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Future of cars is changing

July 29th, 2010

Back in the 1980s Knight Rider, a television show from the USA, starred a black Pontiac Trans called K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand) the car could talk, drive itself and also get its human driver out of any predicament using its onboard computer. At the time, it seemed having a car like this was just fantasy some might say it was even laughable. Yet today in 2010, this once futuristic car is becoming reality or very close to it, anyway. Currently four vehicles are slowly making their way from Italy to China driven by instructions from a satellite. If a car does come out that can drive itself, it will bring a whole new meaning to any driver car insurance when contacting a company for a motor insurance quote.

Some of the technology is already here and ready to use while other advances will need further research to iron out the current flaws. Today, several technologies are competing to eventually replace the current dependence on fossil fuels, accepted now as environmentally unfriendly and the truth is that they will eventually run out. Bio diesel and ethanol, both renewable fuels have made significant steps on the premise that we can always grow more. But both of these are causing controversy. A debate is starting to brew about the ethics and science of using crops to make fuel rather than food.

Everyone should have heard of a hybrid car and some will already be driving one. Hybrid vehicles combine a traditional engine but with an electric motor which delivers increased fuel efficiency and are the first stepping stone of the new technology. Hybrids will be around for some time to come, even when the all electric cars come to dominate the roads. Many of the cars made in the 21^st century last much longer than those of 10 or 20 years ago, and they will continue to need the support of the petrol filling stations. Today, all electric cars are the Holy Grail of clean transportation that all manufacturers are looking for. This is because they produce zero direct emissions. What is even more crucial about electric cars is that they have the potential to be completely none polluting by making it possible to recharge them with emission free solar or even wind energy. A lot of manufacturers are bringing out electric cars in the near future and eventually they will outnumber petrol vehicles.

Tags: Car Insurance, car insurance advice, future of cars
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Over 100 years of experience

July 28th, 2010

Any driver car insurance was not even invented when the Fiat Company was born. Fiat is an acronym for ‘Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino’ and translated to English, reads ‘Italian Automobile Factory of Turin’. F.I.A.T. was founded on July 12, 1899, in the Italian city of Turin, at the time the city was enjoying a good period of industrial growth.

The first Fiat plant started in 1900, had 35 employees and made 24 cars. The Chairman was Mr Ludovico Scarfiotti, with Emanuele Cacherano di Bricherasio having the job as Vice Chairman. It was Giovanni Agnelli, however, whose strategic vision and determination paved the way for FIAT to become a household name. A former cavalry officer in the army, he managed to gain an important position with the original investors and he was made Managing Director in 1902. He came up with the idea of a promotional tour of Italy by car and this was successfully done with the finish line at the Milan Fair. The Fiat oval logo on a blue background was designed by Carlo Biscaretti and this was adopted in 1904, the first car to have the Fiat brand was a Model 4 HP. The Fiat Company focused on a two-pronged strategy for the company to grow. These were 1- diversification of production and 2- concentrate on the most promising markets. This has been the strategy for Fiat throughout over 100 years of history.

A decade after it was founded, Fiat had seen its capital stock increase to a massive 12 million Lire, it now had 2,500 employees and had manufactured a total of 1,215 cars. Even the First World War did not hamper them, as this meant a conversion to military production of army trucks, ambulances and engines for submarines, to name just a few. During this time, Giovanni Agnelli still had a vision of a bright future for Fiat based on car manufacturing. Following fact finding missions to the USA, Fiat then started to plan a new factory based on what they learned from the states. Fiat’s aim was to match the technology of America.

By 1948, mainly thanks to money received from the Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, it was the primary program during 1947-51, of the US for rebuilding and creating a stronger economy for Europe) factories had been rebuilt. The number of workers employed by Fiat increased by ten thousand. In 1946 Fiat recorded a loss. But the upward trend resumed two years later. As manufacturing output recovered in the years after the war, Fiat introduced the Fiat 500B, which was available to customers as a sedan or as a station wagon. When the 500C was released it offered for the first time, heating and ventilation installed as standard equipment. The first vehicles that were equipped with a diesel engine were driven off the assembly line in 1953.

Almost 60 years on from that first diesel engine FIAT is still going strong even though it has had its ups and downs.

