MOTORISTS UNDER PRESSURE TO PUMP-UP FOR THE SUMMER

Dynamic Vehicle Solutions is urging motorists to adjust their tyre pressures if they plan to travel with a heavy load this summer, in a season which is expected to see more Briton’s pack their cars for a holiday on home shores than in previous years.

Family cars jammed with people, suitcases and pets are expected to peak in the last week of July, once schools break-up, with Dynamic Vehicle Solutions warning that few drivers are likely to have adjusted their tyre pressures to suit the additional weight their cars are carrying.

"If you are carrying a full load of passengers with luggage or will be towing a caravan or trailer, tyre pressures must be increased in line with the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. It’s a simple five minute job, but from our experience, the majority of drivers don’t bother" said a Dynamic Vehicle Solutions spokesman

“Few people realise that it is the air inside a tyre which carries the weight of the vehicle and its load, not the tyre itself, hence nearly every car has two recommended pressure settings – one for ‘normal’ use and a higher figure for full loads. Driving a fully laden car on tyres inflated to the normal setting will severely compromise handling and mean stopping distances increase dramatically. It will also see tyre wear rise and punctures will be more likely,”

Adjusting tyre pressures is a simple job using your own pressure gauge and compressor. To find the correct pressure for your tyres, motorists should check the vehicle handbook – in some cars pressures are also displayed on a sticker inside the fuel filler flap or driver’s door. Pressures should be checked when the tyre is cold, such as when the vehicle has been driven less than a mile or at least an hour after driving. It is essential that pressures are re-set to the normal setting at the end of the trip.

New Vauxhall Astra Breaks Cover

These are the first official images of the new, British-built Vauxhall Astra, which will debut as a five-door hatchback at this September’s Frankfurt Show and will appear in UK showrooms at the end of the year.

Marking the sixth generation of Astra in 30 years, the new car’s design team was led by Mark Adams, the British designer responsible for last year’s European Car of the Year-winning Vauxhall Insignia.

With its strong, cab-forward silhouette, steeply-raked windscreen and sloping rear roofline, the new Astra makes ingenious use of many of the design features found in the Insignia, but in a fresh and innovative way. Also like the Insignia, it has spent over 600 hours in the wind tunnel, benefiting performance, economy and overall refinement.



“We’re continuing with the same premium design cues as the Insignia, inside and out of the car,” said Adams, Vice President of GM Europe Design. “However, the main design themes, like the wing-shaped light signatures and the blade, needed an individual execution to avoid ‘cloning’ the model ranges. This is why, for instance, you see twin wings in the rear lights and a reversed blade on its flanks.”

Underpinning the Astra’s rakish, 4.4 metre-length body, is an all-new chassis with a 71 millimetre-longer wheelbase, benefiting both passenger comfort and packaging. Wider tracks front and rear feature, as does a new rear axle design, which not only improves stability and agility, but takes the Astra’s ride comfort into a different league.



Enhancing the Astra’s dynamic performance still further is the option of Vauxhall’s clever FlexRide system, a rarity in this sector which offers drivers three unique damper settings – standard, sport and tour – while being fully adaptive to changes in driving style and cornering speed.

Pictures of the new Astra’s interior will be released soon, but in the meantime expect similar strides in quality to those found in the Insignia, combined with big improvements in packaging, seat design and in-cabin storage. Mark Adams’ unique wrap-round dash treatment will also appear in the Astra, but with a different take on that found in the Insignia.



Unique in this sector will be the Astra’s optional, latest generation AFL (Adaptive Forward Lighting), which features bi-xenon lighting that changes its intensity and reach to suit prevailing road conditions. A similar system was introduced on the Insignia, and is now recognised as one of the most advanced systems available.

The highlight of the new Astra’s powertrain line-up is the introduction of an all-new, 140PS turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol unit, which builds on Vauxhall’s commitment to engine downsizing and reduced emissions/fuel consumption, while retaining the performance of a larger capacity vehicle. The 1.4T joins three further petrol engines, which range from 100PS to 180PS, and four diesel engines ranging from 95PS to 160PS. All engines are Euro 5 compliant.

