12 Jun

Selling Your Car? Consider Fixing Your Alloy Wheels

As much as you love your current car, there will almost certainly come a time when you want to trade it in for a newer model. And, of course, when you finally come to this decision you’re sure to want to get the best price for the vehicle.

In order to facilitate the kind of sale you’re looking for, giving your car a good onceover to see if there are any minor repairs you could carry out before selling would certainly be a good idea. Go around the vehicle with a fine toothcomb and see if there are any scratches you could have removed before someone comes to view the vehicle. If they spot any themselves, they’ll use this as a negotiation tool and you won’t get the price you’re looking for.

You should also make sure you pay close attention to the alloy wheels on your car. If these are very scratched, take the time to have them repaired as buyers are sure to want to see these shiny and like new.

Research from wheel protection company AlloyGater has found that four out of five cars on our roads actually have damaged alloys, which could have an impact on the resale value of a vehicle.

Managing director of the firm Curt Rathbone said: “The findings of this survey show that most of us have misjudged a kerb or failed to avoid a deep pothole at some point, causing some fairly unsightly, and costly damage to our car’s wheels.”

You can either pay for a professional to fix your alloys or you can buy a repair kit and try to do it yourself. If you want to sell your car, a professional tradesman might be a better idea.

05 Jun

How To Make Your Alloys Shine

If you’ve invested in 16” van alloys you’ll want to make sure they look the part as much of the time as possible. It’s inevitable that they’ll get dirty at times, but what you need to know is how to make them shine again.

One of the keys is to regularly clean your alloy wheels, as brake dust is one of the things that can quickly corrode them – and something that you can’t avoid your alloys coming into contact with.

Begin by rinsing your wheels off to get rid of all the dirt and brake dust. Next you should wash them carefully with a soft, wet sponge to remove any remaining dirt.

Step three is to use an alloy cleaning product to properly clean the wheels. When you’re shopping for one of these products, take care to choose one that’s non-acidic, otherwise you risk damaging the finish of the alloys.

Last year Auto Express reviewed a number of alloy cleaners that are available in the UK and that do a good job of getting rid of the grime without damaging the wheels.

Among the cleaning products recommended by the publication are Bilt Hamber auto-wheel, Black Diamond Alloy Shine and Wonder Wheels Hot Wheels Cleaner – although it’s worth noting that some of them are acid-based.

Whichever cleaner you use, it’s important to follow the instructions about how long to leave it on the wheels and how best to clean with it – whether that’s using a brush or sponge.

Once you’ve finished this step, you need to rinse the alloys and dry them with a microfiber or chamois cloth. Always make sure you do this part, otherwise you’ll end up with unattractive watermarks as the alloys dry.

31 May

Insurance Costs For Motorhomes Expected To Climb

When you own a motorhome, there are a number of costs – much like owning any other vehicle – that you can’t escape from, and insurance is just one.

Although we all want to have these products in place to ensure we’re covered in the event of an accident or other incident that damages our motorhome, or even worse causes us or our passengers injuries, we never want to pay over the odds for a policy.

But Out & About Live has recently warned motorhome owners to expect an increase in premiums as a result of several regulatory changes in recent months.

According to the publication, the increase in insurance premium tax (IPT), which will be introduced from 1 June this year, as well as changes to how compensation is calculated for personal injuries are the main upward pressures on costs for motorhome owners.

IPT is set to climb from ten to 12 per cent next month, which will undoubtedly see a small increase in insurance premiums. The change to the Ogden rate, which is how personal injury compensation is worked out, is expected to add further pressure to insurance prices.

UK general insurance leader at PWC Mohammad Khan told the publication that motorists should expect an average rise of £50 to £75 in the cost of their insurance policies, pointing to the fact that the increase in the Ogden rate was higher than the industry had anticipated.

Whatever kind of motorhome you’ve got, and no matter what additions you’ve made to it, such as by purchasing motorhome alloy wheels, you should always shop around to find the best insurance deal available each year.

Using motorhome insurance specialists could be one way to get a better deal on your cover, retail and marketing director for Vantage Insurance Nigel Coppen told the publication.

He stressed that specialist insurers are able to offer greater flexibility than those that offer a wider range of cover, and he therefore advised motorhome owners to consider using them.

“Working through the cover requirements with a customer, a specialist motorhome insurance provider will be able to see where savings may be possible whilst maintaining the quality of the cover,” Mr Coppen asserted.

Last month, data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) showed that the average motor insurance premium had climbed by eight per cent since April 2016. And the organisation warned that there could be further increases for drivers in the coming months as reinsurance renewals are due.

