Taking care in car parks

Far too many accidents happen in car parks and unfortunately this can result in serious injury. When driving around car parks or reverse parking your vehicle you should be sure to take extra care. Always drive at a slow sensible speed (many car parks have a speed limit of 10 miles per hour) and stay aware. Getting children out in a car park can be daunting for parents as you may have to let go of one child’s hand to get another child out. Always keep site of your child when in a car park and ideally keep them holding on to your leg or part of the car where you can see them easily. Walking behind a car that is reversing is how most accidents happen, try and leave...
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Sat Nav for your car

Satellite Navigation systems is a device that allows you to enter an address of place of interest and it will plot the route for you. You can then follow the on screen directions to arrive at your destination. Sat nav’s vary greatly dependent on model and often price. Many car manufactures offer a factory fitted sat nav that is built in to the car from new or you can buy an aftermarket one. Some of the better models offer traffic reporting and automatic re-routing along with speed camera detection and speed monitoring. Prices range from as little as £50 up in to the high hundreds but you often do get what you pay for. It is worth investing it a higher spec model if possible as poorer models can have...
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Sourcing your own car parts

If you require repair work to be carried out to your vehicle, then you may consider sourcing your own car parts. This can be a great way to save money as on average, you can expect to save up to 30% compared to the prices you would be charged at a repair garage. Some parts such as tyres, brake pads and wiper blades etc. are quite easy to source as they are relatively common. But more complicated parts may require you to do a little more research to ensure you are ordering the correct part. Some garages will not like you to use parts purchased from elsewhere and if they do agree, then obviously they will only cover the labour for the work they carry out, meaning if you have...
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Parking fines – are they legitimate?

Most of us accept that if we want to park in a busy place such as a town centre on in a city you are likely to have to pay for parking. This can vary from a couple of pounds to a whopping £42 per day depending on where you are. But some places are now imposing unnecessary fines on people who have paid for parking and have not exceeded the allowed time. These are scams set up working on intimation, they start with a letter being issued to the address of the registered car stating that you parked in a car park without paying and that you need to pay a fine of £100, reduced to £60 if you pay it immediately. If you have kept your pay and...
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Coil spring failures on the rise

Coil spring failures are an increasing problem these days, reports suggest. There are a number of factors that seem to be responsible for this and combating it may be a tricky proposition. The main factor in coil spring failures seems to be corrosion and a process called hydrogen embrittlement caused by salt from gritting during the winter months. Recent harsh winters have exacerbated this and it’s never been more important to regularly clean the underside of your car. Another factor is the trend towards lightness in modern cars. As manufacturers push towards better fuel efficiency, weight saving is applied to all aspects of the cars design. Thinner coil springs may save weight but there durability is also compromised. With the UK’s roads in increasingly bad condition, this compromise on strength...
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