“The only part of the Astra which isn’t new is its name,” said Andy Gilson, Vauxhall’s Marketing Director. “And that name currently accounts for around 30 per cent of all Vauxhall’s car sales, with the five-door hatch taking 60 per cent of those sales alone – so it’s important to lead with this body style. Not only is the Astra a crucial new model for Vauxhall, but we’re confident that its blend of dynamic design, new-to-class technology and immense driver appeal will attract an even broader spectrum of buyers in this sector.”

For further information on the New Astra or on any model in the Vauxhall range please contact one of the sales team at Dynamic Vehicle Solutions on 0845 40 80 321 or visit http://www.dynamicvehiclesolutions.co.uk/

Car scrappage scheme 'unpopular'

There is growing evidence that the government's forthcoming scheme to scrap hundreds of thousands of old cars is not that popular with motorists.

A new survey suggests most people who have studied the scrappage scheme have decided not to take advantage of it.

Researchers from car price guide Parker's questioned 600 people online.

It found that 70% of respondents said the scheme was not generous enough, and overall 81% said they would not be taking advantage of it.

The scrappage scheme starts on 18 May. If your car is at least 10 years old you can scrap it, in return for a substantial discount on a new car.

The government will provide a £1,000 subsidy for each car purchased, and manufacturers will provide at least a similar amount.

But Kieren Puffet, the editor of Parker's Guide, said many motorists have managed to find much larger discounts under existing deals.

"They're massively disappointed," he said. "They were hoping for a lot more from the government."

Julia Smith, who lives in Basingstoke in Hampshire, is one of those who initially thought the scheme would be useful, but has since decided against it. She was going to scrap her 13-year-old Volvo, and buy a new one instead.

With the scrappage scheme discounts, a brand new Volvo would have cost her in the region of £21,000. But she then found exactly the same model with less than 10,000 miles on the clock for £17,000. A saving of £4,000 proved irresistible.

"In practice this scheme is just not working," she says. "I think it just hasn't been thought through terribly well."

The car industry had lobbied the government to pay a subsidy of £2,000 per car, rather than just £1,000. A similar scheme in Germany was launched back in December, and the government there pays the larger amount. Unlike the British plan, it also includes cars up to one year old.

Paul Everitt, of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, is lukewarm about the UK scheme.

"We've been dealt the cards that we have," he said. "Our job now is to make the best of it."

But the government says motorists still stand to make savings through the scheme.

Gareth Thomas, the consumer affairs minister, said: "I don't think this will be a flop. But you're right to say there are good deals in the market already."

Motorists are already able to save £'000s on new vehicle leasing costs by using one of the UK's fastest growing contract hire and leasing companies, Dynamic Vehicle Solutions. For details of all their latest offers visit www.dynamicvehiclesolutions.co.uk

New regulations for PSV's

Automatic speed limiters could be fitted to hundreds of taxis, buses and council vehicles to prevent them from breaking the speed limit.

A major trial by Transport for London will see the technology, which is called Intelligent Speed Asaptation (ISA), tested throughout London this summer.

The device works using satellite tracking and a digital road map to detect the road's speed limit. It then prevents the driver from being able to accelerate once the speed limit has been reached, and automatically slows the vehicle if the driver fails to slow down on entering a lower limit zone.

As well as the automatic limiting, the device also features an advisory setting, which is less intrusive and simply uses audio warnings to inform the driver of the speed limits and whether the they are keeping within them.

If successful, the technology could become available for private motorists as early as next year, a move which has concerned motoring organisations.

Transport for London's six-month trial will include a London bus, taxi and 20 cars from road engineers, traffic managers and highway maintenance. They claim that if two-thirds of London's drivers used the devices, the number of road casualties in the capital could be reduced by up to 10 percent.

Easter Motoring Tips from Dynamic Vehicle Solutions

It’s Easter bank holiday and motorists can expect the roads to be packed as millions set off to enjoy the long weekend break.

1. Check the vehicle is safe: Top up the oil, water and brake fluids, check the tyre pressure and ensure lights and windscreen wipers work.

2. Plan the journey: Don’t rely on the sat nav; always have a map handy, check travel advice websites such as www.highways.gov.uk, www.trafficscotland.org, www.traffic-wales.com and tune in to traffic alerts on the radio.

