With rough terrain a possible addition to the mix and multi-use functionality to take into account, there are many reasons why a pick-up can be the ideal answer to your driving needs, but what exactly should you be looking for when buying one?

Choosing the right one for you

When it comes to buying any motor vehicle, the amount of choice on offer can be quite confusing. There are many models of pick-up truck on the market, but they are certainly not all the same.

Some manufacturers are aiming for buyers who are changing up from an SUV and tend to concentrate more on the fashionable aspects of what is basically a working vehicle design. Pick-ups are becoming increasingly popular with a whole range of drivers too, but for commercial buyers who are looking for something more than the traditional choice of vans, there are certain considerations that must be met.

Reliability

When it comes to commercial vehicles, there is an extra need for reliability in terms of getting you where you want to go smoothly and safely, starting first time round and being free from breakdown issues. In the UK, Great Wall has become a major name in pick-ups over the past couple of years, due to the advanced construction methods used in the manufacture process.

Rust-proofed chassis and galvanised panels ensure a long working life that has minimal maintenance concerns – an essential feature for any business vehicle to have.

Construction

A pickup differs from a van because its open bed design means that it is far more versatile when it comes to loading and unloading materials. Modern safety systems, such as twin air bags, ABS and Electronic Brake Force Distribution are uncommon in commercial vehicles, but Great Wall models include these features as standard.

Comfort

Whilst the storage area is suited to hard usage, the cabs of Great Wall pickups offer a far more luxurious user experience than a van, for both the driver and any passengers. Leather interiors, individually heated seats and Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone connectivity are all things that commercial vehicles in the UK haven’t previously featured.

Today, buying small pick ups from Great Wall offers greater choice than ever and their models set a new standard for commercial vehicles, offering everything you could want in such a vehicle and more.

You should receive an up-to-date statement of claim-free years when you get your annual renewal quote from your current insurer.  If this doesn’t arrive, then you need to act.  Without evidence of the NCD that you are entitled to, you will find yourself having to pay the full price of your annual car insurance and you may also find yourself in difficulties if you need to make a claim against your policy.  There is a risk that your insurer will refuse to pay out.  All this underlines how important it is to take a few essential precautions when it comes to safeguarding evidence of your NCD.

-  Always keep your insurance papers in a safe place where you can easily lay your hands on them.

-  Keep the evidence of your NCD with your other insurance papers, and photocopy this along with your current certificate of insurance.

-  Make sure that the proof of your NCD is up-to-date.

-  You should receive proof of your NCD when your current insurer sends you a renewal quote.  If you don’t have this, then write to or email your insurance company requesting this evidence.  Don’t forget to include in this email:

• Your policy details, including the policy number

• Your full name and address

• The number of claim free years that you believe you have.  Ask the insurance company to confirm this in their reply to

• Ask for a response within a few working days, as proving your NCD can be time sensitive and subject to deadlines.  Don’t forget to put the date sent in the text of your email or letter, and for added peace of mind you should send a letter by registered post, or request a read/reply receipt if an email.

You should receive a No Claims Discount certificate from your previous insurer in response to your request which you can then keep or forward to your new insurance company.  (Don’t forget to keep a copy in case the original certificate is lost).  Be careful not to let the deadline slip – if you don’t receive the evidence that you need within the time specified, follow up with a phone call and email.  Let your new insurer know that you are chasing the proof.

If for any reason you take a break from driving and have a gap without cover you may find it more difficult to use your NCD when you come to renew.  Many insurers will accept proof of your discount if your previous policy expired less than two years ago.  Some, however, place a time limit of twelve months on acceptance of a NCD, so check carefully if your circumstances mean that you may have a gap in cover.

This information was provided to you by Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk).

No matter how much you want the car you should never skip the test drive as this is the only way to fully confirm whether or not you should buy it. Just because it looks great and has fantastic reviews does not automatically mean that it is the right choice for you. And when it comes to buying a used car, test drives are vital.

So what should you test when you take the car for a test drive? First of all it’s important to ensure that you are insured, if you are buying from a car dealer they will normally cover you, however if it is a private seller you will usually have to insure yourself and have this with you during the drive.

Throughout the test drive, from getting into the car to when you finish, make sure you take your time. Don’t let the seller hassle you, as it is you who will have to part with thousands of pounds not them.

