Whilst electric vehicles have seemingly obvious environmental benefits their running costs are more obscure. With traditional petrol and diesel vehicles the standardised MPG based on the urban cycle at least gives you an idea whether your car is going to be economical or not and allows you to compare different vehicles easily.

An equivalent cost per mile standard for electric cars has not yet been decided upon, making it difficult to compare hybrids, full electric and traditional fuel cars directly against one another. After all, electricity is not cheap and it has its own carbon footprint.

Charging loss means that you don’t know accurately how much electricity you are actually putting into the car nor how much of the car’s battery capacity is useable. Temperature can also play a part in the vehicle’s range. Then there is the variable rates payable for electricity depending upon your local supplier.

Taking all of these factors into account and computing a meaningful MPG comparison figure is not going to be easy but will have to be done to enable fair comparison of vehicles, rather than the current thinking that electric cars are always more efficient and better for the environment.

Posted in: Car News , General

Following the doom and gloom with July’s drop in UK car production comes a surprise jump with August seeing nearly 40% more cars produced. Commercial vehicle and engine production both also jumped significantly last month too.

However, car manufacturers are not complacent and this boost may be short lived if forthcoming government cuts bite hard and leave fewer people able to afford new cars. The total number of cars produced (77,882) is still significantly lower than the figures in 2008 and 2007.

Another worry for car manufacturers is the Government’s proposed immigration cap which could make it difficult for foreign companies operating car manufacturing plants in the UK to transfer in the highly skilled workers they need from their home countries.

More than three-quarters of UK produced vehicles are exported and demand remains high in developing world powers such as China and India, particularly for premium brands. UK sales have dipped following the scrappage scheme being withdrawn.

There are many bargains to be had on UK forecourts and the best advice is to shop around for your car and make sure you get the best deal on your car loan.

Posted in: Car Finance , Car News

Mark Webber leapt to the top of the Drivers Championship following his win at the Hungarian Grand Prix. His team, Red Bull, have now also taken the lead in the Constructors championship following their 1st and 3rd at the Hungaroring.

Starting from the front row of the grid a bad start led to Webber being in third place stuck behind Fernando Alonso and team-mate Sebastian Vettel. This forced the team to change strategy and when Vettel and Alonso pitted Webber remained out on track to try to build up a big enough lead to come out in first place when he eventually took his mandatory pit stop.

At this stage it still looked as though Vettel would be victorious as his car had been quickest from the start. However he was forced to take a drive through penalty for an incident behind the safety car and this, combined with being unable to pass Alonso, left the road to victory clear for Webber who built up enough of a gap to retain his lead to the end of the race.

Previous championship leader Lewis Hamilton was forced to end his race on lap 24 with a gearbox problem. His teammate Jenson Button, starting from 11th on the grid, never got into the race after losing position on the first lap and finished in 8th.

Michael Schumacher was penalized 10 grid places for the next Grand Prix by the race stewards after what was considered a dangerous manouevre against his previous teammate Rubens Barrichello. Barichello only just scraped past after being forced towards the pit wall but this did allow him to claim the last points position in 10th.

Full result (Top 10):

1. Webber.

2. Alonso.

3. Vettel.

4. Massa.

5. Petrov.

6. Hulkenberg.

7. De La Rosa.

8. Button.

9. Kobayashi.

10. Barrichello.

This result leaves the top 5 drivers in the Championship separated by only 20 points going into a 3 week break before resuming in Belgium (Spa) on the weekend 27th-29th August.

Posted in: Financial , Motorsport

It’s hard to believe that many people walk into a car showroom and pay the price advertised on the screen. Particularly in these times when car dealers are having to offer better and better deals to entice customers in.

But there are plenty of people doing just that. The amount of money being wasted runs into tens of millions due to consumers failing to haggle. Perhaps they are embarrassed to be seen as “penny pinchers” but the truth is we are talking more than pennies.

The average discount that can be obtained on a new car is around £1,700 according to What Car. Still don’t want to haggle? Just think what you could do with that extra money. It’s definitely better off in your pocket than the car dealers.

In the same way don’t just accept dealer finance without looking around for better options. Quite apart from the fact that dealer finance will tie you to the car until it’s paid off, it could be cheaper and easier to get an unsecured car loan via a specialist provider.

Having cash in your pocket in advance of your car purchase puts you in a great position to haggle. The car dealers want your money and will cut their prices accordingly. You get the best deal and if there’s money left over after your car has been bought it’s yours to keep.

Posted in: Car Finance , Car News , Financial

There are many different types of car finance and which one is best for you will depend upon your circumstances and where you are buying your vehicle from. Are you looking to buy a new car or a second hand one? If second hand is it from a car dealer or a private sale?

If you are buying a new or second hand car from a dealer it is very likely that you will be offered some form of car finance. If you have a good credit history and are considered a decent risk you could find they offer you a low rate. Be aware that if you secure car finance this way then you will be unable to sell or otherwise dispose of the car in the future without paying off the finance first.

For most people a better option is a car loan. These can be cheaper than the financing options and are always more flexible, allowing you to take extra cash and not limiting you to one particular car or dealer. If you arrange your car finance in advance you will be in a good position to get the best bargain on your chosen car.

If you are one of the many people with bad credit a car loan is also going to give you the best chance of acceptance. As specialist car loan providers carloans.co.uk has a number of lenders dealing specifically with car finance and credit, many of whom specialize in lending to applicants with less than exemplary credit histories.

Getting a car loan quote online with us is going to save you time and hopefully money too. Our quick enquiry form asks the bare minimum of questions in order for us to ascertain the best lender for your circumstances. It can be completed in a couple of minutes.