These are expected to make insurers’ costs climb further, which means that some of this is likely to be passed on to customers. ABI assistant director, head of motor and liability Rob Cummings said insurers are doing their best to avoid passing insurance increases to customers.

He added: “The industry can only do so much though, and it is important that whichever party is in government after the election, that they commit to measures to help lower the cost of car insurance.”

If you’d like to buy alloy wheels for your motorhome, contact us today to see our extensive range and find the best product for your vehicle.

15 May

Beware These Extra Expenses When Buying A New Car

If you’re considering buying a new car, you might already have set some budget aside for the best alloy wheels available, but could these hidden fees get in the way of your dream finish to your new car? There’s plenty to think about when buying a new car and remembering the expenses that follow in upkeep after purchase is important when budgeting. However, this handy guide might help you plan a little bit better.

The next big expense (after the car itself!) to remember when budgeting for what you can afford is insurance. With hundreds of car insurance companies all fighting to offer the best deals make sure you shop around to find one that suits your needs best – don’t just go for the first one that catches your eye. Look at the types of cover offered, as sometimes paying a bit extra in insurance can be a huge help in the long run should damage to the vehicle or an accident occur.

Of course, there’s also the general maintenance for your vehicle to keep it road safe. Ensuring you don’t ignore any issues with your car will extend it’s life, keeping you out on the roads for longer. Make sure you get a professional to check over your tyres to make sure they are in good and safe condition with perfect wheel alignment. It’s also important you clean your car regularly and cleaning around tyres and door seals and windows will also extend its life.

There’s also all those little expenses too. Don’t count out fuel and parking charges – they all stack up in the end, and could make the difference in your finances between those dream alloys or not!

 

11 May

Would You Haggle When Buying A New Car?

It can be a bit intimidating arguing over the price of something but the more practice you get the better you’ll be at it… so why don’t you try starting off with something small and then work your way up to something like a car, which you’re sure to want to save some cash on?

New research from Sainsbury’s Bank has just revealed that prospective car buyers could be losing out on rather significant savings because they refuse to haggle. Of those intending on buying a vehicle between March 1st and September 1st this year, just 17 per cent say they intend to argue over the price to pay. Some seven per cent won’t consider negotiating at all and two per cent said they didn’t know they were actually allowed to haggle in the first place.

Head of loans with the company Robert Oag said: “Buying a car is a huge financial commitment and you should try and secure the best possible price you can.  Our research shows that 57 per cent of those planning to buy a car intend to use some form of loan. Those looking to finance their purchase should make sure they shop around and find a competitive rate.”

You might not be that surprised to learn that men are more likely to haggle over the price of a car than women, with 61 per cent of those looking to buy in the next six months saying they’ll definitely enter into negotiations. This compares to just 43 per cent of prospective female car buyers. But it’s important to remember that the study found that the average amount you could save by haggling is more than 13 per cent – so perhaps start practicing your haggling skills right now!

Before you even start an argument over pricing, make sure you’ve worked out just what is affordable to you and that you’ve done lots of research into the vehicle you want to buy, including the list price. Bear in mind that car dealers’ prices aren’t fixed, no matter how you intend to pay, so you could get yourself a great deal if you have nerves of steel.

Make sure you know what the list price of the car is and always check online to see if there are other dealers in your area that are offering better prices on the same car, as this can be a brilliant bargaining chip. When chatting to the salesperson, never let them know what your top limit is. Always state a lower amount than what you’re ultimately prepared to pay as this will mean you can increase it if you have to later on. Make an offer and then stay silent until the salesperson replies.

If the discount is proving hard to get but you still want to buy the car, offer to close the deal right there and then if you and the salesperson can agree on a price.

Looking for alloy wheels for Ford Escorts? Check out the Tyresave website now.

29 Apr

16% Of Drivers Admit To Using Phones Behind The Wheel

Despite the fact that stronger penalties have been brought in for those caught using their mobile phones while behind the wheel of a car, it would seem that some motorists still aren’t being deterred from breaking this particular law.

New research from Co-op Insurance has just revealed that 16 per cent of drivers in the UK admit that they’ve used their phones while driving since the law was changed back in March. As of the 1st, those caught using their phones at the wheel could be given six penalty points and a £200 fine.

But it seems as though these penalties aren’t harsh enough to put people off using their phones while driving. The study found that of those who say they have used their phones since the law change, 71 per cent made phone calls and 27 per cent sent texts to friends and family – with 16 per cent saying they didn’t know the law had been changed.

And it’s not just texting and making phone calls either that have people using their gadgets at the wheel. Some 17 per cent say they Snapchat while driving and 14 per cent say they scroll through Instagram.