The first thing to check is that the car feels right for you. Can you get in and out easily? Are the seats comfortable and easy to adjust? Are the controls within easy reach and accessible? Do the mirrors provide a comprehensive view?

Also remember to put your hand on the car bonnet before getting into the car to ensure that the engine is cold. This is essential if it is a used car, otherwise there might be engine problems when you start the car that the seller is trying to hide. When you do start the engine look out the back window, checking to see if there is any blue or black smoke indicating engine problems, also listen to hear if there are any unusual sounds.

Normally a test drive route will include a variety of roads, from slow back streets to faster duel carriageways or motorways, as well as bends and hills. This will enable you to test the car fully and see how well it copes at different speeds. Also make sure you pull over during the drive and turn off the engine, then re-start it again. This provides you with an extra engine check.

While on the drive you are looking to test the steering, brakes, gears and clutch, as well as to get a general feel for how the car performs.

The steering should be smooth and the car should respond immediately when you turn the wheel. Also the car should remain steady when driving in a straight line, not pulling to one side. When changing gears watch out for any stiffness or difficulty with the gear stick and listen for any grinding noises. With the clutch make sure the pedal isn’t abnormally stiff or soft, as well as ensuring that the clutch doesn’t engage only when your foot is near the floor.

Brakes are probably one of the most important aspects of the car to test, as faulty brakes could result in a life threatening accident. Make sure you test the brakes several times and, if you plan to do so forcefully, ensure it is done is a safe place and let your passengers know beforehand. The brake pedal should feel firm and the brakes should kick in before your foot has gone all the way to the floor.

If you are unsure about anything with the car during the test drive seriously reconsider whether or not this is the right car for you. The reason to do a test drive is to make sure that the car is safe, roadworthy and comfortable for you to drive.

Written by Derin Clark, a writer, editor and blogger.

BMW also own Rolls-Royce and the MINI brand, and as well as their own BMW car and motorbike brand, the company has seen some impressive sales of the MINI and Rolls-Royce models in recent years, too. Their stable is an impressive one, and at the moment it is going from strength to strength.

Part of the big German three that also includes Audi and Mercedes-Benz, BMW export to over 140 countries world wide and have built well over 1,000.000 MINI models in the UK. And the MINI factories look set to get even bigger as the next and new range of MINI models are planned. Rolls-Royce is also celebrating the recent launch of their new 2-door coupe model, called the Wraith, which promises to be the fastest Rolls-Royce ever built. It looks wonderful, too.

Whilst the MINI brand speaks for itself in terms of sales success and public fondness, BMW have long been making the kind of cars that earn their admiration through quiet confidence and quality of workmanship. Yes, they are relatively expensive, but you certainly get what you pay for in terms of engineering, innovation, safety and economy.

The famous 3 Series, for example, has for a very long time been near or at the top of the mid-size executive sales charts, with its blend of understated design, badge-respect and driving performance. BMW also make some of the most powerful and economical diesel engines of any of the major manufacturers, and it’s these fun yet frugal engines that are very important to the average fleet car user.

The BMW 5 Series is another one of their sales success stories; a little bigger and more expensive that the 3 Series, but still fun to drive and still a very classy car in which to pick up your client for that all important business meeting. First impressions count and the blue and white roundel badge of a BMW carries a lot of weight in the world of big business.
These 3 and 5 Series saloon cars built for business have also worked wonders in the sportscar world, with the sometimes unassuming-looking saloons, turned into snarling track weapons, at he hands of the famous-for-fast BMW M Division. The M cars are the very fastest and most expensive of all the modern range of BMW cars, and if it carries an M badge on the boot lid then you’ll know that this car is fast and luxurious. The BMW M3, for example, if one of the performance benchmarks that any car in its class is measured against. Even the greats from Audi and Mercedes would do well to pay performance respect to anything with an M badge on it.

BMW don’t just make cars, either. Their range of BMW motorbikes – built by BMW Motorad – are also up there with the very best from the rest of the world, and especially so in the adventure bike market where their sales go from strength to strength. After 100 years in the automobile industry, and with a great range of products, it looks like the next 100 years are set fair for the famous BMW badge of Bavaria.

Variety

One huge bonus of a large retailer is that they carry a broad selection of stock and will be able order particular tyres if they aren’t carried onsite. A local dealer on the other hand might only stock tyres from one company and have limited resources to order the tyres you want.

