Archive
Few purchases are as exciting as your first car, which provides a ticket to independence like you’ve never enjoyed before. Last year we published a guide on the key things to consider when buying your first car – once you’ve read and digested that, these are the models that should be on your shortlist.
For decades, the idea of a car that could drive itself was the stuff of science fiction. As early as the 1930s US giant General Motors created a vision for a self-driving car. But in a world devoid of computers there was never any prospect of this becoming a reality; that early concept relied on … Continued
It’s always the same. Just when everyone has got used to something, along comes someone who just has to change things around so nobody knows what’s going on any more. The perfect example is the insurance write-off system; for years we’ve had category A, B, C and D write-offs, but that’s all set to end … Continued
Uk motorists are pretty rubbish when it comes to doing their own simple checks to ensure their cars are in fine fettle. A few minutes spent each week can stave off big bills and potentially a big accident, but despite this we’re either too lazy or lacking in confidence to make the time.
Automotive experts at hpi have revealed the Top five list of cars guaranteed to boost the ‘school gate cred’ of UK dads following a poll amongst its team of motoring editors. The poll comes ahead of Father’s Day (Sunday 18 June). James Dower, senior Black Book editor at hpi, said: “With Father’s Day this month … Continued
We love our convertibles here in the UK and the good news is that no matter what your budget, you can buy something open-topped to enjoy the wind in your hair. With the summer now here it’s the perfect time to splash out on a soft-top to enjoy the warm weather. Whether you’ve got just … Continued
Once the car had been invented in 1885 by Karl Benz, it didn’t take long for a massive global industry to spring up, with thousands of tiny companies around the globe each building small numbers of cars. The thing is, while the internal combustion engine (ICE) was in its infancy at the turn of the … Continued
Car buyers and sellers are gearing up to receive convenience and peace of mind all in one place from automotive data experts hpi, following the relaunch of its new look website www.hpi.co.uk The customer friendly website provides one destination for motorists to find a complete vehicle history check, get free valuations and has an instant … Continued
Summer is finally here and once again our roads are filling up with motorcyclists keen to make the most of the great weather. If you’re one of those motorcyclists you need to be seriously careful because according to government statistics, bikers make up 1% of the total traffic on UK roads, but account for over … Continued
Open a newspaper or surf the web for just a short time and the chances are you’ll come across a news story about how diesel cars are killing us all, thanks to their heavily toxic emissions. It’s so unfair. After all, we were coerced into buying diesel-powered cars thanks to their low CO2 emissions and … Continued
Spring has sprung and its arrival means our roads are full of motorcyclists, keen to enjoy the warmer, drier weather now it’s here. But while riding a bike gives you a sense of freedom that your car-driving compatriots can only dream about, it comes at a cost. Bikers are much more vulnerable; even a minor … Continued
Superminis, city cars, hatchbacks, saloons, coupés and convertibles, all from a huge range of manufacturers. Petrols, diesels and hybrids, manual transmissions and autos. Just how do you home in on the car that’ll best fit your needs and budget when the choice is so overwhelming? The answer is to research any potential purchase thoroughly, and … Continued
Whenever you burn any type of fossil fuel, whether its coal, gas or oil, you create a cocktail of by-products that are released into the atmosphere. Up to a point mother nature can compensate, but with a global population of 7.5 billion, Earth is struggling to cope with the rate at which our precious resources … Continued
Unless you’ve been enjoying a long holiday on Pluto for the past few months it won’t have escaped your attention that diesel-engined cars are not flavour of the month. They’ve been singled out as pariahs for their part in poisoning our air, and is it any wonder when you see old buses and high-mileage (or … Continued
Nobody wants to be taken to the cleaners when they sell their car, but how can you maximise the amount you get for your car when you sell it? It’ll come as no surprise that giving it a seriously good spruce up can make a big difference to its value – potentially hundreds of pounds! … Continued
Leading vehicle data service, hpi®, is offering diesel users peace of mind with the launch of its latest online valuations tool. hpi® will now display future valuations for vehicle valuations completed online at hpivaluations.com making it easier than ever before to track the future values of any vehicle. The new free to use future valuations … Continued
You won’t carry a more precious cargo in your car than your children, so it’s great that there’s a huge range of excellent products on the market to help you transport them safely. However, from 1 March 2017 the rules changed and it’s left a lot of parents feeling very confused. Indeed, according to a … Continued
The UK government has a problem. Its income from vehicle excise duty (VED, or road tax) and fuel taxes has plummeted in recent years thanks to increasingly efficient cars; it’s reckoned around a quarter of new cars pay no road tax at all. As a result, the current CO2-based system is set to be overhauled … Continued
