Unreliability and breakdowns soon after purchase are the biggest regrets revealed by motorists in a recent survey by Manheim Auctions. Nearly a third of all respondents mentioned that their biggest regret was buying an unreliable car and 24% claimed their car broke down soon after they bought it. Nearly 15% of motorists regretted buying a car because they found it to be too expensive to run while 11% admitted that they paid too much for their car.

Only 3% of motorists did not like the colour of the car they had bought, proving that colour choice is a key buying decision factor. Least worrying to motorists was the car’s ‘green’ credentials with just 2% concerned that it was not as environmentally friendly as they had thought at the time of purchase.

“Research is key to buying any car, as is buying from a reputable source whether it is an auction, car supermarket or dealer. The internet is great for information gathering and for researching running costs including insurance, fuel consumption as well as service and repair costs. Don’t necessarily avoid high mileage cars; these tend to be ex fleet cars that have been well maintained and regularly serviced and may still have the remainder the original warranty in place.” commented Andy Cullwick, Head of Marketing, Manheim Auctions.

Regrets:
It wasn’t very reliable 30.3%

It broke down soon after I bought it 24.3%

It was expensive to run 14.8%

I paid too much for it 10.7%

I didn’t like the colour 3.3%

It wasn’t as ‘green’ as I thought 2.3%

The survey was conducted by One Poll in August 2011 with 3,000 respondents.

If you are planning to purchase a new car, you will have a variety of payment options. With so many options available – from a lump cash payment to a loan – it can be difficult to decide upon the best payment method for you. Following are the four main car payment types, along with common pros and cons for each;

Cash

Pro’s – If you do have the cash available, it can be a great payment method for your new car – in fact, it’s still a very popular payment option for many customers. By making a cash payment, you will avoid paying out for added interest (as to be expected with the majority of car loans or dealer finance arrangements). By paying in cash you could also speed up the purchasing process.

Con’s – Safety is an issue when you are carrying large amounts of cash – therefore, it’s wise to have someone with you when you visit the garage. Also check with your bank before you make the withdrawal – some banks may need pre-notification for larger amounts. Also ensure that you get the appropriate receipts when paying by cash – cheques and loans leave a ‘paper trail’, however, cash payments will need monitoring.

Credit card

Pro’s – Credit cards can be a very easy way to pay for your new car – and to this end, they are a very popular payment choice. Many credit cards now offer a high level of customer protection – meaning that your purchase should be covered. By using a credit card you could also speed up the purchasing process and you will have instant proof of your purchase on your credit card statement.

Con’s – Be aware of credit card charges – unless you intend to pay off your transaction straight away, you could be adding a lot of money in interest charges over the longer term. Also be aware of payment protection – make sure that larger transactions are fully covered and be careful when sharing your credit card details (i.e. only provide them to established and secure dealers/garages).

Dealer finance

Pro’s – Many people opt for dealer finance as part of an offer – i.e. a part-exchange programme. Certainly, dealer finance can be a very quick and easy way to purchase your new car – and, as the entire process will be dealt with exclusively by the dealer – this payment option could help to significantly speed up the purchasing process.

Con’s – Many people are persuaded into getting dealer finance by dealer representative ‘hard-sell’. It’s important to check the terms and conditions of the finance before you sign anything (i.e. always read the small print). You will need to ensure that you are getting a good deal in the long-term – beware of high interest dealer finance plans, or misleading introductory offers – you could end up out of pocket over a longer period of time. Also note that the majority of dealerships who offer finance will perform a credit check on you as standard – you may also need to meet certain requirements to obtain credit (i.e. a good payment history and have a set monthly income).

Car loan

Pro’s – The great thing about independent car finance is the ability for a customer to shop around – you can make sure that you get the best possible car loan for your purchase. You can compare a number of deals to get the best interest rate and spread the cost of your purchase over a longer period of time. Car loans can be a great budgeting option for anyone who doesn’t have the spare cash available to purchase a new car. Many people also prefer to get finance from an external company (i.e. a loan company/bank that is not affiliated with the dealership or garage).

Con’s – As with any other loan, you will need to put in a little extra leg-work to find the best possible deal. It’s important to read the small print and clauses in a car loan – many will offer great introductory rates, then higher payments in the future. Always make sure that you can easily afford your car loan payments to avoid potential problems in the future. It’s also worth noting that the majority of companies who offer car loans will perform a credit check on you, and they may not be able to lend the money to you if you do not meet the standard financial requirements (i.e. you may need to have a good payment history and have a set monthly income).

Here’s the information direct from BEN on a new scheme you may be interested in if you’re looking to dispose of your old car:

BEN the automotive industry charity has teamed up with Cartakeback and launched “Scrap & Donate” – the ethical way to dispose of your unwanted car whilst turning it into a valuable cash donation to BEN. This will help to solve one of those age old problems and help to support the charity at the same time. It’s also good for the environment so everyone benefits!