Head of products James Hillon said: “We’ve welcomed the penalty change as we believe that anything that may lead to safer roads and thus communities in the UK can only be a good thing.

“However it’s still concerning that since the law change on 1st March, a sixth of drivers have used their phones whilst driving. Using a mobile phone whilst driving can seriously impact a motorist’s ability to drive safely, so we’d strongly advise drivers to lock their phones away in glove compartments when driving.”

If you do still use a mobile phone at the wheel of your car, be aware that police around the UK are now starting to use unmarked lorries and other vehicles to patrol major roads in the country so they can catch people using their phones while driving.

Officers have been out and about in HGVs, as the elevated position in the cabin of such trucks makes it much easier for them to spot offenders. Unmarked police motorbikes are also being deployed to help tackle this problem – and these are surely to prove effective in the fight against mobile phone use while driving since they can weave in and out of standing traffic to see who’s on their phone.

Because of this crackdown, it’s vital you remember that it is illegal to use phones while driving or riding a motorbike, unless you have hands-free access like voice command, a dashboard holder or a Bluetooth headset. And remember that this law will still apply even if you’re stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or supervising a learner driver.

If you’re using a hands-free kit, make sure you’re always in full control of your vehicle as the police can still stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted. This could result in a prosecution.

Looking for new alloy wheels for Ferraris? Get in touch with us today.

24 Apr

Best Of British Top 50 Cars Revealed!

Need a bit of help deciding what car to buy next? If so, you’re going to love this top 50 rundown of the best British cars ever, as decided upon by expert judges like the team from Auto Express magazine, CEO of McLaren Mike Flewitt, president of the AA Edmund King, CEO of Aston Martin Andy Palmer and director of BMW Ian Robertson, among others.

Auto Express decided to put the list together to find out the best British-built car of all time, accounting for unbeatable performance, ground-breaking design and account sales success. And what do you think claimed the number one spot?

Well, we can tell you that the Mini has pipped the rest of the bunch to the post, with praise heaped upon it for being an “icon of British innovation, a fashion accessory and a motorsport hero that also brought affordable motoring to the masses”.

The Mini itself was first launched in 1959 after designer Alec Issigonis was tasked by the bosses at BMC to make a car smaller than three metres that could fit a family of four inside. The result was the Mini, with ten inch wheels used to make more room inside, the gearbox positioned in the engine’s sump and the powerplant mounted in such a way that the cylinders could be lined up sideways across the vehicle.

Apparently, however, Brits weren’t as enamoured with the car at first as they certainly are now and it wasn’t until racing drivers and celebrities started gadding about in them that it started becoming really popular. From there, the Mini Cooper was born, thanks to racing driver John Cooper who saw its potential in the motorsport arena.

Edmund King of the AA said: “There’s only one choice for the top spot: the Mini. It’s one of the most influential cars ever built and lasted for decades with the design barely changed.”

The rest of the vehicles that make up the top ten were the Lotus Elise, the Ford Escort MK1, the Caterham/Lotus Seven, the Ford GT40, the Range Rover Mk1, the McLaren F1, the Aston Martin DB5, the Land Rover Series/Defender and the Jaguar E-Type.

However, while the Mini might well have come top of this particular list – and no doubt it’s a well-deserved honour – it seems as though where actual drivers are concerned, there’s another brand that’s currying favour at the moment.

New research from The Hatchbag Company has just revealed that Ford is the most popular make of car in the UK, with nearly 4.5 million vehicles out there at the moment, which is just over 14 per cent of the market. Other hugely popular cars include Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Peugeot, so if you are in the market for a new vehicle why don’t you see just why these cars are so well liked?

Do you need DRC wheels? Then you’ve come to the right place! Give us a call today.

10 Apr

Cumbria Classic Car Event In June

If you’ve got an eye for classic car alloys then keep a look out for an exciting car event coming to the Lake District this summer.

Arriving in Cumbria On Sunday 18th June, the popular Lakes Charity Classic Vehicle Show is back. Set up and organised by a group of volunteers from Windermere and Ambleside Lions Club, the show finds its home at Grasmere Sports Field.

Over 300 of the best classic cars from all over the UK will attend the event and you’ll get to chance to see some real beauties up close. You can find a full list of all the cars booked in to make an appearance at the show on their website here – is your favourite registered?

Over the years, the charities who arrange the car show have raised thousands of pounds for local charities – and, at last year’s show, they managed to raise over £7,000. This year, they’ll be raising money for Blood Bikes Cumbria and Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue.

The show also usually features a car pull race – however, unfortunately it didn’t happen in 2016 because of bad weather, so fingers crossed for a dry one this June.

