You won’t have seen anything quite like this before. Granted, it is a marketing viral from Dunlop Tyres for their new Street Response range, but this is reverse driving like none other. This footage kind of reminds me of the remake of ‘The Italian Job’ coupled with some sort of insane Top Gear test. More than worth watching!

The high demand for replacement windscreens at the beginning of the year, following the UK’s worst winter in 30 years, has led to a national shortage of windscreens, reports the automotive glazing services company Auto Windscreens.

Automotive glazing companies throughout the UK are struggling to get hold of parts leading to long delays for windscreen replacement for vehicle owners, particularly for owners of the Vauxhall Zafira, Astra and Vectra, VW Passat and Golf and Audi A4.

With only a handful of car glass manufacturers in the UK, Auto Windscreens has increased production by, more than 40% at its own windscreen factory in order to fill the gaps left by other suppliers. Production at Auto Windscreens factory has now increased to 600 windscreens a day.

Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director commented: “It’s unusual to have a national shortage of windscreens and we’ve certainly not come across it before. Auto Windscreens is in the fortunate and unique position, however, that we can simply add another shift at our factory and increase production on popular windscreen models to meet demand and manage the delays.”

Uniquely Auto Windscreens is the only automotive glazing services company to manufacture its own windscreens, giving it total control of the supply chain. It has the capacity to produce 250,000 windscreens annually and has been manufacturing them for 26 years at its state-of-the-art factory in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Motor insurance is a legal requirement in the UK, but there are still drivers who do not have insurance. The good news is that under the uninsured driver’s agreement, an arrangement between the Government and Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB), the costs incurred by an insured driver involved in an accident with an uninsured driver may be paid for by the scheme.

The MIB is a company funded by its members, and according to UK law all car insurance providers are required to be members. The MIB estimates the fees presently paid amount to between £15 and £30 per policyholder, and are built into premiums.

If you want to make a claim, you need to follow a few simple steps. Start by making a formal complaint to the police about the uninsured driver, and report the accident to your own insurer. If you think you are eligible for compensation from the MIB visit www.mib.org.uk for more information.

It is best to make sure that the other driver really is uninsured before you make a claim. A check with the DVLA can confirm this. In the event of a hit and run case, or where you are unable to identify the other driver, you can claim under a separate MIB scheme known as the untraced driver’s agreement.

Some motorists drive illegally, without insurance, under the mistaken belief that car insurance is expensive and unnecessary. On the contrary, motor insurance need not be costly. At the very least drivers can take out a third party policy, which covers them against the costs of damage to other vehicles or properties in the event of an accident.

Cheap car insurance can be found by getting a quote from an online insurance site such as Directline.

In the latest news to win back customers after the accelerator debacle of some of their cars, Toyota is now offering a great deal in order to create some piece of mind. The latest deal covers all new cars purchased from 27th of March 2010 and means that you can choose either a warranty that covers five years over the initial three or a free three year service plan.

Which would I choose? Well, let’s put it this way. A service could be arranged through a main dealer, a specialist or your local garage. However, something going badly wrong just after your three year warranty could mean that you are very much out of pocket. Another consideration is that if you sell your new Toyota after a couple of years, you may be able to transfer the balance of the warranty. This will be quite a good sales tool and could potentially add a little more value to the car.

It’s good to see Toyota offering this and it would certainly make me consider a Toyota after their recent problems (remember, for quite a while they’ve had an extremely good record).

If you drive a significant number of miles every year (or even if you’re just frequently on trips out of town), you should consider purchasing breakdown cover for your vehicle. Why? Well, simply put, if you’re left stranded because your car has given up the ghost, you could be looking at a cost of over £100 for recovery alone – that’s before labour, parts and, potentially, getting you to somewhere you can stay overnight prior to your vehicle being examined.

Simply put, breakdown cover is a great way to not only give you peace of mind, but ensure that you’re not going to be out of pocket should the worst happen and you find yourself in the middle of nowhere. This becomes an even more important factor if you drive in the evening or night.

What does breakdown cover include?

