Cars and Driving

Don’t forget you can reclaim your car tax after your vehicle is scrapped! After all, you pay tax and insurance to keep your vehicle on the road so it would be silly to keep paying it when your vehicle no longer exists. If you have sent your vehicle to be scrapped and you’ve pre-paid your tax, then you can reclaim your tax! You will be entitled to a refund of any funds still held by the DVLA….and let’s face it, everybody loves a refund!

The good news is, it’s actually pretty easy to do. Easy, I hear you say?….to get money back? Well, yes, it is. As long as you have followed procedure and scrapped your vehicle with a reputable company, it’s a piece of cake.

When you scrap your vehicle with a reputable dealer, you will get a Certificate of Destruction. This is a legal document to demonstrate that all legal procedures have been followed by both you and the scrap metal dealer. When you find a company to scrap your vehicle, make sure you ask about the CoD up-front.

When you are given your CoD, the DVLA are automatically notified and you will be refunded any tax that you are entitled to. Simple. If you are paying your tax by Direct Debit, they will cancel them. As a side note, it’s probably best not to stop Direct Debit payments before DVLA have officially recognised your vehicle as being scrapped, it could be more hassle than it’s worth.

Refunds are only applied to FULL months of tax remaining. You will not receive a refund for any outstanding days or weeks. That’s why it is important that DVLA are notified straight away to avoid missing out on any cash.

NEVER scrap your vehicle without receiving a CoD. If you have scrapped your vehicle and not yet received a CoD….make sure you are chasing it! It is legal proof that your vehicle has been destroyed and not sold. Without a CoD, your vehicle could still be registered to you and you could still be liable for any accidents or traffic fines etc.

Maintaining a car can be a costly exercise – but there are way that you can cut your driving bill for the year. Find out how in this blog.

We have sourced 5 of the best money-saving tips from MoneySaving Expert to help you reduce your bills:

1. Don’t assume third party cover is cheapest

The minimum level of cover to legally drive on the road is known as ‘third party’ insurance – a specific type of insurance that covers you for any damage to another vehicle (or property). It also protects passengers in your car and the public, but doesn’t give fire or theft cover.

It used to be the cheapest type of cover, but bizarrely, fully comprehensive policies can be cheaper for some. This is because selecting fully comp may mean you’re considered a lower risk profile.

Always make sure you get quotes for third party and fully comprehensive. Remember with third party, you and your car aren’t covered for loss or damage.

To get max quotes at speed, check comparison sites and that the policy’s right and see if cashback’s available. Always check your policy, so you know exactly what you are and aren’t covered for in the event of a claim.

2. Use hidden MOT centres for fewer fails

Regular MOTs are a must for any vehicle. Yet as their maximum cost is fixed at £54.85 for cars, it’s not the test fee but repairing the fails which often makes the biggest dent.

If you’ve had problems with dealerships in the past, council-run MOT centres generally don’t do repairs, so they’ve no vested interest to fail you.

3. Don’t buy premium fuels for standard cars

Many petrol stations sell ‘high performance’ fuels, yet there’s little or no performance difference for most standard cars. So for an easy saving, don’t fill up with the super fuels unless you’ve a sports car that you’ve been advised will actually use the petrol correctly.

The AA says that for most, high performance fuels are too pricey for regular use. But if you’re keen, it suggests using three tankfuls in a row to keep the engine clean and efficient, then reverting to normal fuel, as the engine may benefit from the fancy fuel’s extra detergents.

It also says using good quality engine oil helps to make your car’s engine last longer and can give better fuel consumption, so it’s worth using the recommended type of engine oil for your car if you can.

4. Time your MOT right

Your car needs an MOT when it’s three years old (four years in NI), then once a year after. Yet timing is crucial.

Get a test in the month before the current certificate ends and the new one will expire exactly a year from the original’s end date (the earliest date you can do this is printed on your test certificate).

But get it tested more than a month before the MOT’s due and it’ll expire exactly a year later, meaning you lose out.

5. Learn DIY car maintenance

Why pay for basic repairs and car maintenance when you could do them yourself? The time and effort spent learning how to fix and look after your car could also prevent more serious problems happening down the line, saving you even more dosh.

Of course, if you’re ever in doubt then seek professional advice, but if you’re keen to learn for yourself then check with your local council, as well as nearby colleges, to see if they are running any cheap car maintenance courses.

Making sure that your car health is as robust as it can be should be a priority for every driver. And at Recycle Motors, we want to make sure you have the best driving experience possible.

Use our checklist below, and make sure you get the most from your vehicle:

CAR HEALTH – WEEKLY

Check the condition of your tyres

Study the tyre’s sidewalls. This is the area visible on the side of the tyres. If there is any damage to the tyre beyond light scratching (such as cracking), ask a garage to inspect it.

Check the tread depth along the area of the tyre that comes into contact with the road.

Check your tyre pressures

Do this when the tyres are cold and the car is on a level surface.

The correct pressures will be in the manufacturer’s handbook or, sometimes, printed on a sticker
inside the fuel filler flap.

If the pressures are low, pump the tyre to the correct level using a foot pump or compressor. If they
are too high, gently let the air out by depressing the little brass nib inside the valve.