Disposing of old cars that have failed MOTs or are just too old to get back on the road is a problem that many people are faced with and the growing number of abandoned cars on the roadside suggests it is something that we don’t always have an answer for. BEN can now help with this so that your old vehicle will be disposed of in an environmentally efficient way whilst donating the value of the vehicle to BEN at the same time.

The scheme is really easy to take part in as all you need to do is visit the website www.ben.org.uk/scrapanddonate and enter a few details. Then you choose whether to deliver your old car to your nearest Cartakeback recycling centre, or make things really easy and ask them to collect it from you free of charge!

The team at Cartakeback will decide the best route to dispose of your vehicle. They will complete the necessary DVLA paperwork and issue you with a DVLA Certificate of Destruction, freeing you of any liability and confirming that your old vehicle has been disposed of in an ethical and environmentally responsible way. Once your car has been disposed of then they will pass the value of the vehicle back to BEN as a donation on your behalf.

Anyone with an unwanted or unused vehicle, failed MOT or one just too old and who would like to donate it to BEN can log on to www.ben.org.uk/scrapanddonate and find out more.

Nigel Williams BEN’s Commercial Development Manager says “Partnering with Cartakeback was an easy decision for BEN; it allows us to push the environmental agenda whilst also providing us with an additional fundraising option. Obviously the value of any vehicle is dependent upon a number of factors but at an average of around £100/vehicle this is an initiative that can provide us with another significant fundraising stream to help us continue to support those people who have turned to us for help”

Have you ever thought about how much that little insignia or motif that sits on the front of your car adds to its’ value?  Some cars are more expensive than others and it isn’t just for the want of a different specification.  What most people don’t realise is that many manufacturers use similar (or the same) platforms and even share engines.  A good example is the 1.9 TDI that’s been an Audi staple for a good while.  This is also shared with SEAT.  VW also ran the same 1.9 TDI in their Golf.

If you’re in the market for a new or used car, remember that a simple badge can add significantly to the price.  Why?  Well, let’s put it another way.  You go into Asda and there’s Asda’s own branded tin of tuna.  Nothing wrong with it, but it might be in basic packaging.  However, does the ‘John West’ stuff look more appealing?  I’ve no doubt that the little coloured logo has more attraction to the eye.  Are the basic components any different?  Of course not.

Cars are just the same as the example above.  They might be in a special place of their own being as they are uniquely designed to transport us places, but they are nonetheless a means for many manufacturers to draw out that extra penny from us, just because we want to be seen driving a particular brand around.  Now, paying for something with a bigger engine, a more economical engine or indeed another extra that genuinely makes a difference to the experience, well that’s something different… I’m happy to spend a few bob extra to get the V6 instead of the standard 2 litre four cylinder…

Increasing petrol prices and lower household income are both contributing to a 3.5 per cent annual fall in new car registrations during the month of July, according to new analysis from a leading organisation in the UK. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed that UK car sales have experienced their 13th successive monthly decline after just 131,634 vehicles were registered during July.

This trend has led people to look for better deals on their vehicles, considering used car sales at Evans Halshaw or other dealerships across the UK. With the need for a bargain in mind, here are a few things that you should keep in mind when searching for your next mode of transport.

Firstly, what do you want from your car? It may sound like an obvious point, yet you need to know exactly what type of car you need. Smaller vehicles are better for town driving, yet it depends on how many people will use it regularly. If kids are in your family or at least being planned, consider how much space you’ll need for them.

People should look to secure a dependable dealer over a private seller, as the latter – or more unscrupulous small-time dealers – may try to give you a bad deal. Buying privately also provides less security than a transaction with the likes of an established brand. While used car sites are handy, professional dealerships usually offer the lowest price and combine it with the best protection plans.

Consider running costs with a used car; with the aforementioned issue with petrol prices, it stands to reason that you would consider diesel cars, or more eco-friendly newer models. Older cars are usually less efficient, while many increase spending on road tax.

Before buying a car, be sure to drive it. For comfort and personal safety, take a friend and ask everything you need to know about the car. Friends are also handy during inspections, which should happen during the day, as they can spot what you may not. Be sure to check all documents and take down the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

The penultimate step is to do a HPI check to ensure the car is not stolen or with outstanding finance. Finally, prioritise haggling – you could get a stellar deal if you just put your foot down.

There’s a new website that has a fresh approach to selling a used car – and it’s totally free of charge to private and trade sellers. Here’s all the information direct from UsedCar.co.uk:

Designed to make the selling process as fast as possible for both private individuals and car dealers with businesses of all sizes, the innovative new website is simple and easy to use. Sellers can register in less than a minute, then they are ready to start uploading the details of cars for sale. This process is made even quicker by a DVLA registration number lookup function which automatically pulls back the full car details to populate adverts as efficiently as possible. A fast image uploading facility completes the process of used car advertising – all completely free of charge!