Tags: Car Insurance, Cheap Car Insurance, FIAT, Italy, Motor, motoring
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Passing your test does not mean the learning stops

July 22nd, 2010

Anyone who is looking for a way to lower a motor insurance quote can do worse than taking an advanced driving course. One such course is the Pass Plus scheme which is aimed at making new drivers become better drivers. To join the Pass Plus scheme finding an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) to do the training will be the first thing needed. An Approved Driving Instructor will help complete all six of the training sections needed to pass the course. The Pass Plus scheme is an established training course aimed at new drivers. It was designed by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency) with expert input from driving instructors and insurers.

Statistics clearly show that a new driver is much more likely to be involved in an accident during the first two years after passing their test, due in some part to lack of driving experience. This is where Pass Plus comes in; it will build the new driver’s skill and knowledge. It will teach how to anticipate whilst driving, plan for and deal with different hazards, helping the pupil to become a more confident driver. It is possible to take a Pass Plus course at any time, but its main function is firmly aimed at all new drivers in the first 12 months after passing the driving test.

The Pass Plus scheme has six areas where experience will be offered. The six areas are motorways, duel carriageways, driving at night, experience on rural roads, driving in town where traffic is increased and finally driving in different weather conditions. The course will take around six hours but can take a little bit longer if the instructor deems it necessary.

The Pass Plus scheme is a practical course and all six sections should be practical sessions. However, the time of year along with weather conditions could mean that some of the six areas will need to be given as a theory session. For example a theory session may need to be given on motorway driving in some rural areas. More often than not all but 30 minutes should be spent in the car. No test at the end of the course will be required because a continual assessment will be done during each of the six sections. The instructor will have been completing a training report form during each part of the scheme which will need signing and dating when the required standard is reached in each section. To pass the whole course a satisfactory standard will need to be reached in all the course sections.

On successfully completing the training course a Pass Plus certificate is issued which will help the owner claim a discount on a motor insurance quote. Getting a Pass Plus certificate does not mean the learning ends. Consider working towards passing an Advanced Driving Test. Because passing this test would take the driving skills to a much higher level, and also provide further financial benefits. Apart from the obvious benefit of taking the advanced driving test there are other reasons to consider an advanced test. Car insurance companies will often offer a reduced premium to those who have passed this test and it is also possible to reduce the maintenance costs because being a better driver should mean that less wear and tear is caused to the vehicle. Passing the Advanced Driving Test is not easy, but if the right guidance and instruction is given, it is a worthy addition to anyone’s driving CV.

Tags: Car Insurance, driving test
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The birth of the Beetle

July 21st, 2010

Anyone who has phoned up an insurance company to insure their Volkswagen Beetle may be blissfully unaware of how and when the Beetle was first thought of. And they may also have no idea which infamous leaders vision it was to have an affordable car. The VW Beetle Car was born in Germany and is produced by the company Volkswagen. Translated from German to English, Volkswagen simply means “People’s Car” The VW Beetle has outsold every sort of automobile that has ever been made. Its origins go back to the early 1930’s and its history grew as it continued to be produced. A Volkswagen Beetle called Herbie was a character that was featured in quite a few Disney motion pictures, starting with the 1968 feature film ‘The Love Bug’. Herbie had a mind of its own and was capable of driving itself, and was a serious contender in the racing competitions during the film. Before the 1930’s there had been quite a few attempts at selling simple cars that everyone could afford but none were successful. Almost all cars that were designed to be cheap enough for the average German to afford ended up costing more than the average worker earned in 12 months. Then along came Ferdinand Porsche who designed a prototype of the Beetle Car. It was basically a streamlined Sedan with an engine at the back so that the drive shaft could be shorter. The prototype was built by a motorbike producer called Zundapp and was test driven in 1932. It did not go into production because Zundapp decided it was financially better to keep making motorbikes as they were in still high demand.

