All posts by Graham

How will the 2017 Budget affect motorists?

Tax and Legislation News

On 8 March, Chancellor Phillip Hammond announced significant changes that will affect UK motorists in the 2017 Budget. Below we list all of the changes and how this may affect you:

Fuel Duty
Fuel Duty has been frozen under Theresa May’s Tory government, which making it the 8th consecutive year without a change. Fuel Duty is currently at 57.95p per litre with the Treasury receiving a further 20% through VAT.

Vehicle Excises Duty
There are no changes to Vehicle Excise Duty which comes into force on 1 April.  Read our previous blog post on what VED means for you here.

Clearer terms and conditions
The government has also announced a crackdown on dubious and unclear terms and conditions on finance and insurance contracts to protect consumers against unexpected fees.

Road improvements
The chancellor has made £90m available for the North and £23m for the Midlands to fund transport projects. £690m has been made available to local authorities to improve congestion in urban development areas. The chancellor made no comment on the poor condition the roads are in.

Investment in automotive
Hammond announced £270m to keep Britain at the forefront of disruptive technology, on for example driverless cars and robotics. This has been welcomed by industry experts since several car manufacturers are worried what will happen post Brexit.
What do you think of the 2017 budget?

CVSL congestion

10 reasons to fall in love with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV

Car news

This week we take a closer look at the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV!

  1. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has a very low Benefit-in-Kind rating of just 7% making this an appealing company car.
  2. The fuel economy is up to 166mpg – making this vehicle eco friendly
  3. A full charge at home can be done in just 5.5 hours and will only set you back £1.
  4. The interior is spacious and comfortable. Providing plenty of space for your passengers; both big and small.
  5. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is safe scoring five stars in crash-testing by Euro NCAP.
  6. When driving it feels like a conventional SUV whilst you are driving a plug-in Hybrid
  7. Mitsubishi claims that on just electricity alone you can drive 32 miles – making this car ideal for town driving.
  8. For Londoners, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is exempt from congestion charge.
  9. The boot has a stunning amount 463 litres of space despite the extra space taken up by the batteries.
  10. The Outlander comes with lots of handy gadgets such as reversing camera, Sat-Nav and is also equipped with 18 inch alloy wheels, climate control and keyless entry &

Taken your fancy? Order the Outlander today and receive a fitted home charger, allowing you to charge it at home in under just 4 hours.  For more information get in touch today.

Outlander-Commercial

5 reasons to choose a green vehicle in 2017

Car news

With the cost of fuel rising, more businesses are looking to use hybrid vehicles and plug-in vehicles, potentially saving thousands of pounds a year. Car manufacturers have heavily invested in electric and hybrid vehicles over recent years, improving their quality and range. Here is five reasons why you should consider a green vehicle in 2017:

  1. The cost of petrol and diesel has risen to an all-time high and expectations are that petrol prices are set to rise to 125p per litre by the end of February due to a weaker sterling and higher demand on oil. An electric or plug-in vehicle could save you £750 on average in fuel bills.
  2. Road Tax: with Vehicle Excise Duty being calculated on CO2 emissions from the first of April 2017 – electric vehicles and zero emission vehicles has never been more appealing.
  3. Garage bills: servicing and maintenance is on average £94 for a pure electric car in comparison to £400 for a diesel or petrol car.
  4. Local perks: councils across the UK are aiming to create better air quality and there are a variety of incentives in place to push businesses toward electric vehicles including not paying a congestion charge in London or free parking. Check with your local council and see what’s available in your area.
  5. Better for the environment: a recent survey highlighted that the UK’s air pollution levels are high and above the recommended level. This will inevitably endanger children and those with lung diseases. Driving a zero-emission car will help the environment and improve the air quality in your community.

Why not consider a Mitsubishi Outlander Estate?
Outlander-Commercial

Take a look at our Electric and Hybrid vehicles here and speak to us today for a quote.

Key lock jam crimes are on the rise

Car news

Motorists are warned to be careful as thieves have been using key lock jammers to prevent locking their car remotely.
The jamming devices, which can be bought online for as little as £50, will give the car thieves access to your car by interrupting the signal when trying to lock your car remotely. The thieves will wait in car parks for you to go and lock your car. You may return to the unpleasant surprise that you have been robbed of your valuables.  There have been several cases around the country involving cars, vans and lorries where laptops, tools, suitcases, wallets and money were stolen without any sign of breakage. The thefts often leave motorists vulnerable as insurers refuse to pay without any clear visible damage to the vehicle.

Tony Poole, director at CVSL says: ‘’It worries me to see that these crimes are on the rise. My advice to all motorists would be make sure to check that your car is locked, as well as keeping valuables out of sight. It also worth checking your insurance policies.’’
Car keys

See through the frost: de-icing your car windscreens this winter

Motoring Advice

The Christmas holidays are officially over, decorations have been taken down and many of us return back to work and early starts whilst it is blisteringly cold outside. The arrival of January, February and March mean de-icing your car windscreen becomes part of your early morning routine. We hear the sigh throughout the country as no-one really likes getting up 10 minutes earlier. In this post we lay out the reasons why you should de-ice your car’s windscreen and give you the best advice on how to do it.

In the Highway Code it advises motorists to check local weather forecasts for warnings of snow and/or ice and NOT to drive in these conditions unless this is necessary. Before setting off on your journey you are required by law to clear snow and ice from all of your windows – these must be completely clear so you have good visibility and are not endangering other road users. You are also obliged to clear mirrors, number plates, indicators and reflectors of snow and ice.

What’s the best way to de-ice your windscreens?
You should use an ice scraper (gloves to keep your hands warm are also ideal!) and/or some de-icer liquid. When using de-icing liquid start spraying at the top of the window, as this will allow the spray to go down.

When scraping, start from left to right making firm strokes across the whole window screen – the police won’t be impressed if you just scrape the drivers-side part of the window screen.

What not to do?
Never use boiling or hot water to melt the ice on your car window windscreen as this is likely to cause permanent damage.

Use bankcards or loyalty cards as it will take you a very long time to do a whole windscreen and you don’t want to risk missing out on those loyalty points the next time you try to redeem them!

Whacking up the heating and waiting for it to defrost is not very good for the environment or your wallet.

Turning on your car engine and going back inside to defrost your windows is a big No No– when switching on your engine you need be in your vehicle as you need to be in control of it. Also leaving your keys in the ignition whilst you make yourself a brew will make your car an attractive object for car theft.

Be sure to clear your car windscreen this winter and don’t endanger yourself or others.  Read our other winter travelling tips here.

frozen window CVSL