Speed

If you choose a chain retailer, you might be able to get your tyres fitted immediately. You may have to be patient if you get your car booked for a local service, though a local dealer might be more flexible.

Cost

National chains often give deals and discounts on their servicing which can mean you save money, but as with everything there is fine print and there might be hidden costs.

Customer service

Large chains in all areas tend to be focused more on quantity of customers than retention and so this can mean that there is less focus on maintaining customer satisfaction and going the extra mile, as an independent retailer might.

Convenience

With national retailers there is often an option to buy via the website and have your new tyres delivered to your door and fitted at your house – excellent for convenience. In the case that a replacement will take longer than expected, national chains often also offer courtesy cars while you wait.

Regulations

All national retailers are held to high standards of quality assurance and all dealerships are kept at a high standard. Local garages may not be so closely regulated. However, as they have only their name and local word of mouth to rely on, they will usually provide a high standard of service and expertise. – but make sure you do your research on your local garage to make sure.

Asking around and reading reviews online will be one of the major ways you decide where to replace your tyres; remember in this situation, your priority should be trust and expertise rather than cost, because good tyres are your safety mechanisms when driving a car.

Vivienne Egan writes for GEM Motoring Assist who offer specialist breakdown cover, offering to take you to a garage of your choice when stuck at the roadside.

Marlon Brando

“It still pleases me to be awake during the dark, early hours before morning when everyone else is still asleep. I’ve been that way since I first moved to New York. I do my best thinking and writing then. During those early years in New York, I often got on my motorcycle in the middle of the night and went for a ride – anyplace.”

Marlon Brando, the rough around the edges star of films like The Wild One and A Streetcar Named Desire used to relax by riding around the hectic streets of Manhattan in the quiet early hours of the morning. Amongst others, Brando rode a 1950 Triumph 6T Thunderbird.

Bob Dylan

One of the most famous songwriters of the 20th century had a mysterious crash on his motorbike, allegedly damaging vertebrae and preventing him from touring – he did not tour again for another ten years after the incident, saying:

“When I had that motorcycle accident … I woke up and caught my senses, I realised that I was just workin’ for all these leeches. And I didn’t want to do that. Plus, I had a family and I just wanted to see my kids.”

Hunter S Thompson

“But with the throttle screwed on there is only the barest margin and no room for mistakes. It has to be done right… and that’s when the strange music starts, when you stretch your luck so far that the fear becomes exhilaration and vibrates along your arms. ”

The cult novelist Hunter S Thompson spent time with the motorcycle gang Hells Angels. His penchant for extreme experiences saw him write the semi-autobiographical novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – in which the main character is sent to LA to cover a motorcycle race, the Mint 400 (but this is soon abandoned).

James Dean

It’s almost impossible to think of the iconic film star without a motorcycle somewhere in the picture. The quintessential teenage revolutionary is invariably seen with his leather jacket, cigarette and one of his many bikes. Famously, he rode a Triumph TR5 Trophy, the last bike he rode before he died, to emulate his idol Marlon Brando.

Peter Fonda

The star of the films The Wild Angels and Easy Rider is revered for his counter-culture swagger and the association with Harley-Davidson motorcycles

Vivienne Egan writes for GEM Motoring Assist, specialists in motorcycle breakdown cover

‘Winter isn’t over!’ scream the adverts, ‘Prepare for even more snow!’ they tell me. ‘An unrelenting deluge of ice is on the way!’ This, obviously, advocates the immediate purchase of a land rover and 4×4 insurance. If you knew me, this would be an utter hypocrisy. For years I’ve been an avowed despiser of the things, having blamed them for every sin, crash or fatality on the roads. Congestion? 4x4s. Global warming?  4x4s. Maybe it’s an age thing. A friend of mine once told me, “If you’re not a socialist when you’re 20 you have no heart; if you’re still a socialist when you’re 40 you have no brain.”

Clearly I never had a heart and I have no brain, but age has brought a heightened sensitivity to status – if you drive a Fiesta when you’re 20, you’re a student. If you drive one when you’re 40, you’re a loser. Besides, I need a car that can hold all that ‘stuff’ I need to cart about. You know, ‘stuff’ (and other spurious justifications).