3. Keep children occupied: Bored children tend to make more noise, distracting the driver. Taking some things to occupy the children such as pencils or books can help – and electronic games are great if the volume is muted! Have some easy to play games ready – petrol stations often supply children’s activity packs for free.

4. Breaks: The Department for Transport recommends that drivers take a break every two hours; anything longer and motorists’ concentration can drop and children become restless. But avoid paying Motorway service area prices for food and fuel by stocking up before you leave.

5: Strap them in: Children will need to be restrained in a suitable child restraint. More information about child restraints can be found on www.dft.gov.uk

Happy Easter!

Important changes to the taxation of company cars

From 1st April, the rules surrounding the taxation of company cars have changed, affecting every company that buys, owns or leases a fleet of vehicles. This is the biggest change to affect company car tax since 2002.

At Dynamic Vehicle Solutions we’ve been working with customers over the past few months to implement changes to their fleet policies, but we understand that this is a complex issue and that many companies have yet to take action.

Under the new rules, the purchase price of the car will not determine the taxation treatment; instead it will move to an emissions based system. This will make it more tax-efficient to buy or lease a car emitting 160 g/km or less and more expensive to buy or lease one that emits 161 g/km or more.

The proportion of the finance cost disallowable under corporate car tax calculations will also change to being emissions-based.

Under the old tax regime, the lease rental restriction meant that the benefits of leasing cars reduced the more expensive the vehicle. The new regime will make leasing cheaper on low-emitting vehicles, but those emitting 161 g/km or more will often become more expensive regardless of the funding method because you’ll pay more tax in the early years.

However, vehicles with emissions over 161g/km CO2 which cost in excess of £20,000 will generally have a lower after-tax cost when compared to the previous rules. This is because the level of costs disallowable under tax has changed from a sliding scale to a flat rate of 15%.

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to review your business car strategy to ensure that you take advantage of the new tax regime and to make sure you continue to run your fleet in the most cost efficient way. Many customers have been preparing for this change for months, but we’re aware that many haven’t. This will have such an impact on vehicle taxation that it’s important that our customers understand how this will affect them and are prepared for the changes it will bring.

We recommend that you pay particular attention to cars costing more than £12,000 - termed as ‘expensive cars’ under previous tax rules - to see whether the costs of these would become more or less favourable under the new regime.

For further advice or to find out how Dynamic Vehicle Solutions can help you understand these changes visit them at www.dynamicvehiclesolutions.co.uk or call them on 0845 40 80 321

THE BRILLIANT NEW FORD MONDEO ESTATE

As observed by Anthony ffrench-Constant.

Only when a relationship has been running for a good few years does a couple settle into that gently contented, bickering familiarity that sees the same old arguments resurfacing on a regular basis.

Frantically trying to behave like grown-ups, the future ex-Mrs ff-C and I have almost learned to avoid the most dangerous topics. For instance, her attitude to a new recipe's list of ingredients being somewhat cavalier, a good deal of scrapping is now side-stepped by the simple expedient of never occupying the kitchen at the same time.

Similarly, a grass cutting rota has become unnecessary since the missus so conveniently demonstrated her complete inability to start the new mower, much as good fortune has blessed me with a lack of the relevant musculature necessary to retrieve dirty clothes from the bedroom floor...



Indeed, aside from the issue of whether the household ranks really need to be further swelled by the inclusion of a dog, pretty much the only bone of contention that remains is that of packing the car.

Now, I might have to admit to being a tad obsessional about car packing, having inherited my father's capacity to be driven quietly yet absolutely insane by 350 miles of something miscellaneous rattling somewhere in the car. Nonetheless, I fail to understand how someone who regularly chastises me for not folding shirts sufficiently tidily into a suitcase can still leave the back of an estate looking as if it has been loaded, from a considerable distance, by a large catapult...

Yes, we've been on 'holiday' in Cornwall again. There's nothing quite like a fortnight huddled against the rain in a holiday cottage to make you wake up one morning and realise that, suddenly, you're simply running a creche with someone you used to go out with. In fact, it was nothing like a fortnight. The rain proved utterly relentless and there are only so many jigsaws a grown man can do, so, smiling for the first time in over a week, we came home early.

