As much as you love your current car, there will almost certainly come a time when you want to trade it in for a newer model. And, of course, when you finally come to this decision you’re sure to want to get the best price for the vehicle.

In order to facilitate the kind of sale you’re looking for, giving your car a good onceover to see if there are any minor repairs you could carry out before selling would certainly be a good idea. Go around the vehicle with a fine toothcomb and see if there are any scratches you could have removed before someone comes to view the vehicle. If they spot any themselves, they’ll use this as a negotiation tool and you won’t get the price you’re looking for.

You should also make sure you pay close attention to the alloy wheels on your car. If these are very scratched, take the time to have them repaired as buyers are sure to want to see these shiny and like new.

Research from wheel protection company AlloyGater has found that four out of five cars on our roads actually have damaged alloys, which could have an impact on the resale value of a vehicle.

Managing director of the firm Curt Rathbone said: “The findings of this survey show that most of us have misjudged a kerb or failed to avoid a deep pothole at some point, causing some fairly unsightly, and costly damage to our car’s wheels.”

You can either pay for a professional to fix your alloys or you can buy a repair kit and try to do it yourself. If you want to sell your car, a professional tradesman might be a better idea.

When you own a motorhome, there are a number of costs – much like owning any other vehicle – that you can’t escape from, and insurance is just one.

Although we all want to have these products in place to ensure we’re covered in the event of an accident or other incident that damages our motorhome, or even worse causes us or our passengers injuries, we never want to pay over the odds for a policy.

But Out & About Live has recently warned motorhome owners to expect an increase in premiums as a result of several regulatory changes in recent months.

According to the publication, the increase in insurance premium tax (IPT), which will be introduced from 1 June this year, as well as changes to how compensation is calculated for personal injuries are the main upward pressures on costs for motorhome owners.

IPT is set to climb from ten to 12 per cent next month, which will undoubtedly see a small increase in insurance premiums. The change to the Ogden rate, which is how personal injury compensation is worked out, is expected to add further pressure to insurance prices.

UK general insurance leader at PWC Mohammad Khan told the publication that motorists should expect an average rise of £50 to £75 in the cost of their insurance policies, pointing to the fact that the increase in the Ogden rate was higher than the industry had anticipated.

Whatever kind of motorhome you’ve got, and no matter what additions you’ve made to it, such as by purchasing motorhome alloy wheels, you should always shop around to find the best insurance deal available each year.

Using motorhome insurance specialists could be one way to get a better deal on your cover, retail and marketing director for Vantage Insurance Nigel Coppen told the publication.

He stressed that specialist insurers are able to offer greater flexibility than those that offer a wider range of cover, and he therefore advised motorhome owners to consider using them.

“Working through the cover requirements with a customer, a specialist motorhome insurance provider will be able to see where savings may be possible whilst maintaining the quality of the cover,” Mr Coppen asserted.

Last month, data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) showed that the average motor insurance premium had climbed by eight per cent since April 2016. And the organisation warned that there could be further increases for drivers in the coming months as reinsurance renewals are due.

These are expected to make insurers’ costs climb further, which means that some of this is likely to be passed on to customers. ABI assistant director, head of motor and liability Rob Cummings said insurers are doing their best to avoid passing insurance increases to customers.

He added: “The industry can only do so much though, and it is important that whichever party is in government after the election, that they commit to measures to help lower the cost of car insurance.”

If you’d like to buy alloy wheels for your motorhome, contact us today to see our extensive range and find the best product for your vehicle.

If you’re considering buying a new car, you might already have set some budget aside for the best alloy wheels available, but could these hidden fees get in the way of your dream finish to your new car? There’s plenty to think about when buying a new car and remembering the expenses that follow in upkeep after purchase is important when budgeting. However, this handy guide might help you plan a little bit better.

The next big expense (after the car itself!) to remember when budgeting for what you can afford is insurance. With hundreds of car insurance companies all fighting to offer the best deals make sure you shop around to find one that suits your needs best – don’t just go for the first one that catches your eye. Look at the types of cover offered, as sometimes paying a bit extra in insurance can be a huge help in the long run should damage to the vehicle or an accident occur.

Of course, there’s also the general maintenance for your vehicle to keep it road safe. Ensuring you don’t ignore any issues with your car will extend it’s life, keeping you out on the roads for longer. Make sure you get a professional to check over your tyres to make sure they are in good and safe condition with perfect wheel alignment. It’s also important you clean your car regularly and cleaning around tyres and door seals and windows will also extend its life.