Adolf Hitler had a vision of his fellow Germans being able to own a cheap car and also had plans to create a great network of roads to be called ‘autobahns’. Hitler invited Ferdinand Porsche to draw up a design for this people’s car, with the orders that the car had to be cheap, economical, fast, and have the capacity to accommodate two adults and three children. In January 1934, Ferdinand Porsche gave Adolf Hitler his proposal for the vehicle, and within six months work had begun. The German Auto Dealers Association funded some of the cost to help pay the bills. The car was designed to be as simple as possible, so that there was less that could go wrong. Much of the VW Beetle’s design was inspired by the advanced Tatra cars of Hans Ledwinka who sued VW, but the lawsuit had to be stopped when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. However the matter was not forgotten and was in fact re-opened after the Second World War resulting in VW paying Tatra 3,000,000 DM (Deutsche Marks) in 1961. Porsche and Ledwinka knew each other personally, and were known to have exchanged ideas.

Volkswagens were first sold in the USA in 1949 and in its first year sold just two cars. When first on sale to the U.S. market, the VW was for a short period sold as a “Victory Wagon”. Volkswagen of America was formed in April 1955 and production of the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle increased dramatically over the years and of course is still in production today.

Tags: Car Insurance, Germany, Motor insurance, Volkswagen
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Segway scooter to have its day in court

July 15th, 2010

It is not often these days that motorists are charged with offences that have been on the statute book over 150 years, but it happened this week in South Yorkshire.

Philip Coates, from Barnsley, was charged under the 1835 Highways Act of riding a motor vehicle on the pavement and in pleading not guilty to the offence, has opened up the possibility of a new type of vehicle being allowed on the roads of the UK. Mr Coates was riding a “Segway” and has been riding one around the streets of Barnsley since bringing it home from a family holiday in Florida.

A Segway can best be described as a motorised scooter, if you imagine the scooter to be the type you had as a child, but instead of the wheels being situated at the front and back, the wheels on the Segway are on each side of the axle. The wheels are also very big, about the size of the wheels on a moped, and in fact the Segway has been around for almost 10 years. It doesn’t come cheap though, the average price is somewhere around £5000.

The Segway is already accepted on the roads in many states of the United States of America and also quite a few countries in Western Europe, Italy and France amongst them. The many supporters in the UK have actually been hoping for someone to be prosecuted so a challenge to the charge can be made and the legal position can be ascertained, it is expected that this case will instigate such a challenge.

There are definite problems in actually getting a legal definition, as the Department of Transport have pointed out. It cannot be described as a bike because there are no pedals; it has a motor, but no seat and would definitely fall foul of many road safety regulations as it does not have lights or the capability to inform other drivers of its proposed direction through indicators. At the moment then the Segway is confined to private roads which means that owners of them will not be looking for a motor insurance quote and it will remain that way until Mr Coates has his day in court.

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Rise in UK car sales not expected to last

July 8th, 2010

Britain’s car market was stronger than expected in June, showing a surprise 10.8% rise in registrations, meaning not just a rise in people getting a motor insurance quote for a new car, but also that the car market in the United Kingdom was stronger than expected according to the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders). However analysts forecast that demand for new vehicles will go back to a negative number during the last six months of the year, with the £2,000 scrappage incentive, which boosted demand among buyers ending. The new business secretary Vince Cable, last week told one newspaper that the emergency in the car making industry was now over and that the car industry could no longer count on any direct government aid.

Registrations of fleet vehicles were 25% higher than in the same period 12 months ago, which shows a continuing recovery in demand from companies, according to the SMMT and whose chief executive Paul Everitt said “The results indicate improved business confidence and a strengthening economic recovery. The industry still expects challenging economic conditions in the second half of the year and government action to improve access to credit for consumers and businesses will be important in sustaining the momentum of recovery. There is some inventory building going on. During the depths of the recession most companies cut back quite a lot on inventory so we’re seeing some impact there. But also, this time last year there was such a big rush in scrappage scheme vehicles and private vehicles being sold that that crowded out some of the fleet market.”

The SMMT also reported that the Vauxhall Astra was Britain’s best selling car in June, the first time for almost two and a half years that it has been placed in the number one position. The Astra replaced the Ford Fiesta, which had the highest registrations during the first few months of 2010. Registration of AFVs (alternatively fuelled vehicles) equalled their biggest ever market share, at 1.2%, in June. The number of AFVs increased by 157.4% in the month, and has increased by more than 150% in four of the last six months. Diesel sales have also increased which has helped to sustain total market growth with the Nissan Qashqai continuing to be popular and was the best-selling diesel in June.