Anyway, if like me you can’t afford a brand new 4×4, you can get some good, reliable ones by Suzuki or Toyota for less than £2,000. Although, how a mildewed and leaky Suzuki soft top will help me thaw through the frost is beyond me.

Road Testing the Competition

I sat in a Ford Maverick, which, with its high seat and solidity, was somewhat empowering – a throne rather than a plastic chair. However, the dashboard and Ford badge on the wheel were simultaneously both comforting and unsettling, given they reminded me of the small hatchback I normally drive.

Running costs were very surprising. Road tax for a pre-2001 1.6 Grand Vitara is the same as my Fiesta – currently £190 per year, and 4×4 insurance was only slightly more. The Grand Vitara also claims to do 35.3mpg, which isn’t that bad compared to my Fiesta’s 40.3mpg. I was nearly sold… until I saw my dream car in the press: shiny, red and incredibly practical – a 1996 Mini Sprite.

I know, I know, I know, a Mini is an anti-4×4 but it’s the cutest car you’ll ever see – a petite, kitten-heeled beauty that owners claim can still power through the thickest snow.  They’re also affordable to run – Mini insurance is very cheap, road tax is £125 and it is a classic British icon that will hold its value as long as you maintain it.

But there’s your problem. They rust. Very badly, by all accounts and I don’t have a garage to keep one in. They drink oil and petrol too – 28.5mpg for an automatic, which puts it on par with most gas-guzzling 4x4s. Nor would I want to subject one to the rigors of having me as a driver. I’d thrash it to death within three months.

So what did I choose? Mini or Ford? Neither, in the end.

I decided to keep my battered Fiesta. In three years, it has never failed to start in bad weather, it has driven me home after hitting a deer at 50mph and it only blew a manifold gasket after 50,000 miles of hard driving. Plus, I know how I feel about that car and let me tell you this, the feeling’s mutual.

When it comes to expressing an opinion, disappointed car buyers are hard to top. Car dealers who are found wanting will be on the receiving end of some seriously poor reviews. Some would-be customers can go a bit over the top but even in the nastiest of attacks there may well be a nugget of truth.

In the days before the internet car buyers would rely on word-of-mouth recommendations locally. Now of course it’s easy to search the entire country in minutes looking for that special used car deal or new car bargain. Customer reviews have become an important part of the search for the ideal motor.

A good starting point is to browse review sites that offer listings of customer opinions for your chosen car dealer. A positive review from a satisfied customer is like money in the bank although sometimes reviews can be mixed. One of the great truths of life is that you can’t please all of the people all of the time. The browsing buyer needs to understand this and base the final decision on a cross-section of results.

A decent used car will be in tip-top condition but it is unlikely to be perfect. Sometimes prospective buyers expect too much and this can be reflected in their online reviews subsequently. Similarly, the occasional opinion piece will rebuke a dealer because he wouldn’t take what is often a derisory offer. This will be the customer who wants something for nothing and their opinion should be ignored.

It just so happens that car dealers suffer from a reputation for dodgy business practices that these days is largely undeserved. Unfortunately, unscrupulous independent garages still exist and are responsible for the large number of complaints that continue to afflict the industry.

The answer is of course to do research and read public comments. Good car dealers know that quality reviews are the essential component for their websites. Non-believers can have their minds changed by good information and the top dealers maximise the potential of this.

Good customer feedback will be relevant and to the point. Hopefully satisfied clients will also post glowing reviews but it also does not hurt for dealers to take on board legitimate complaints and act on them. This, critically, shows the importance of reviews generally. Whether the comments are on review sites, the dealer websites or across social media they have the power to change things.

Browsing customer reviews is now the most common form of online research. People trust the views of their fellow man rather than the often inflated hyperbole of advertising. Main dealers know this which is why their service these days is so good. Let’s hope that the independent garages catch up and the need for unhappy customer opinion becomes a thing of the past.

Installing trackers on your firm’s vehicles will provide your company with a wide range of benefits. Many companies decide to fit vehicle trackers to help cut fuel costs and increase customer satisfaction but there are also a number of ways a tracker can improve driver safety amongst your employees.

To find more information and prices for vehicle tracking devices, click here to visit Expert Market UK, a B2B website offering systems for business fleets.

Promoting Safer Driving

Vehicle trackers do not just monitor a vehicle’s location and speed, they can also monitor driver behaviour. This means you can see if your drivers are making unsafe decisions whilst at the wheel such as violating the speed limit, sudden breaking or overly harsh steering.