There’s also all those little expenses too. Don’t count out fuel and parking charges – they all stack up in the end, and could make the difference in your finances between those dream alloys or not!

Despite the fact that stronger penalties have been brought in for those caught using their mobile phones while behind the wheel of a car, it would seem that some motorists still aren’t being deterred from breaking this particular law.

New research from Co-op Insurance has just revealed that 16 per cent of drivers in the UK admit that they’ve used their phones while driving since the law was changed back in March. As of the 1^st, those caught using their phones at the wheel could be given six penalty points and a £200 fine.

But it seems as though these penalties aren’t harsh enough to put people off using their phones while driving. The study found that of those who say they have used their phones since the law change, 71 per cent made phone calls and 27 per cent sent texts to friends and family – with 16 per cent saying they didn’t know the law had been changed.

And it’s not just texting and making phone calls either that have people using their gadgets at the wheel. Some 17 per cent say they Snapchat while driving and 14 per cent say they scroll through Instagram.

Head of products James Hillon said: “We’ve welcomed the penalty change as we believe that anything that may lead to safer roads and thus communities in the UK can only be a good thing.

“However it’s still concerning that since the law change on 1^st March, a sixth of drivers have used their phones whilst driving. Using a mobile phone whilst driving can seriously impact a motorist’s ability to drive safely, so we’d strongly advise drivers to lock their phones away in glove compartments when driving.”

If you do still use a mobile phone at the wheel of your car, be aware that police around the UK are now starting to use unmarked lorries and other vehicles to patrol major roads in the country so they can catch people using their phones while driving.

Officers have been out and about in HGVs, as the elevated position in the cabin of such trucks makes it much easier for them to spot offenders. Unmarked police motorbikes are also being deployed to help tackle this problem – and these are surely to prove effective in the fight against mobile phone use while driving since they can weave in and out of standing traffic to see who’s on their phone.

Because of this crackdown, it’s vital you remember that it is illegal to use phones while driving or riding a motorbike, unless you have hands-free access like voice command, a dashboard holder or a Bluetooth headset. And remember that this law will still apply even if you’re stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or supervising a learner driver.

If you’re using a hands-free kit, make sure you’re always in full control of your vehicle as the police can still stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted. This could result in a prosecution.

Looking for new alloy wheels for Ferraris? Get in touch with us today.

If you’ve got a motor of which you’re really proud, it can sometimes be tempting – when you’ve got room to let your horsepower loose – to really let your alloy wheels fly on the road. However, with speeding laws changing in just over a month’s time, you really need to think twice before putting your foot down.

Currently, if you’re caught speeding, you’ll find yourself with a fine ranging from £100 to £1000 and 3 points on your licence – not to be sniffed at, but the stakes could soon be much higher. From April 24th, speeding motorists could potentially be charged up to 175 per cent of their weekly salary, depending on the severity of the offence.

According to The Daily Express, the new system is separated into three bands. Band A is for an offence between one and 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, B is 11 to 21 miles per hour over the limit and band C is 21 miles per hour over the limit or above.

At present, it’s thought that band A offences will range from around 25 per cent to 75 per cent of a weekly wage, band B 100 per cent of a weekly salary and C up to 175 per cent.

The system is far more complex than the current one, which has a fixed penalty no matter the offence, so why change it? Well there are several ideas behind the reform of charging speeding motorists.

The new rules add levels of severity to speeding offences – whereas before you’d be fined the same.

For example, doing 38 miles per hour in a 30 zone compared to doing 60 miles per hour in a 30 zone – the latter is a much more antisocial and dangerous offence than the former and the government believes it should be fined as such.

The way in which the fines have been increased also looks to not caste band A as minor offences – as these can carry the same fines as the current charges. Rather, they have created a hierarchy upwards to make the worst offences punished as such.

One reason you might think to set a fee depending on weekly salary is to penalise big earners to whom a £1,000 fine is relatively insignificant – after all, those people are much more likely to drive fast cars, so potentially more likely to hit band C offences. However, the change in law has been criticised for affected rich drivers less than poorer ones.

That’s because these fines still have a limit – for band A offences that sits at £1,000 – the current maximum – while for maximum band C fines, the limit is £2,500.

Much like the well publicised enforcement of the new rules to do with using a mobile behind the wheel, these changes are sure to make headline news after the changes are brought into affect on the 24th April. Make sure you’re not one of the first to be on the receiving end and save your pennies for a brand new set of alloy wheels for you prized car instead.