There are a growing number of breakdown cover providers in the UK, each of whom provide a slightly different service and include different things in their ‘basic’ policy. However, most of them will give you:

• Roadside assistance in the UK
• 24 hour help lines should you break down
• Help in the event of a traffic collision

These are the basics that form a ‘breakdown cover policy’. Let’s examine what this basic policy will give you.

Roadside assistance will give you a telephone number to call, should your car break down or fail to start, normally provided it is a certain distance from your home. On making the call, you’ll need to provide your policy number and likely some personal details (such as your car registration, address etc) and your current location. At this point, a trained specialist will be despatched to your location within a specified period of time. Note, at busy time periods, this may be longer.

When the person arrives in their vehicle (normally a van of some kind), they will assess your vehicle to get an idea what the problem may be, i.e. the cause and whether it can be fixed. Your policy should cover this basic assessment (though you may have to pay depending on whether some work takes place on the car) and parts will not be covered.

The person examining your car will then give you an idea of what the problem is, as well as (quite often) a sheet demonstrating the problems with a diagram showing you where the car is being affected. This makes it simple for you to understand – if you aren’t mechanically minded – what needs to be done to have your car going again.

If your car cannot be fixed by the roadside or needs to be towed, this will also be arranged by the person who is on scene to examine your car. Once again, depending on what sort of level of assistance has been arranged, this will dictate how you are then helped and what you have to pay for (for instance, some policies will have you then driven to a hotel or location of your choice if your car cannot be fixed by the roadside).

In the case of an accident, your breakdown cover provider can despatch someone to assist you, have the vehicle towed, or, if possible, make the vehicle into a driveable state to reach a garage. Note, they will not assist you to drive a vehicle away if it is in such a state as to be considered illegal/unsafe to drive.

What other types of cover can I get?

Most breakdown cover providers will also offer additional protection – though not of course without additional cost. Here are some of the additional services you can buy as part of your breakdown cover policy:

• Home call out – if your car fails to start when at home you can have assistance come directly to you. This should always be considered as normally a policy will not cover you if you’re less than a mile from home
• Parts and labour cover – depending on what is needed, some providers will cover you with this additional service for up to a certain amount of parts and labour cost
• Hotel/overnight stay – the service provider will arrange accommodation and ensure your vehicle is repaired at a nearby garage so you can get on your way quickly
• European cover – some policies will actually cover you if you cross the Channel and beyond
• Cover on you, rather than your car – this means that even if you’re a passenger in another car that is not your own, or the vehicle named on your policy, you can call out a patrol from your breakdown provider to help you get the vehicle you are in back on the move
• Coverage for other vehicles – some policies will cover you for other vehicles you may use, such as a motorbike or van
• Special offers – many providers have a variety of special offers such as discounts on other services including insurance

Having breakdown cover is not an excuse for not maintaining your vehicle properly, but I can certainly tell you from my own experience that it is invaluable if you do drive any sort of distance in or on a vehicle. It may just get you back motoring again after an unexpected stop – and if it does you can guarantee you’ll have saved money by having it!

Auto Windscreens is predicting a fourfold increase in vehicles that fail their MOT due to windscreen damage caused by the UK’s frost damaged roads. Already nearly 2 million vehicles (8.4%) fail their MOT test in the UK each year due to windscreen damage. The freezing weather has left the UK’s roads exposed to a damaging condition known as ‘freeze-thaw’ resulting in an estimated 1.5 million potholes, twice as many as 2007 according to The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA).

Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director, said: “With the average MOT costing around £45, the last thing motorists want to hear is that it has failed on a minor point. Given the current road conditions the chances of windscreen damage is more likely. All too often people don’t give their windscreen a second thought until it is too late. My advice is to check it now to avoid the costly inconvenience of the vehicle failing its MOT and subsequently being off the road until a windscreen replacement or repair can be arranged.”

You can find out more about the service offered by Auto Windscreens at the official website.

Nissan 370Z

Nissan’s car builder is a fantastic tool – a bit like a ‘dress up’ for those into cars! Choose your model, engine, colour, trim and much more – all can be customised to your every desire. You can then get a price quotation for your ideal car and hopefully a discount when you take the details to your local dealer! Make mine a GT-R in ‘Storm White’.