CAR HEALTH – FORTNIGHTLY

Check your oil

Switch off the engine and leave the car to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Locate the dipstick, remove it and wipe it clean to get rid of any unwanted oil deposits. Put it back in
the engine, wait for a moment or two, then remove it again and check the level.

The correct level will be shown by two marks on the dipstick. A satisfactory level of oil will be
somewhere between the two marks, but ideally closer to the maximum mark.

If you need to top up the oil, you must locate the oil filler cap, which is separate from the dipstick.

CAR HEALTH – MONTHLY

Check your brake fluid

First, find the brake fluid reservoir – your handbook will tell you where it is (usually on the engine
bulkhead, to one side of the engine).

Identify how the brake fluid level is measured – either by a mark on the reservoir indicating the level it
should be filled to, or by a dipstick under the lid.

If the fluid is slightly below the minimum level, top it up by pouring brake fluid in up to the indicated
level.

If you discover that the fluid level is significantly below the indicated level, do not attempt to drive the
car under any circumstances. Call for breakdown recovery.

Check coolant levels

Find the plastic radiator expansion tank – this is where you’ll top up your coolant. When the car is
cold, locate the mark on the plastic tank that shows the minimum coolant level.

If it needs topping up, slowly remove the cap (remember, only ever do this when the car is cold) and
fill the tank to the required level with water and the correct concentration of anti-freeze for the time
of year.

Don’t forget to add anti-freeze, as this stops the water expanding in very cold conditions and
potentially cracking your engine block.

If your car requires regular top-ups, it almost certainly means there is a leak somewhere. You’ll need
to take your car to a garage to get this fixed.

Check your washer fluid levels and windscreen wipers

Locate the water container for the washer jets.

There is no need to be precise with fluid levels here – just fill the tank with the correct concentration
of water and screen wash (the label on the bottle will tell you what concentration to use).

If your wipers smear the screen, try wiping them with a cloth doused in a mixture of vinegar and
water.

If the wipers still smear the screen, buy new wiper blades.

Check your lights

There are a few things you need to do to ensure your lights are operating correctly. The obvious one
is to make sure they are clean, but there’s more.

For example, check that none of the bulbs have blown – switch the ignition on and look at all the lamps.
With your headlights turned on, check the sidelights, dipped beam and full beam. Get someone to help
you check your brake lights.

Also, ensure there are no cracks in the lenses, or that there’s no water inside.

Source:What Car

 

When the temperature drops and your car won’t start it’s more often than not an issue with your car battery. Find out how to remedy the situation with this RAC article.

Cold, damp weather can play havoc on batteries as vehicle electrical systems have to work a lot harder at this time of year and starter motors require all the current they can get to start the engine on these cold mornings. With more and more vehicle equipment demanding electricity this is more of a problem than ever. We recommend checking and, if needs be, charging your battery at least once a week during the winter months, particularly if it is more than three years old.

Cold temperatures affect the chemical process inside the battery that produces and stores electricity, effectively slowing it down and reducing the battery’s ability to hold the charge. Older, weaker batteries will typically already have reduced performance and cold temperatures will often drastically reduce this further, to the point where the battery will discharge or go flat very quickly.

Remember to:

• Switch off all loads including lights, wipers,  heater etc before switching off your engine at the end of your journey  This prevents any unnecessary drain on the battery the next time you start up. Check that everything is switched off before turning the ignition on
• Avoid using heaters, heated screens and heated seats for longer than you have to as they all put high demands on the vehicle’s battery. Some satnavs, in-car DVD players and iPods can also drain the battery if left connected
• Check that there are no interior lights, including boot lights, left on or any accessories such as phone chargers  left connected
• Park your vehicle in a garage whenever possible
• Get your battery tested, particularly if it is over three years old

And, sometimes it can be difficult just getting into your car. These two tips could save you some much-needed time:

• Use a little silicone-based furniture polish on the rubber door seals – it helps prevent doors getting stuck when it freezes. It’s best to apply with a cloth so you don’t spray polish on to the vehicle’s paintwork
• If locks are frozen, try warming your key. You could also inject the lock with the appropriate anti-freeze or spray it with WD40

You stop dead in your tracks. You’ve seen your dream car, gleaming and shiny – a brand new model sitting proudly in the dealership forecourt. 

But with such an important transaction, you need to use your brain, and not just listen to your heart. And the brain will tell you that if you want a smart financial investment, you should look elsewhere.

That’s because new cars tend to depreciate rapidly – almost immediately after purchase. The worst case scenario is that you’ll be unable to sell the vehicle for anywhere near the amount of money you originally paid for it. A costly move.

For a more reliable financial investment, choose a used car instead.

Depreciation works in your favour when you buy second-hand. As cars lose value so quickly, you’ll be able to find relatively new, used models at great prices. This could save you thousands – but how do you make sure you get a good deal?

Four essential tips when buying a used car

When you come to buy your used car, you’ll need to make sure you:

1. Shop around and take your time. Don’t become pressured into a transaction.

2. Take a look online for sales comparisons of the type of car you’d like. You’ll get a much better idea of how much you can expect to pay.

3. Avoid the temptation of simply buying a used car without having had the opportunity to examine the vehicle in closer detail. Make sure you carry out a thorough visual inspection of any car before you go ahead and buy it.

4. Take it for a test drive as well. This should help you get a better idea of whether you want to make the commitment.

For further tips, check out the AA’s comprehensive list here.