Well, as my last post was discussing the purchase of a used MX-5 (though preferably in good condition), I thought it only fair to talk you through some of the issues I’ll be considering prior to making the all-important purchase (as well as being before the next Formula 1 race).

Buying a used car can be risky - but only if you don’t know what you’re looking for. A car that has been carefully looked after and regularly serviced should be just as reliable as a car fresh off the forecourts - if not more so as the engine will be worn in. So what sort of things should you look for when going used?

Generally speaking, the average motorist will do around 10,000 miles per annum. This means that a car should reflect this - so a three-year-old vehicle could be expected to have reasonably covered 30,000 miles. If the odometer is reading say 30 miles instead - be concerned. The car may have been ‘clocked’ - whereby with some careful screw removal the numbers can be turned back.

A false reading means that there could well have been much more engine use than you thought. MOT’s should be able to give you a clearer picture of this. Check the regular touch-points like the wheel, the gearstick and the pedals. Are they worn? This is a sign that the car has also seen regular use - not necessarily bad thing, but it may indicate that other parts of kit might need looked at, such as the brakes (pads and discs), the clutch and the air filter.

One thing that always amazes me is when a car owner complains that ’something has gone wrong’ and the car isn’t up to scratch, yet they haven’t bothered servicing it. An MOT means the car is legally allowed on the road, whether it is in sufficiently good nick to then sell on is another matter. If a car hasn’t got a lot of servicing records, you might be better off just walking away.

If you consider that the engine is the heart of the car, then if it has been looked after then you’re probably going to be okay. On the other hand, the body is, well, literally the body. I know someone who bought a car with a rear bumper that had been concertina’ed. Modern cars are made to crumple yet be incredibly safe. They’ll be okay in one crash, but then need repairing to ensure they are fit to survive another - much like cycling helmets in that respect. Make sure to look at all bodywork before handing over your cash.

Be wary of ‘cut and shut’ cars. This is literally the worst-case scenario of a car you can buy. It means two cars have been cut somewhere in their middles (for whatever reason) and then welded together. Basically, the structural integrity (as any engineer worth his salt will tell you) has been completely compromised. One crash, or even taking a corner too fast, could see the car shearing. Look for any signs of welding, anywhere on the body.

HPI may be left on the car, or any other type of finance. Some people in the past (I’m sure it goes on today, but with less frequency) sold a car, along with the finance to go along with it, unbeknownst to the driver. A solution is to use a car data check, which will tell you of any crashes, write-offs or finance agreements on a particular vehicle.

I’ll go into detail on the mechanical side of what to look for in a later post, but for some more general tips, consider the following:

* Budget well - and stick to it. Insurance and general day-to-day costs must be factored in.
* Check similar cars to make sure that you aren’t being ripped off either by price or mileage.
* The V5 car registration document is incredibly important - don’t buy a car without one. It shows the ‘keeper’ not the owner, so be aware of this fact.
* Listen to the car and test-drive it if at all possible.
* These days, it’s possible to grab a great bargain used vehicle - especially this year, what with the economy driving depreciation to 8% more than it was projected at. However if something looks too good to be true, there’s probably a reason - it is.

Overall, buying a used car is much more fun than buying new - what with the boring ‘extras’ list and what have you. There’s nothing like sitting in a few different cars and getting a feel for them, before handing over the cash for your new pride and joy. Just remember to play it sensible (and safe) and you should do well in getting yourself a brilliant used bargain!

Despite all of the ownership fears at the present with Jaguar and Land Rover, it would seem that the both companies are still fully committed in bringing out some new quality models which will definitely get the pulses racing of some Range Rover driver who want something slight smaller, and of course at the same time those Freelander owners who are looking for something a little larger.

The new Land Rover slips nicely in between the two models, which will open up a new market for the company to enter, that of the BMW X1 and the Audi Q5, which is something that Land Rover has never done before, it has always had models that were too high too low to bother the Germans giants.

Naturally there is still little known about the basis of the vehicle and what sort of model range they will be having. Basically we can think of it as a sort of cross between the Freelander and it bigger and much more sophisticated brother the Range Rover, which has really changed the market itself over the past few years with models that put all of the others to shame.