A garage inspection of a car

When buying parts for your motor vehicle, it’s quite tempting to simply order or pay for whatever the garage has in stock to supply. However, recent research has shown that, with Ford at least, it’s sometimes better to go back to the manufacturer rather than go for cheaper substitute parts off the shelf.

The independent Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) tested genuine Ford replacement body panels against copies. Copy parts are rarely produced to the same specification and tolerances as Ford’s genuine article, meaning they are unlikely to last as long, may not come with a warranty, and can even be unsafe and environmentally unsound.

MIRA found that genuine Ford replacement parts were more resistant to corrosion and fitted better as the result of installation in Ford dealerships. In the case of a bonnet, the chances of pedestrian injury were increased when an inferior panel was fitted.

Ford is also active in the fight against parts counterfeiters, helping to stamp out a racket which costs the industry £10 billion a year.

“It is very scary to think what could happen if, for example, your car’s braking system was fitted with counterfeit parts,” says Paul Muers, Ford Customer Service Division marketing manager. “It’s a risk if work isn’t entrusted to a franchised dealer. Going to a Ford dealer or Rapid Fit centre means only genuine parts are used. Genuine Ford Parts are made to the same standards as our vehicles and offer guaranteed Ford quality and serviceability. They are designed specifically for the vehicle, so fit better, work more effectively, are safer and last longer.“

We are delighted to have this guest post from Martin V McDonagh of Gluais School of Motoring
email: martin@gluais.com
tel: 087 9586779

Many thousands of Motorists will drive miles through the country over the coming days and it is worth reflecting on a number of safety issues before heading off on a journey. Firstly the engine fluid levels should be checked and topped up where necessary. It is important to be familiar with where each liquid goes and the precise type for the vehicle. Modern car makers are becoming much more fussy about the precise engine oil to be used and if mixed with other brands can have a negative effect on the engine. So the rule is to read the hand book supplied with the car. All the lights should be checked for blown bulbs and it is advisable to carry some spares and have the basic tools to enable a roadside replacement should one blow on the journey

Wind screen washing fluid can be used up much more quickly during wet weather and it would be useful to have a supply for topping up the reservoir.

It is useful also to check for wear and for any cuts on the side walls of tyres and also to check the spare wheel. The air pressure should also be checked and if any of the tyre pressures are much below normal it may indicate that there is a slow puncture. It is useful also to carry a good torch with a flashing amber light and to carry a red triangle to place on the road should there be a break down. A couple of reflective jackets would also be useful to alert following traffic of your presence on the road.

During the current run up the Christmas Holiday most roads are constantly damp from rain which leads to both poor visibility and extra slippery roads, which in turn leads to longer braking distances. In such circumstances the two second rule must be doubled to allow a safe distance from the vehicle immediately in front. If it happens to be a motor bike it is wise to be extra vigilant because of less level of protection compared to four wheelers.

So wishing all road users a safe and accident free Christmas.

Martin

It’s an old slogan but it’s a truism. The Institute of Advanced Motorists has a great section of driving tips that you’d do well to take a look over. Here’s a snippet from the bike awareness driving tip:

“Ask most drivers if they feel safe in their car, and the answer is invariably yes. We are surrounded by metal, with all the latest technology built in to safeguard us if the worst happens.

Add the heater on icy days and our favourite CD and that sense of complacency is complete.

Has that “safe” vehicle lulled us into a false sense of security?

We should really drive as though that airbag was a metal spike, pointing out of the wheel at our chest.

Then we would have a sense of vulnerability – which is how most motorcyclists feel, with good reason.

The first three-year review of the Government’s casualty reduction targets (in 2003) confirmed that motorcyclists continue to be disproportionately represented in casualty statistics. In fact, at that time biker casualty figures were the only ones going in the wrong direction.

Despite a welcome drop in overall casualties in 2004 (compared to 2003) bikers – who represent just one per cent of road users – still accounted for 17% of fatalities. With 585 bikers killed and 6,063 seriously injured in 2004, there is no room for complacency – and bringing the figures down is a top priority for the DfT’s THINK! campaign.”

To read the rest of the tip, visit the IAM website.