Potential buyers have the ability to search for a particular model, filter results by price and restrict classified ads by their distance from the user’s home. Drivers can get even closer to finding their perfect match by filtering results by engine size, engine type, car age, mileage and more. Using the latest online technology, all searches are carried out quickly and efficiently to find suitable models complete with full specifications, a detailed description and user-friendly picture gallery.

With a proven track record of free-to-advertise websites, owner and founder of UsedCar.co.uk Mark Singleton is confident his business model will bring long lasting success to the used car market: “The aim of the site is to always allow free advertising on it. I own and run a pet classifieds site called Pets4Homes.co.uk which is the UK’s most popular pet classifieds site with over two-million monthly users – this site is totally free to use and has been since 2005.”

Here’s the latest press release from Netcars.com on our car buying habits:

It’s enough to put the brakes on any relationship – five per cent of married men say they spent longer looking for a new motor than did searching for a wife, according to a new survey.

More than one in ten males also told researchers they spent more time deciding what car they should buy than they did choosing names for their own children, or purchasing a new house.

Meanwhile two thirds of women took less than three months to decide their choice of new car, but one in ten said they spent longer searching for a new motor than they did searching for their wedding dress.

The survey of 2,000 people nationwide was commissioned by Netcars.com, the UK ’s fastest growing car sales website, and also reveals the over 55s are the most decisive car buyers, with 70 per cent ready to choose a new car within three months. Those aged 25-34 are the most indecisive, with four per cent taking more than 12 months to choose the car they want.

Louis Rix, marketing director netcars.com, said: “We conducted our survey because we were keen to establish just how important car purchasing was for our customers. I have to admit we were very surprised by the results; who would have thought that people would spend more time looking for a new car than they did for a wife? Or that buying a car was more important than giving your child a name?

“Buying a car is one of the most important purchases we make and for some people it is clearly the most important. It is for this very reason that we have developed the netcars.com website to be as user friendly – both for consumers and dealers – as possible.”

As a used car classified website, Netcars.com offers motorists the opportunity to search for their ideal next car and also put their current vehicle up for sale for a flat fee of £15. The car then stays on the site until it is sold; a completely new way of selling compared with existing formats, which demands payment on a bi-weekly or monthly basis to keep a car advertised online.

The website’s additional Car Advisor function also allows motorists to leave reviews of models they have previously driven and ask other reviewers questions or advice about future purchases.

The new Amarok is the latest pickup from Volkswagen and it’s already showing real promise – by using just four of these powerful beasts in order to tear down a 67m high steel chimney weighing 140 tonnes and standing at nearly the same height as Westminster Abbey.

In what can only be described as a fantastic stunt, the VW Amarok was chosen for the job after some careful inspection by the specialists at EDS.

Four 200m lengths of rope were rigged to the top of the chimney and attached to the towbars of four standard Amarok pick-ups, each with Volkswagen’s latest four-cylinder, 2.0-litre TDI engine producing 163 PS of power. For this demonstration they were fitted with a ‘quick release’ safely mechanism for the towing ropes, ensuring the safety of the stunt drivers in the unlikely event of the structure falling in the wrong direction.

At the right time, all four of the VW Amaroks charged forward, taking the building with them in a triumph for four wheeled prowess. If you ever had any doubt of how tractable a real world vehicle with commercial uses (and rural uses) can be, then look no further. The Amarok is a powerful vehicle with a wide range of uses.

Simon Elliott, Director, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “The new Amarok is packed with power and intelligence, and we wanted to achieve something extraordinary to demonstrate this for its launch. Working with the right experts and taking a scientific approach, by demolishing a 67 metre steel chimney we’ve shown the maximum strength and power of the Amarok.”

Eldon Stevens from worldwide decommissioning experts EDS was delighted to be part of the dramatic demonstration: “EDS has a reputation for taking on highly complex demolition projects that really test our engineering abilities, so we were thrilled to work with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to see if the new Amarok could bring down such a vast structure. Thankfully our combined skills were up to the challenge!”

The Volkswagen Amarok is officially launched and in showrooms from Monday 9 May. The Amarok is available as a four door doublecab in three trim levels, with on the road prices starting from £21,343 (inc VAT). Full Amarok details are available from www.vwamarok.co.uk or by calling 0800 717131.

When buying a car, you really need to make sure that you’re getting exactly what you pay for – and nothing more (e.g. unexpected nasty surprises) or less (a car actually worth far less in real terms due to being clocked for example). Here’s the latest from Netcars.com on what to look out for:

Following HPI’s recent announcement that one in 17 cars have been clocked in the UK, Netcars.com, the UK’s fastest growing car sales website, is offering motorists tips and advice on how to avoid being scammed.