Tags: Car Insurance, car sales
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Making summer driving less stressful

July 7th, 2010

Whether your car has any driver car insurance and is used virtually everyday, or is used less often, it is important to remember that the heat of summer can take its toll on any vehicle that is not looked after properly. Add to that the effects that last winter may have had on the vehicle, a breakdown may well be on the cards. However the chances of mechanical failure can be reduced by simple maintenance that anyone can do.

Try to stay on top of the fluids of the vehicle and get the vehicle’s oil changed before it is too late. Remember that most of today’s oils are multi viscous, which means they will get a bit thinner when the temperature gets hotter outside; increasing the chance that the engine will not be getting the right lubrication. The manufacturer’s manual will have a list of the correct oil recommendations for different climates. While the bonnet is up, check the coolant/antifreeze mixture inside your vehicle’s radiator. During extreme summer temperatures, failing to keep coolant levels topped up correctly, a leaking coolant hose or a broken electric cooling fan can all result in overheating along with expensive damage. All the breakdown services say that the biggest cause of a summer breakdown is overheating.

Rotate the cars tyres around every 5,000 miles and check the tyre pressures at least once a month. This will be very helpful during the summer months. And do not forget the spare tyre; also be sure the jack is in good condition. Examine the tyres for tread life and uneven wearing another check is the sidewalls for any nicks/cuts. Brakes should be inspected as soon as any pulsation, grabbing, noises, or larger stopping distances are noticed. A car battery can fail any time of year and the only 100% way to detect a weak battery is with professional equipment.

Summer holiday driving should be a happy experience, but there are dangers that need to be considered. There may be children in the back, who will be doing their best to cause a distraction. The hot sun blazing through the windscreen, or being stuck in a traffic jam caused by what seems like the whole country headed towards the coast can all be a distraction as well. Over 100 million trips are taken within the UK, with the majority being taken during the school six weeks summer holiday period.

One final piece of advice is to make sure that travel sickness remedies are available because no one wants to have poorly children in the back of the car, if this does happen it will make the journey 10 times more difficult. As well as some anti sickness tablets there are other methods which can help keep travel sickness away. Get some acupressure wrist bracelets which have a small plastic button on the inside which puts gentle pressure on acupuncture points. One final good remedy would be to try ginger biscuits, as ginger can be a natural remedy to sickness.

Tags: car insurnace, summer driving
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Government must make road black spots safer

July 2nd, 2010

It would be interesting to see in a national survey of motorists how many drivers thought that motorways were the most dangerous roads to drive on. I have met countless numbers of people, mainly, but not all, women who just will not use motorways because they believe them to be death traps. I wonder, then, what they would make of the most recent report by the charity the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).

The report called “Saving lives for less” indentifies the ten most dangerous roads in Britain as well as pinpointing exactly what parts of our roads are the most liable to motoring accidents.

The most startling statistic is that single carriage highways are by far the most dangerous, we are six times more likely to be killed on a single carriageway than on a motorway, and twice as likely to be killed on a single carriageway rather than a dual carriageway. Plenty of food for thought there as one queues to get off the M25. Road junctions, the report confirms, are the most dangerous parts of out road network as over 30% of all serious /fatal accidents occur there.

Once again the “Cat and Fiddle” officially the A357 occupies top spot for the most dangerous road with 34 serious/fatal crashes in the period 2006-2008. The road runs between Macclesfield and Buxton and is a favourite stretch for motor cyclists because of its testing nature. Unsurprisingly motor cycles were involved in the majority of accidents. Other roads featuring in the worst ten were the A684, A621, A5012, A54 and the A18 which was the worst of all when taking motor cyclists out of the equation The A3072 in the West country was the only one of the top ten to be located in the south of the UK.

The report also gave a rundown of the most improved roads with the A40 between Llandovery and Carmarthen winning the accolade for its reduction by 74% in serious/fatal crashes.

The report went on to say that in targeting the 10% of roads that attract 33% of accidents for road improvements, the Government could make massive savings on the cost of road crashes to the nation. Obviously insurance companies would also benefit from this, which would be passed onto to motorists when getting a motor insurance quote.

