
These reasons explain why most road users choose to play music in their car while driving. But is it risky? Around 22% of men almost had an accident due to playing music in the car and around 12% of women also nearly experienced an accident as a result of listening to music in the car. There is not much in it but this does show that men are a little more likely to become distracted by their music.

It is not only music that causes distraction while driving, research shows that mobile phones, passengers and children can also be large distractions while driving. 

So do you feel like you are distracted by music in your car?

Wednesday 29 August 2012

Olympic Games Lanes Make a Return For Paralympics



After a small break from hectic roads from the Olympics, the games lanes are being turned back on again for the start of the London 2012 Paralympic games. Traffic disrupted many journeys last time, but will we see the same sort of disruption this time round?

The Paralympic Route is smaller than the regular Olympic Route, which should make things a little easier for London’s motorists. There are about 8.7 miles of Olympic Games lanes along the Paralympic route. These lanes will be operated flexibly, when there is low demand for the lanes from the Olympic officials and high demand from the general public they will be opened up to everyone until they are needed again.

Although the Paralympic games are on a slightly smaller scale, disruption is still to be expected. During the games people are being advised to avoid the Paralympic Route Network as much as they possible can. Traffic will be particularly bad around the Olympic park, so this area should be avoided whenever possible.

It is also advised that some restrictions in central London roads will be in place today as the Olympic torch relay travels through London. There is expected to be a large amount of spectators watching the torch relay, so many areas in London will be unusually busy.

The A2, A12 and A13 routes into London are also expected to be unusually busy, particularly in the morning. If you are not able to avoid driving along these routes, allow plenty of time for your journey.

The Paralympic opening ceremony will be taking place tonight at the Olympic Park, so all of central London will be much busier than usual.

Overall the chaos caused should be much less than when the regular Olympic Games took place, planning your journey ahead will save time and unnecessary stress.

We hope that everyone enjoys the London 2012 Paralympic Games!

Monday 20 August 2012

Special Edition Ministry of Sound Nissan Juke


Nissan have teamed up with an unlikely partner, the music producer Ministry of sound. The product of this combination is the new special edition Ministry of sound Nissan Juke. The Juke is available in all the existing engine variants and comes in two colours – black or white.

The Juke comes with 17-inch white alloys, white Mirror caps, white centre console, white door handles and white stitching on the leather seats and steering wheel. You will also receive an 8GB Apple iPod Touch and Ministry of sound headphones with an inbuilt docking station.

All of this kit comes as standard which is quite generous, but being a Ministry of sound special edition, we thought we would hear more about a new sound system being fitted into the Juke. But confusingly there seems to be no mention of this.

Can we really call it a Ministry of sound edition when the music kit does not include a new sound system, the addition of the iPod and headphone are very nice, but many of us already have these and are looking for a bit more than that.

Nissan have also introduced a stop-start system as a £200 option on manual cars with the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol engine.

Prices start from £17,895, and you will have to get onto this quickly as Nissan have said that only 250 will be produced. The addition improves economy by 1.6mpg, to 48.7mpg, and reduces CO2 emissions by 3g/km, to 136g/km, paying for itself after 45,797 miles.

So if you are a fan of Ministry of Sound, this may just be the car for you. It is a great mixture of driving pleasure and music pleasure.



Tuesday 14 August 2012

The Best Car Manufacturer?



J.D. Power, one of the worlds leading market research companies, recently done some digging on who the best vehicle manufacturer is, and the results are in.
The C-X16

Jaguar customers voted the prestige-dealer network more highly than any other manufacturer on the market. Customers and clients commented on the clean, comfortable waiting areas, the helpful staff and the precise, streamline process which left nothing to be worried over. XF drivers were particularly glowing in their praise for Jaguar and service advisors were especially praised for their top-notch service.

The only negative knocks on Jaguars otherwise gleaming performance was the cost of service repairs, which have been noted as being quite the bit higher than many other manufacturers out there. Then again, you have to consider that Jaguar use higher-quality materials than many for their prestige-brand, thus the cost should be expected to be slightly more.

Iconic X-Type
Nevertheless, Jaguar still reign as number one with Lexus and Skoda coming in second and third respectively. More impressively for Jaguar, as it’s worth noting that their feature car, the X-Type, isn’t even made anymore.

Jaguars’ next big thing is to be the C-X16, which was also voted ‘Most Exciting Car of 2012’ from WhatCar? Magazine.

The future is bright for Jaguar and we’re excited to see how they develop their brand. 

Written by the team at Alternative Route Finance
Feel free to check out our Jaguar Leasing Deals - including the XF, XFR, XJ, XK Convertible and the XK.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Business Owners:- Whats the Car for You?


There are plenty of vehicles out there to wet the appetite of the businessman or woman today. Petrol to diesel, estate to saloon – the choices can be quite overwhelming.

Is there a right and wrong car to pick for business owners? The short answer is no – it’s your money; you spend it how you want. However, there are some pretty good options out there that you might not know about…

These are my top three recommendations for the business owner – you deserve it.

BMW 5-Series 520d EfficientDynamics

The performance of this BMW is something to behold. The diesel engines powerful enough for anyone, with the entry-level model producing 181bhp. If you’re really keen on pushing the speed limit to the very max, you can have this car with a very lovely, rip-roaring V8 Turbo.

The 5-Series
With the engines being so powerful you’d expect them to be noisy when you’re driving, or at least letting off a bit of a rumble – you’d be wrong however. BMW have thought about the refinement of this vehicle in a meticulous manner. Engine, tyre and suspension are noiseless – it’s just so smooth.

Inside the 5-Series you’ll find a detailed, logical, clear and precise dashboard – it’s the epitome of perfection. The iDrive system ensures that you have access to a wealth of multimedia entertainment and driver aids to make your ride even more enjoyable. Every model also comes with electrical adjustment for the seat height and backrest angle – so this car will be suitable for anyone, no matter what your height or size is.

Aerodynamic wheels, low rolling resistance tyres and longer gearing all give the 5-Seires that added va-va-voom. Coming in at a massive 62.8mpg and an incredibly low 119 g/km, this car is simply amazing.

  • Target Price: £30,030 all the way up to £55,915 
  • Fuel will cost you around (don’t quote us) £10-£22 per 100 Miles
  • CO2: 119
  • Tax Band: C-L

Commendable Mentions:

Jaguar XF
Jaguar XF 2.2D:- The Jaguar XF effortless combines class and sport to produce one of the best executive cars you can buy on the market right now. Stylish looks, gorgeous cabin, impeccable handling and a supply, smooth ride. Plus, it’s a Jag. Prices start from just under £30,000.
A7 Sportback

Audi A7 Sportback:- A dream machine for anyone that loves technology, the A7 is loaded with goodies inside it’s beautiful cabin. Crafted carefully by Audi, you can see and feel the effort gone into developing it – blistering speeds, low fuel consumption and a light-weight body frame - prices from starting from a respectful £39,000.
CLS 

Mercedes CLS:- Anyone will tell you that Mercedes-Benz are known for their quality and comfort, and the CLS does not disappoint. Hugely desirable, the CLS was made for the business person. Head-turning looks, incredible practical, refined engine and impressive steering. Stunning car, prices started from £43,575 for entry level models.



 If you’re considering a new car, then these really are the crème da le crème, and if you’ve worked your way to the top then we think you deserve something that really will make your driving something quite special. 
Blogger Gadgets