A recent investigation by the BBC put the spotlight back on car clocking, revealing that winding back the odometer on a high mileage car, is one of today’s most common car crimes.

When purchasing a second hand car, drivers should look out for the following warning signs and plan ahead by doing some basic maintenance checks on the vehicle in question, to avoid being cheated by rogue traders:

Common sense should be exercised at all times – worn pedal rubbers, lots of chips on the bonnet, a shiny steering wheel and excessive wear and tear in the car’s interior, all indicate a well-travelled vehicle.

Original copies of the logbook, the car’s service history, MOT details, registration number, vehicle identification number and a valid tax disc, should all completely up to date and accounted for upon inspection of the vehicle. If any of these documents are missing or invalid, walk away from the deal.

Motorists should input the car’s registration number into official mileage-check websites such as the HPI or AutoCheck from Experian. For a small cost, drivers can be safe in the knowledge that they are buying a vehicle that hasn’t been tampered with.

Always remember, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Reg Rix, managing director at Netcars.com, said: “This high figure is a warning sign to customers buying second hand cars. Illegal clocking is a quick and easy way for unscrupulous car sellers to make money and those buying second hand cars need to be very wary.”

“Not only is buying a tampered car a waste of money, a clocked vehicle is dangerous to the driver and other road users, as cars with incorrect mileages have often missed important services and part replacement dates, making them unreliable and potentially un-roadworthy. If motorists are in any doubt as to whether or not a vehicle may have been clocked, they should always seek expert advice before making a purchase.”

With reports of more snow and extremely cold weather due to hit the UK shortly, it’s worth bearing in mind a four wheeled drive vehicle if you’re after a new set of wheels. More grip, stability and ability to cope with the weather are all promised by a vehicle that puts power down via all four wheels. It’s therefore unsurprising that we’re seeing more and more of them on the road.

Here’s a quote from Nas Khan, managing director of North-East based, Jennings Motor Group regarding sales of four wheel drive vehicles:

“The bad weather has had a significant impact on both new and used sales at our Ford, Mazda and SEAT branch network across the region, however, the persistent adverse weather conditions which is continuing to cause treacherous driving conditions, has also generated a substantial increase in demand for four wheel drive vehicles at our Ford and Mazda dealerships. The level of telephone and internet enquiries for 4×4 vehicles available in our Ford and Mazda range, including the Ford Ranger, Ford Kuga, Mazda CX-7 and Mazda BT50 Series, has increased significantly over the past couple of weeks as customers prepare themselves against further snow and icy road conditions which is forecast.”

1) Generally speaking, there are two four wheel options to go for. Dedicated 4×4 or SUV vehicles or standard cars that come with four wheel drive. A Subaru Impreza WRX has four wheel drive, but it doesn’t have the ground clearance or fat tyres. So, which are you really after?

2) Off roader or soft roader? A ‘proper’ off roader will have all sorts of trick diffs, better tyres for loose surfaces etc – whilst a soft roader will be much more competent on the road. Few manufacturers have managed both, so which do you really need?

3) Permanent or electronically controlled four wheel drive? Many soft roaders these days have an electronics system fitted that kicks in all wheel drive when slip is detected from either of the front wheels. This is good for fuel economy, but not necessarily the best in really poor conditions.

4) Insurance – this can be quite high for a lot of soft and off roaders, even though they aren’t sports or performance based. Get a few quotes before you put pen to paper.

5) Diesel – get it if you can for your four wheeled vehicle. Manufacturers still do petrol engines, but they’re likely to be much thirstier than their diesel counterparts.

However, they are initially cheaper to purchase, including on the second hand market. Think carefully before you choose. Few miles means petrol could be the better option, but it provides less torque. Remember, whether you’re going for a four wheel drive car or any other kind of vehicle, it’s hugely important to test drive at least one other alternative (if not two or three). The reason being, many cars are similar these days, but similar is not the same. You might find that performance is comparable, but the driving position is better for example, or one might have a lesser blind spot than the other.

A test drive should include the types of driving that you’re going to be doing on a regular basis with the car – whether that is motorway driving, country lanes or cruising the suburbs will largely depend on you, but the more you’re behind the wheel the better feel you’ll get for just how the car (and the four wheel drive system) copes with a variety of conditions.

It’s worth remembering that the poor weather doesn’t last forever – but few have the luxury of changing their car every six months. Bear this last fact in mind when it comes to setting your heart on a particular model.

Here are some picks to consider when looking at a four wheel drive vehicle:
Top off road vehicles:
1) Land Rover Discovery
2) Range Rover
3) Toyota Hilux

Top soft roaders:
1) Nissan X Trail
2) Honda CR-V
3) Toyota Rav 4

Editor’s picks:
1) BMW X5
2) Mazda CX-7
3) Ford Kuga

Visit the Jennings Motor Group website to see their latest offers.