The new Land Rover model will be launched possibly as the Freelander Sport sometime in 2010.

Source [Auto Express]

I’m undertaking a new project very soon - the restoration of a Mazda MX-5.  ‘Restoration?’  You might be thinking.  Well, I’m looking at, ideally, a model for around £1,000 with a removable hard top, rather than a soft cover.  No doubt it’ll be an import, or Eunos as they’re also known in the UK.  Almost certainly not a Limited Edition ‘Arctic’ as they go for more.  Will it have galactic mileage?  Will it be right hand drive?  Is it the coupe?  Is it a soft-top?

You can see from the questions above that when you’re considering a used MX-5 there is a range of options.  One of the reasons for this is that it is one of the best selling sports two-seaters of all time, with more than three quarters of a million sold globally and three generations (or main body variants).  The nippy little vehicle has also scratched up more than 150 awards in its’ time.

So why do I want one?  Well where else can you get a rear wheel drive, proper sporty, two-seater convertible?  Well unless you get a ‘galactic’ mileage vintage oddsmobile, the answer is absolutely nowhere at all.  The car is popular for a very good reason.

If you haven’t been in a small two-seater sports car with the roof down, I’d recommend that you give it a go.  Go to your local dealership or car supermarket and test-drive one, even if you’ve no intention of buying.  It’s like being in control of an over-sized go cart, in a way that’s incredibly fulfilling to drive.  It’s an experience (no doubt due to the wind in your hair and the low driving position) that’s enjoyable even at reasonable (legal) speeds.

How I envisage the project
Of course the first part of the project is understanding exactly what I’m going to be buying, beyond of course a second car in the shape of a Mazda MX-5.  At the price I’m looking at, it won’t be a brand new motor by any means.  It’ll be in the either 1.6 (reactive but not sprightly) or the 1.8 litre variety, which has a little more oomph to it.

I wouldn’t be surprised (or really that bothered) if it had more than 100,000 on the clock.  I’ve heard of many Mazda vehicles going beyond 250,000 - these things are built to last.  However, I won’t take my chances so I’ll have a home service with new sparks, air filter, oil change and general checks.  Of course, the main thing to look at when buying any car is the panels - if the engine is okay and the panels are too then you should be sound.

The next part of the project will be development of the battle plan.  If you’re unfamiliar with the MSA, then you’re probably not into motor racing.  I’ll tell you a bit more about my motoring club in another article, but I’m going to get my MSA license (not sure which class yet) later this year.  When I have this, the car will start to see more modifications in the form of a sports exhaust and sports cams and valves.  This could be an increase of up to 35 BHP.  I thoroughly intend to spank it around a track a short time after that.

Whilst I’m sure I’m not the next Lewis Hamilton (have you tried concentrating that hard for that long?) I can’t wait to get a few laps done on the track, or even cruise around the coast with the top down.  One thing I can’t change however is the British weather - so if you are thinking of following a similar plan, make sure to check that the roof doesn’t leak!  I’ll follow this post up when I purchase the thing (some time after the Scottish Motorshow in case I broker a deal for something else whilst I’m there), but in the meantime the planning contines - as well as the heartfelt recommendation to give a soft-top a go.

There was a time when buying a car was simple as anything and even easier to tell the year of the year by the letter on the end on the registration number. But it appears despite being out for nearly eight years the new style number plates are confusing the buyers of second hand cars.

The problem lies with the number plates year number, this is fairly clear when the year is stated as 02, 03, 04, 05 etc, but it is the middle of the year registration number that is causing all of the confusion, for example 52, 53, 54, 55, these numbers are actually affecting the value of some second hand cars.

According to certain car valuation guides, when they are pricing a vehicle it would seem that the number first registered in the March to August period that will have a zero for the year are on average worth £300 more than the cars first registered in the later of the same year.

The crazy situation is a clear indication that the car buyers of today cannot get their heads around the new number plate system. But yet it only takes a little bit of education and this would be sorted out once and for all.