Once we have an idea of the best lender we will contact you for any more information they require and to talk you through the application process. We aim to make it easy for you to get car finance for any type of vehicle, not just cars, so if you are interested in purchasing commercial vehicles, motorhomes or any other form of transport get in touch with us.

Posted in: Car Finance , Financial

Fernando Alonso won the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim yesterday in a race dominated by the Ferraris. Teammate Felipe Massa was second with both cars occupying the first two positions most of the race after a stunning start overtaking pole sitter Sebastian Vettel.

However the result was subject to a great deal of controversy as Massa was leading for most of the race before being given what appeared to be a coded message to let his team mate past. The stewards certainly saw it that way as they fined Ferrari $100,000 (the maximum fine they could levy) for breaching sporting regulations. The placings remained unaltered.

Massa was suitably unimpressed, giving a very terse response to any questions relating to the incident at the press conference following the race. The Ferrari team insist the matter was a “drivers decision” but will not be contesting the stewards findings.

Vettel finished third in his home Grand Prix with the British McLaren duo of Hamilton and Button finishing fourth and fifth. They remain first and second in the Drivers championship although Alonso has now closed to within 34 points of leader Hamilton.

Full result (top 10):

1. Alonso.

2. Massa.

3. Vette.

4. Hamilton.

5. Button.

6. Webber.

7. Kubica.

8. Rosberg.

9. Schumacher.

10. Petrov.

The next F1 GP is at the Hungaroring in Hungary 1st August (next Sunday).

Posted in: Motorsport

Ford will be slashing the list price on its small and medium sized cars by up to 15% next month. Other manufacturers are expected to follow suit, particularly if Ford’s move starts to increase their market share.

New car sales have stalled since the end of the scrappage scheme leading to these new discounts. However, the actual price you end up paying may not be 15% less than previously. Ford’s idea is to make the purchase of a new car more transparent. Instead of a high list price and large discount being offered, the list price will be lower but so will discounts or special offers.

The need to shop around is still advocated by motoring organizations. Getting the best deal on a new car could save you hundreds of pounds, if not more. One of the best ways to do this is by being a cash purchaser, with the money available before you start negotiating.

We can provide you with car finance in the form of a personal loan in advance of any purchase. This allows you to get the best deal available in the market and if there’s any money left over it’s yours to keep. Get in touch for a free quotation.

Posted in: Car News , General

Are there companies out there offering genuine guaranteed car finance? We doubt it. The lending market has its limits and there are always going to be people with a history of failing to make payments that will be refused car finance. That’s the bad news.

The good news is that by utilizing a specialist car loans company like ourselves you are giving yourself the best possible chance of getting a car loan. We work with a number of lenders, both in the good credit and bad credit sectors. This allows us to place a good chunk of the applications made to us with a suitable lender.

We cannot guarantee that you will get the lowest available rate, particularly if you have a bad credit history, but we do work hard to get the best rate available for your individual circumstances.

We make it easy for everyone to apply for a car loan online with our simple application form. A couple of minutes is all it will take to fill out your details and see what we can offer you. We cannot guarantee your car finance but we will help wherever possible.

All circumstances are considered including people with ccjs, arrears and missed payments. We are a friendly, helpful company who will treat you as an individual. We have seen just about everything over the years in terms of credit problems and difficulties so we are not shocked but sympathetic to your needs.

Car finance is available for all types of vehicle including small cars, new cars, second hand cars, motorcycles, motorhomes, electric cars – any type of transport can be financed. We can even offer you extra cash from your loan to spend as you like.

Posted in: Car Finance , Financial , General

Dani Pedrosa won the German MotoGP at the Sachsenring on Sunday July 18th. Honda rider Pedrosa cut the gap at the top of the rider standings to 47 points by finishing ahead of his compatriot Jorge Lorenzo.

But the big news was Valentino Rossi’s return from injury, finishing an excellent 4th just six weeks after suffering a broken leg. He duelled with Casey Stoner for third place, swapping places a number of times before the Australian edged him out on the final lap.

The red flag was waved on lap 9 as three riders were eliminated following a nasty crash which left De Puniet with a fractured left tibia and fibula. A 30 minute break followed, effectively reducing the race by one-third distance.

Full result of the German Moto GP 2010:

1. Pedrosa.

2. Lorenzo.

3. Stoner.

4. Rossi.

5. Dovizioso.

6. Simoncelli.

7. Hayden.

8. Spies.

9. Barbera.

10. Melandri.

The next round is the United States Grand Prix from Monterey, California on Sunday 25th July. Result will be posted here next Monday.

Posted in: Motorsport

Electric cars are still to gain widespread acceptance amongst drivers with the low range on a full charge being one of the biggest hinderances. One of the less obvious problems with electric cars is the quietness of their engines.

This can cause serious problems for pedestrians, particularly blind and partially sighted ones, trying to judge how fast a car is approaching. The Department for Transport looking into the risks posed to vulnerable pedestrians by the quietness electric cars.

In Japan the government has proposed that all electric cars not only have to emit an engine like sound, but that this sound should increase in volume in line with driver acceleration. Sound from electric cars travels ahead of the vehicle but not upwards to surrounding buildings, helping pedestrians without troubling residents.

The opportunity to customise these sounds still further, with TV or film theme tunes for instance, has already been mooted, although it is unlikely to be adopted any time soon as it could confuse pedestrians. Regulations relating to electric car engine sounds are likely to be strict when they are first developed, although it might be possible for people to install the roar of a Bentley into their Ford Focus!

If you are looking to buy an electric car, silent or otherwise, don’t forget that Carloans.co.uk can finance ANY type of vehicle, from a Mini to a Range Rover, a motorcycle to a motorhome. Just complete our simple online enquiry form on our home page.

Posted in: Car News , General