Tags: Car Insurance, safety
Posted in Car Insurance, Car Safety | No Comments »

Selling your car

June 8th, 2010

Most people will at some point in their lives be in the situation of selling a car. Before you sell it there are a number of things you can do to make sure you get as good a price as possible for your old motor. It is relatively easy these days to find a website or even mobile phone text messaging service to find out the approximate value of the vehicle. This is worth doing if you are selling privately, negotiating with a used car showroom or if you are buying a new car from a manufacturer, knowing how much your car is worth will be a help if its being used as a trade-in

Give your car a good clean using cleaning products that give the car a good shine, and definitely consider spending a little cash on sprays that bring life back to plastic body parts and your tyres. Remove all of your rubbish such as food papers, empty cans of soft drinks and cigarette packets and then give it a good vacuum either at home or at a petrol station. An Oil change does not cost too much and will look good when the buyer looks under the bonnet. When doing the oil change, check the brake fluid, and windscreen washer levels and fill if needed. They are only little things but could make a difference of a few hundred pounds when it comes to bartering, especially on a private sale.

When it comes to wording an advert, don’t try and save money by using abbreviations, a lot of buyers will not know what they mean, but if you have to use them, just stick to the most common one’s such as VGC, A/C, and try not to use phrases that are on every advert, like one careful lady owner. Do put whether
your car has a full service history, its colour, and number of owners, also list the car’s equipment, what features it has and most important its price. Do not forget to include a picture and your contact details.

When the advert is placed in newspapers and magazines or even shop windows, the people interested will soon by phoning you to come and look at the car. It a sad fact but thieves will pose as buyers, so never let the buyer go on a test drive on his/her own and don’t leave the buyer alone with the keys in the ignition. You can ask the prospective buyer for some form of identity and ensure they have adequate insurance cover before you allow them to test drive the car; they won’t have been included in your motor insurance quote so you don’t want to be left with a bill to pay for any damage. If you are paid in cash, it’s always best to get it put into your bank as soon as possible just in case you are paid with fake notes.

Tags: car selling advice, Motor insurance
Posted in Car Insurance, selling a car | No Comments »

What Car, What Noise?

June 1st, 2010

The EU has been great in many ways for member countries. A common currency and free movement across borders have been a boon for trade. On the downside, though, are the many stupid regulations that hinder trade. At one stage 26 types of fruit and vegetables, including artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, onions, peas, carrots, plums, and ribbed celery were under shape restrictions, and they also told us that bananas must not bend abnormally. Thankfully they have since relaxed this bizarre ruling but don’t think we are free from more strange rulings as we enter the new generation of zero-emission vehicles. Greener cars will get you a good motor insurance quote and possibly a car that sounds like a spacecraft.

In the not too distant future when more and more of us will have changed our cars over to a greener version, the perceived notion of roads being used by fuel efficient motors that also cut down on noise pollution due to their smaller engines may not be the route we are going down at all. Thanks to a possible new EU ruling not only will you be thinking about the traffic ahead while driving but also what sound you want your car to make as you drive along. Each manufacturer may be allowed to provide its own sounds, with the regulation simply setting a minimum volume to prevent pedestrians, cyclists and especially blind people from stepping into the path of battery-powered cars. Some of the manufacturers are thought to be considering using the same noises used on the spacecraft in Star Wars; the noise will be projected in the direction in which the vehicle is travelling to cut down on unnecessary noise. The manufacturers think that a noise will only be needed when the car is travelling under 20mph as going any faster will create tyre noise which will warn the people who are most at risk.

Professor Paul Jennings at the university where the tests on different sounds are being carried out said: “We will have a week with music and weeks with natural sounds, engine noise and also with science-fiction sounds. “We need to find noises which alert people to the approaching vehicle without causing the annoyance people already feel when they hear the bleeping sounds of reversing trucks .It is possible that pedestrians will learn to look out for silent cars and that the warning sounds could become redundant but, he said, people were far more dependent on detecting noise than they realised when crossing the road. They think they are reacting to the sight of a vehicle but often it is the sound that is triggering their attention and sound also tells you whether the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating.” The tests are ongoing and the end results could prove very interesting.

Tags: Car Insurance, car noise, motoring
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Future of cars is changing

Over 100 years of experience

Passing your test does not mean the learning stops

The birth of the Beetle

Segway scooter to have its day in court

Rise in UK car sales not expected to last

Making summer driving less stressful

Government must make road black spots safer

Selling your car

What Car, What Noise?

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