You can find all the details of this show over at lakesclassiccarshow.org.uk – tickets to attend are priced at £5 per person and £12 for the whole family (and it really looks like a great family day out!) They’ll also be variety of food, live music and a variety of competitions to take part in.

 

31 Mar

How To Change A Car Tyre Yourself

Being as practical and hands-on as you can as a car driver is certainly a good idea. You’ll save yourself a lot of money and time if you’re able to do certain jobs, like changing the tyres on your vehicle, yourself.

However, with the removal of spare tyres in new cars it’s possible that this particular skill could soon die out among the general population. And that’s not all – apparently, not having a spare in the boot of the car is also driving up callouts to emergency services like the AA.

Speaking to the London Evening Standard, executive chairman of the organisation Bob Mackenzie explained that wheels are getting bigger and heavier, so they’ve been removed to reduce weight and increase space… but this has helped to see callouts increase by five per cent last year. Because there is no tyre, drivers are unable to change them in the event of a puncture or similar – so they have no choice but to call out roadside assistance.

Despite this, it’s still a good idea to know how to change a tyre yourself. For your own safety, do not try to do this by the side of the road or on the hard shoulder of the motorway. You should always pull over as far from traffic as possible. Also avoid changing the tyre on uneven or soft ground, or with people still in the car.

In order to change the tyre successfully, you’ll need your spare, a jack, your handbook (which will show you where to put the jack), a wrench with an extension bar and locking wheel nut adaptor, something to kneel on, gloves, a torch and a wheel chock to stop your car from rolling when on the jack.

Turn the engine off but leave the hazard lights on. Put your handbrake on and leave the car in first gear, then put the chock under the wheel that’s diagonally opposite whichever one you’re trying to change. Put the spare on the ground somewhere convenient for you to reach, then remove the wheel trim.

Put the jack in the lifting point closest to the wheel and make sure the head engages properly. Extend until the vehicle starts to lift on its springs. Loosen your wheel nuts anti-clockwise. Raise the jack again until the wheel is just off the ground, then remove the wheel nuts, leaving the top one until last so you can take the wheel off the hub easily. Then put the spare tyre back on in its place – and remember to put the old wheel back in your car before driving off again.

Always check to see if your spare tyre is a temporary one as well, since you shouldn’t drive over 50mph on one of these – and it needs to be replaced with a proper tyre as soon as possible.

Looking for new DRC wheels? Check out our website today.

22 Mar

New Speeding Laws Explained

If you’ve got a motor of which you’re really proud, it can sometimes be tempting – when you’ve got room to let your horsepower loose – to really let your alloy wheels fly on the road. However, with speeding laws changing in just over a month’s time, you really need to think twice before putting your foot down.

Currently, if you’re caught speeding, you’ll find yourself with a fine ranging from £100 to £1000 and 3 points on your licence – not to be sniffed at, but the stakes could soon be much higher. From April 24th, speeding motorists could potentially be charged up to 175 per cent of their weekly salary, depending on the severity of the offence.

According to The Daily Express, the new system is separated into three bands. Band A is for an offence between one and 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, B is 11 to 21 miles per hour over the limit and band C is 21 miles per hour over the limit or above.

At present, it’s thought that band A offences will range from around 25 per cent to 75 per cent of a weekly wage, band B 100 per cent of a weekly salary and C up to 175 per cent.

The system is far more complex than the current one, which has a fixed penalty no matter the offence, so why change it? Well there are several ideas behind the reform of charging speeding motorists.

The new rules add levels of severity to speeding offences – whereas before you’d be fined the same.

For example, doing 38 miles per hour in a 30 zone compared to doing 60 miles per hour in a 30 zone – the latter is a much more antisocial and dangerous offence than the former and the government believes it should be fined as such.

The way in which the fines have been increased also looks to not caste band A as minor offences – as these can carry the same fines as the current charges. Rather, they have created a hierarchy upwards to make the worst offences punished as such.

One reason you might think to set a fee depending on weekly salary is to penalise big earners to whom a £1,000 fine is relatively insignificant – after all, those people are much more likely to drive fast cars, so potentially more likely to hit band C offences. However, the change in law has been criticised for affected rich drivers less than poorer ones.

That’s because these fines still have a limit – for band A offences that sits at £1,000 – the current maximum – while for maximum band C fines, the limit is £2,500.

Much like the well publicised enforcement of the new rules to do with using a mobile behind the wheel, these changes are sure to make headline news after the changes are brought into affect on the 24th April. Make sure you’re not one of the first to be on the receiving end and save your pennies for a brand new set of alloy wheels for you prized car instead.