Rain aside, the only downside to holiday cottages is that you have to take absolutely everything with you, from books, beach toys and favoured DVDs to a couple of sharp kitchen knives and the Lea and Perrins. But whereas the missus would happily tuck 50 or 60 individual items from the larder willy-nilly among the cases, as if preparing a giant luggage casserole for the oven, I have an aversion to the sound of breaking glass every time I lift the tailgate - especially if it's the Cote du Rhone - so invariably have to take everything out and start again.



Happily, the Mondeo Estate's loadspace is so vast and blissfully flat that, with a bit of head-scratching, it is possible to cram an entire fortnight's luggage on board and still leave enough clear air for a decent view astern.

However, while self-levelling suspension does see to it that the car doesn't subsequently spend the next five hours adopting the attitude of a jet leaving the runway, something strange does happen when you load a Mondeo Estate's even three-quarters full...

Even though I really didn't notice the extra weight overmuch from the driving perspective, and the car appeared to be more or less as level as it would have been empty, I became increasingly baffled by the clearly perceptible vibration of the rear bonnet lip, just above the windscreen wipers. A deal of manful pressing proves this panel to be mighty rigid at this point - positively inflexible actually. So I can only imagine the motorway-speed forces at work powerful enough to set it flapping like bunting in a gale.

Is it that even a slight change in nose attitude elicits a sudden increase in airflow under the bonnet within the engine bay? This seems unlikely. All answers gratefully received...

This thorny little problem aside, the Mondeo estate has proved itself a formidable long-haul weapon. My slight misgivings about the re-installation of the driver's seat aside, it's superbly comfortable and quiet when cruising and, despite not being as high-riding as the Land Rover Discovery it has replaced, itstill manages to afford the children a good enough all-round view out to stave off feelings of claustrophobia or car sickness.

And, of course, it's still good to drive. The constant, politely muted chatter of road-surface information coming through the helm and the seat of the pants, allied to a crisp turn-in and outstanding body control, make for entertaining handling despite the presence of the extra weight in the back.

In the interests of even occasional, en-route silence, I still regret not having specified a rear seat DVD system, but the cat's cradle of wiring procured to run the iPod proved an eminently sensible purchase, and the missus solved the open glovebox conundrum by simply slamming it shut on the offending wire, to no ill effect.



There's nothing quite like a proper journey to highlight storage deficiencies, and, after the Discovery, it must be said that the Mondeo Estate could seriously benefit from a few more handy bins about the cabin. With the glovebox full of CDs, cupholders full of phones and the centre arm rest box full of God knows what, the last place I want to stow the other half of the Fruit and Nut is the door pockets, which cunningly contrive to be too deep for ready retrieval, yet too shallow to do something really useful, like hold a road map.

Come to think of it, when did any of us last drive a car boasting a decent road map pocket? No, the back of the front seat's no good unless you want to simultaneously pull a muscle and crash while retrieving it. Doesn't it just always end up getting quietly trashed, slotted between the passenger seat and the transmission tunnel?

Manufacturers would argue that, armed with satellite navigation, you don't need a road atlas. This is bunk: when it comes to planning a long, we-really-must-do-something-rather-than-just-sit-here exploration of uncharted Cornish territory in the teeming rain, sat nav simply can't cut the mustard.

Come to think of it, after this summer, neither can I.

With residual values of vehicles plummeting those in the know are now turning to Leasing and Contract Hire as the preferred method of acquiring their next vehicle.

With most of the large UK banks and financial institutions now offering a car leasing alternative it falls to consumers to scan the market for the very best new car offers before making their choice. The alternative is to use a Contract Hire and Leasing Broker who operates in the same way that an insurance broker would.

The fastest growing Contract Hire and Leasing broker in the UK is Dynamic Vehicle Solutions and their team of experienced professionals who will not only locate the best manufacturer prices being offered in the marketplace but can match these with the most advantageous finance rates.

For further advice or to find out how Dynamic Vehicle Solutions can help you find a Ford Mondeo Estate at the right price visit them at www.dynamicvehiclesolutions.co.uk or call them on 0845 40 80 321

This article first appeared on www.channel4.com on 17th October 2008