The Peugeot 3008 model has been named as Car of the Year 2017 by a jury of experts at the Geneva Motor Show this week.

In total, 58 journalists from 22 European countries made up the jury, which whittled down the options to seven finalists for the title.

The other cars in the running were the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Citroen C3, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Nissan Micra, Toyota C-HR and Volvo S90/V90.

However, it was the Peugeot that emerged the winner, with the jury looking at value for money, innovation, security and design when making their decision.

Hakan Matson, president of the jury, commented: “The jury recognises that the market share of SUVs and crossover cars has been steadily increasing. The Peugeot is a worth winner.”

This is the first time that an SUV has been awarded the coveted Car of the Year prize at the motor show.

Peugeot launched the new 3008 model at the beginning of 2017 and it has picked up numerous awards since then. Among its features are the state-of-the-art Peugeot i-Cockpit interior layout, which the company claims provides a “more intuitive and engaging driving experience”.

Within this i-Cockpit are a multi-function steering wheel, a 12.3” head up digital instrument display and an 8.0” capacitive touchscreen.

A recent review of the model in the Guardian described the SUV as “refined, resourceful and alluring”.

You could always make your Peugeot 3008 look even more special by investing in alloy wheels for the car once you’ve picked it up from the forecourt.

With the UK braced to experience a cold snap as we move into March, now is the ideal time to make sure you know how to drive safely in icy and snowy conditions.

Firstly, you need to make sure your vehicle is in good condition before you set off. Top up the screenwash, check your tyre pressures and check that all your lights are working.

Once you set off, you need to remember that when the roads are icy, the grip of your tyres is significantly reduced, and therefore your braking distance will be considerably longer. Make sure you leave a larger gap than normal between your vehicle and the one in front to stay safe.

Keeping your driving smooth – so that’s in terms of acceleration, braking and gear changes – will help avoid any skids, and don’t worry about driving in a higher gear than usual if this helps you improve your car’s grip on packed ice.

Of course, in the UK wintry weather also often means windy weather and that brings its own challenges.

The RAC recently offered some top tips if you’re setting out on a drive in very windy conditions, which include making sure you have supplies in case your journey takes longer than expected, and to carefully plan your journey.

Other top tips include driving more slowly than usual and to be aware of the effect strong winds can have on the handling of your car. Remember that winds gust, so be prepared for sudden blasts of wind, rather than a consistent wind that you can easily anticipate.

If you’re thinking of adding alloy wheels to your car, contact us to find out what we offer.

Driving can be a really pleasurable experience and something that many people absolutely love to do. But the state of the roads in the UK can often make it more like a nightmare than anything else, as the last thing you want to do is cause damage to your car as you bob along.

Potholes can be found absolutely everywhere and they can cause untold damage to a vehicle, whether it’s to the tyres, wheels, the steering wheel centring, the tracking or something else. Hitting a pothole at higher speed can cause serious problems and you could even lose control of the car and have an accident if you’re really unlucky – so if you do see a pothole, do all you can to avoid it or drive over it as slowly as you can.

Last year’s Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance survey revealed that the total amount spent in England and Wales in 2015 on filling potholes across each region was estimated to be just over £118 million. This compares to the £144 million spent filling them in the year before – which suggests that pothole problems are only going to increase for drivers in the future.

So what do you do if your car is damaged by a pothole? Your first call to action should be to report it, so that it can be logged officially and your local council has an obligation to get it fixed. Warranty Direct recently set up a dedicated site to help with this (potholes.co.uk), or you could go with fillthathole.org.uk – either one will help you get the ball rolling. Alternatively, you could just get in touch with your local council directly.

However, bear in mind that if you do drive over a pothole and your car sustains serious damage, you could have a claim against the authority that’s responsible for keeping the roads in good condition.

While the pothole problem in the UK doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon, there may well be a change in the air. According to the Daily Telegraph, the Court of Appeal has just ruled that councils should be forced to fix potholes immediately after jogger Lee Crawley tripped on a deep pothole while out running and was unable to bear weight on his ankle for ten days.

Barnsley Council argued that it wasn’t to blame because it took all reasonable care in the circumstances to make sure the highway in question wasn’t dangerous. But Mr Crawley claimed that the authority’s breach of duty and negligence directly caused his injury.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how this pans out and whether councils around the UK do start to fix potholes in a more timely manner. We’ll be keeping an eye on this story for any developments and let you know what goes on!

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