Source [Auto Express]

If there was ever a reason to say that something has been over done, then this must be the case. Galpin who are the USA’s largest Jaguar dealer have come up with their own version of how the XF would have looked if they were designing it.

To be honest it looks ok from one angle, but when you look again it looks terrible, so it is hard to decide whether this car is good looking are completely awful. It’s just too hard to decide, you know that the car is fantastic, but this version is strange, maybe it is the colour!

The Galpin Jaguar XF is finished in a two tone red and black paint job, with colour coded red 22 inch alloy wheels, which incidentally look really cool! To finish off the rear tail lights have been smoked out, there is tinted glass all round and yes the red and theme continues into the passenger compartment, with the leather seats being finished in colour coded tones. No doubt there will be some one who likes this car, but it does remind you of the early eighties when people used to do this sort of thing to their Mark IV Cortina’s.

Source [Car Scoop]

As you’re on this site, you probably have an interest in cars, are a driver or are hoping to become one very soon. As such, there’s no doubt at all that the budget affects you, whether you’re a millionaire or on minimum wage. Let me just say this first - the budget hits you where it hurts. Once again, us cash-cow drivers are going to suffer in a number of ways…

Fuel
Petrol and diesel prices had a planned rise of 2p per litre - however thanks to much industry (and some joe bloggs) lobbying, we’ve now seen this put back to October. To me though, this just stinks of ‘stealth tax‘. What I mean by this is that if the government can make everyone calm down or forget about it for long enough, they won’t complain half so much and the coffers will still be filled. Fuel duty also has a guaranteed rise of 0.5p per litre in 2010 - no doubt with more raises in-between.

Alternative fuel
Cars that aren’t powered by petrol or diesel are on ‘alternative fuel’. Those cars could well come in for a discount of up to £20 per year on their road tax. Not great, but better than nothing. Duty differential will disappear from alternative fuel and a Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation will force suppliers (such as Shell) to ensure that 5% of their fuel comes from renewable sources.

Vehicle excise duty/road tax
The number of bands for excise duty will go all the way up to 13 from next year, with band M (255g of cO2 per km) being charged an annual fee of £425 per annum. Cars with a lower than 150g output per km will pay a lower rate from 2010 (why not from next year like the higher paying cars is anyone’s guess). Cars with a lower rate than 130g will not pay road tax in their first year. If this were every year I’d see the point… but just in the single year? Regardless, the most shocking fact is that band M cars will receive a massive bill of £950 in the first year.

Funding for more tax
The government has freed up funding for local councils and private companies to investigate the idea of further congestion charges and national road pricing. It’s a great way to essentially fund further taxation I must say, and I’m not quite sure how making people pay more will stop them using the roads that they physically must use.

My overall thoughts on the budget
Frankly, as per usual, those who drive have been hit where it hurts - their wallets. I’m not surprised, given the fact that more than £45 million is generated for HMRC every year. However, as long as the government has the ideal of ‘being green’ to hide behind, people won’t rally behind the injustice of how much we pay for cars. The budget is once again unfair and a great way to eke more money out of an unwitting public.

As a side note, due to the fact that we’re close to recession, this is one good year to buy a used vehicle. Depreciation is going to be 8% more than expected, so look for a car in a couple of months to pay a price that’ll keep some change in your pocket.

After much waiting, I’ve finally been able to take the Fiat 500 out for a spin.  Unfortunately due to working commitments I missed the press launch, so I was extremely excited when I got a call from my local flagship dealer telling me that they had a 500 in for testing.  To put it in some perspective, the hype was built around this being one of the most important Italian production cars in some time, and the release coincides with the 50th anniversary of the launch of the original 500.  So, this car has something to live up to right?

Luckily, I’m really pleased to say that it will more than live up to your expectations.  What we have here is a supermini with a choice of three engines (1.2, 1.4 100hp, 1.3d), half a million trim combinations and a future Abarth (race) edition.  As the car is quite small in form factor, you’ll not see a huge amount of space inside, nevertheless you won’t be disappointed when it comes to your weekly shop.  You’ll even fit a couple of kids in the back.

