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Showing posts from February, 2019

What is the New Vauxhall Vivaro all about, and how much does it cost?

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It has been announced that the new Vauxhall Vivaro is now available to order with customers able to take delivery later on this year, most likely during the summer. Sources claim that you can get your hands on one of these medium sized vans from £21,240 (CVOTR) but ill be officially announced at the CV Show in Birmingham in April 2019. Good news for the British economy as Vauxhall have announced that the global supply of the new Vivaro will continue to be built in their Luton factory. There will be two load lengths and a total of three different body styles. The larger version will be 5.3m in length with a cargo capacity of an impressive 6.6 cubic metres. There will also be a slightly shorter version measuring 4.95m. Two engines will be used with this model, a 1.5-litre diesel engine which will output either 100ps or 120ps. As well as a 2.0-litre diesel engine providing a 120ps, 150ps and 180ps output. The more powerful engine will be available with an eight-speed autom

New Super Speed Camera on the M4

The police have recently revealed their new weapon to tackle speeding and other motor offences which take place up to 1km away. This large-lens camera has the ability to zoom in to motorist’s vehicles before you even spot the roadside operator. This new technology is currently in use along the M4 and the M5 with plans to use it other roads in the future. Officers use the long-distance camera and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) to monitor how we are driving. They claim that the aim of this was not to catch road users out but to make them more aware of the dangers on the roads and prompt them to drive safer to avoid serious accidents. We are used to seeing the short-range speed guns that have been in use for a number of years however this camera has the ability to capture clear footage and even still photographs. Martin Surl, Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has stated that he hopes this will catch people using their mobile phones at high speed and

Pre-Summer Vehicle Check

Have you planned to hit the road this summer? To avoid the inconvenience and potential safety hazard of breaking down miles away from home. A pre-trip vehicle health check can determine how road ready your vehicle is and if there is a problem you have time to fix it before you set off so your road trip is worry free. Things to check before a road trip: Check the tyres  including tyre pressure and tread. Under inflated tyres reduce a vehicle’s fuel economy and uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tyres should also be checked for bulges and bald spots. Check the hoses and belts  as they can become cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or show signs of excessive wear. These are critical to the proper functioning of the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering and the cooling system. Check filters and fluids  including engine oil, power steering and brake, and transmission, as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant. Check the wipers and ligh

Top 4 New Driving Laws in 2019

As we enter another year our minds focus on the year ahead and what it may or may not bring. Over the past few years we have seen a huge change within the motor industry that has changed our entire business model.  The internet is an extra sales executive and our customers know everything about the car they are looking at before they even set foot inside our showroom. We don’t know how the majority of our year will be going but with a few announcements in recent weeks we have compiled a list of the top 4 changes that will affect you in 2019. 1. Highway Code The pressure to reduce our carbon footprint and encourage the public to use other means to commute continues to grow. So much so that the UK government are looking to cement plans to fine drivers £100 if they fail to pass cyclists without a minimum of 1.5-metres (4ft 11 inches) between them. 2. Dutch Reach It isn’t a common phrase but we think that during the next 12 months you will be hearing an awful lot more o

Motorway Driving and 'Middle Lane Drivers'

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The ‘middle-lane drivers’ have been capturing the attention of police and other motorists for the past few months since the laws in the UK changed for motorway driving. The Highway Code Rule 264 states that all drivers must keep to the left-hand lane when not overtaking. This means all drivers of all vehicles should be in lane one unless they are passing slower vehicles. Motorways are the safest roads in Britain and are an excellent way of covering long distances quickly. Here are a few tips to stay safe and stay out of trouble. Motorways can have two, three or even four lanes. When travelling on two-lane motorways ensure that you keep to the left-hand lane for normal driving. You can use the right-hand lane for overtaking vehicles that are going at a slower speed. Once you have finished overtaking, you should move back in to the left-hand lane when it is safe to do so. Remember, large goods vehicles are permitted to use either lane on a two-lane motorway. When travelli

'Smartphone Driving License' being developed by DVLA

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Following the abolition of the paper counterpart to the driving licence, the DVLA have been working on its replacement: an app that will allow drivers to host their licence on their smartphone. The first news of the app came via a tweet by DVLA chief executive Oliver Morley. The text reads “so here’s a little prototype of something we’re working on”, accompanied by an image of an iPhone showing a driving licence in the existing Wallet app. According to a DVLA spokesman, the app won’t be exclusively available on Apple devices – it’s being developed for the Android operating system and other platforms too. On the subject of security, likely to be at the forefront of drivers’ minds, Morley was keen to reassure his followers that it is a “priority” in the app’s development. He also noted that the app won’t replace the photocard, but will be an ‘add-on’ that could be used  in situations where the driver may not have access to their physical card. Smartphone expert Ben Wood

Get Fined £70 For Parking on a Cerb

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Inconsiderate motorists who are mounting kerbs and parking could be soon banned from doing so and face a £70 fine. Pedestrians are currently forced onto the road when drivers obstruct the pavements. This can be extremely dangerous especially those on Mobility Scooters, people with guide dogs and parents with pushchairs. The law that is currently in place in London reads like this: “You must not park partially or wholly on the pavement. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.” Outside of the capital however, motorists are only banned from parking on single or double yellow lines or where local signs indicate pavement parking will cause an obstruction to pedestrians. Even though it is illegal to drive on the pavements in the UK, the authorities are concerned that if they do act on this, motorists will displace the problem somewhere else. The

New Ford Transit Custom Named 'Van of the Year'

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Twickenham Stadium hosted another incredible awards ceremony that saw the New Ford Transit Custom crowned the Vans A2Z Van Fleet World ‘Van of the Year’ as well as the ‘Best Medium Van’ title. Ford have enjoyed a huge amount of success since the Transit Custom was launched a mere five years ago with sales of this model in excess of 195,000 units. The title has been retained once again in 2018, a 52 consecutive year of being the market leader. “Our commercial vehicle range continues to grow from strength to strength. The latest Ford Transit Custom is the most technologically-advanced, safest, most fuel efficient and most desirable yet. It doesn’t just set the bar, it  is  the bar, and we’re delighted that Britain’s best-selling van continues to impress the experts.” Said the chairman and managing director of Ford of Britain, Andy Barratt. By walking away with three awards, the Ford Transit Courier being named ‘Best Small Van’ and Ford selling three times as