Some trackers will notify the driver of their actions on the tracker screen as well as sending the information to the fleet manager. Many companies successfully use this feature to run safe driving competitions amongst their employees by rewarding the driver with the fewest safety deviations each month, which helps promote a culture of safe driving within your firm.

Health & Safety Legislation

As an employer you have a duty of care to your employees and you are required by law to ensure that your drivers are not working beyond the legally designated safe limits. Vehicle trackers can be used to track the working hours of each of your drivers so you can monitor who is approaching the limit and who has time to spare, allowing you to plan your fleet usage accordingly.

Locating Drivers in an Accident

Should the worst happen and one of your drivers is involved in an accident, you can use the tracker to notify the appropriate services of their location. This feature can be especially important if you have employees who work in remote or rural areas.

Trackers are accurate to within a few inches so your drivers will feel reassured that someone always knows their whereabouts. Furthermore, as trackers use satellite technology, they won’t go out of signal range in the way mobiles can.

Helping Drivers Concentrate on Driving

Everyone knows that driving in an unknown area can be stressful as the driver can be trying to focus on not getting lost rather than what’s happening on the road ahead of them. This lack of focus can result in drivers getting involved in accidents.

To help resolve this issue, many trackers now include navigation features which provide drivers with clear spoken instructions and a demonstration of where to go on tricky junctions. This means that your driver stress levels will be lowered and they will be far more likely to keep their eyes on the road, thereby avoiding potential accidents.

Other Safety Features

The technology in vehicle trackers is improving all the time and features found in certain models include panic buttons to alert you if one of your drivers needs assistance urgently, software that schedules maintenance so your vehicles are safe, and even in-vehicle cameras which provide very detailed information about driver actions.

Features such as cameras can also be used for staff training as you can use real life footage to clearly identify what are and are not acceptable driving practices.

Predictions are that this new CB500 range of bikes – that all run the same, all-new 500cc engine – will manage to hit around 60 – 70mpg. That’s some pretty special economy for bikes that can manage 60mph in around five seconds and cruise on to around 120 – 130mph. Perhaps not blistering performance, but more than enough to give all but the most super of supercars a run for their money, while not being too powerful for new riders. If you’re a new rider looking for accessible new motorcycles to buy in Sussex then take a look at the new Honda CB range.

The CB500X comes to Honda dealers later this year, around May or June, and is the taller, more adventure-styled model in the new CB500 range. It’s still a road bike but with longer suspension travel and more rugged-looking bodywork than the naked CB500F or the fully faired CB500R, the CB500X looks like it could cross a dessert with ease. In reality, it probably couldn’t, instead plying its trade in the urban jungle.

Around town that long travel suspension, high riding position and slim bodywork would see the new Honda CB500X slipping through the choked city streets with ease, soaking up potholes and helping the rider to spot potential danger from further off. The latest in engine technology will also provide a wide and useable spread of torque which allows the rider to react quickly to issues, with just a flick of their throttle hand.

The new Honda CB500X, with just under 50bhp, is a full-size motorcycle, but it still makes under the required amount of power to means it’s still suitable for the A2 motorcycle licence restrictions, yet big enough and fast enough for more experienced riders to enjoy. It’s basically plugging a gap in the market for a reasonably priced, mid-size motorcycle with a good dash of modern style, a very frugal engine, and enough performance to raise a smile on that Sunday afternoon ride with friends.

The CB500X is set to be the most expensive of the new Honda CB500 range, with the naked CB500F the cheapest and the CB500R sitting squarely in the middle of the range, with a useful full fairing. The CB500X is likely to cost around £5,200 when it goes on sale in May or June of this year, and for a brand new motorcycle with a highly efficient petrol engine, you an see what kind of market Honda are aiming their new range at.

These days, riders want good looks, great economy, and plenty of weekend fun, and it is with the new range of CB500 motorcycles that Honda plan to satisfy this market. Easy to ride, easy to maintain, and relatively inexpensive to buy, the CB500 range of bikes are aimed squarely at budget conscious consumers who know exactly what they want and need. These are a particularly difficult customer to satisfy as they have owned and ridden a number of bikes, and will be test-riding all of the competitor bikes, too. Usefully for Honda, their CB500 range is the newest and most efficient around.