Performance
The 1.2 engine (tested) is only 8v, so you might notice that in the higher gears it can be a little underwhelming.  However, it’s actually reasonably quick off the mark with a light clutch and nimble responses.  In fact, you’ll be pleased at how nice it is to drive.  Furthermore, the 55mpg you’ll get as a return is sure to put a smile on your face with ever-more rising petrol prices.

Exterior
The car is a wonderful definition of what exactly a supermini should be about.  It sits looking cute yet purposeful - I guarantee that if you have one whenever you step out of the door just looking at the kooky headlights and the cool grille will put a smile on your face - whatever combination you choose.  The fact that there are so many options just adds to the pleasure.  This is one car that features something that many new cars are lacking - character.

Interior
I was pleasantly surprised by the interior.  It might not be swathed in leather but all of the materials used are quality, which a lovely retro touch.  It hits the right spot in the way that the new Mini completely missed.  You’ll certainly be charmed by the speedo/revs - one chases the other around the dial.  All of your lights are in the same section too.  Once again, you can see that real thought has gone into the making of it.

Overall
A car this good can’t be ignored at only £7900 for the standard ‘Pop’ version.  There’s something incredibly fun, characterful and appealing about this car - it’s a genuine driver-pleaser of a vehicle.  The only drawback I’d say is that this isn’t the car for you if you do a lot of motorway miles (not that it won’t cope with them), it will handle the occasional stint on A-roads and is quiet to boot.  The Fiat 500 is certainly something I’d own but I would be tempted to try the 1.4 before making a decision.

The current financial crisis is having many different effects on the may that people are spending their cash, but although interest rates have gone down the actual benefits of this are not filtering through to the people who are having to pay the mortgages etc, which leaves little over for the new car purchase.

In a recent report from Sainsbury’s bank it has been found that there will be a lot fewer people looking to by a new car within the next six months, this is bad news for everyone in the industry from salesman to the people who work in the car factories, as well as the finance companies everyone is feeling the pinch.

In fact it is believed that there will be a serious decrease in the amount of money, something in the region of £11 billion less that the same period last year being spent on a new car purchase.

Steven Baillie, head of loans at Sainsbury’s Finance, said: “Indeed, our research indicates that the overall cost of motoring, everything from servicing to insurance and fuel has increased by ten per cent in the last three years,”

Source [Lombard Direct]

As the Geneva Motor show opens this week it should be no surprise that all of the big guns are bring out their special offerings for the new season and this car is certainly going to show exactly how a great British car can look and perform, even though it was built by the Italian coach builder Zagato in Milan, but who is worried about that, this is a Bentley.

The car looks like a curvy version of the Aston Martin, it lines flow but there are also hints of muscle car there too, with the flared arches that cover the huge ten spoke alloy wheels at the rear. But then again you would need as much help as possible keeping the car on the straight and narrow as it is powered by a 600 BHP V12 engine, which will take from standing to sixty in around 4.3 seconds and keep going until it reaches the top speed of 202 mph.

We will have to wait until the unveiling for more details especially on price etc, which we can safely say is going to be out of the reach of most us ordinary people, but we can dream and this is why we love to look at these beautiful cars.

Source [Auto Express]

It’s been far too long since the last Scirocco hit the roads of the UK and to be fair it was not up to much either, but this new car is something quite different to anything we have seen before. Although details are very patchy at the moment as the car will be officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show which is due to be held in a couple of week’s time.

This has been really influenced by the concept car that appeared at the Paris Expo a couple of years ago, but there has been some slight changed to big and bold features on the new design they have thankfully been softened and a few of the other more extreme features have been replaced with a more conventional styling which is more fitting to this model.

Obviously the car will be using the mechanics as fitted to the Golf series so the power will be coming from the 197 bhp 2.0-litre turbo from the GTI and the more powerful 3.2-litre V6, however for those drivers who looking to be a bit sporty but at the same time like to think they are also eco friendly there will be diesel version available, hopefully.

Source [Auto Express]