Be a King of the road (or a Queen)
Getting from A to B is an expensive business . . . so follow our roadmap to cheaper travel
MANY motorists feel victimised as a result of a tsunami of forces: ever rising costs, parking fines and inflation-busting increases in insurance premiums. But if you are prepared to invest a little time in becoming a safer driver and learning about how your motor works, you can save yourself money.
LEARN BASIC MECHANIC SKILLS
THE 21st Century of motoring is designed to make driving easier. But it has also made us lazy and unable to master even the most basic of car repair tasks.
Previous generations would be shocked to discover a quarter of drivers do not even have the knowhow to open their car bonnet while half lack the skill to change a wheel.
Fortunately, for those willing to learn, it is easy to pick up the essentials from mechanically minded friends, DIY manuals or even local adult courses.
Caroline Lake is owner of garage Caroline’s Cars in Norwich, as well as author of the Haynes manual Women’s Car DIY. She offers four-hour basic vehicle maintenance courses for £49 that cover vital checks such as oil, water and tyre pressure as well as changing oil and air filters.
It also includes how to prepare for MOTs. Caroline says: ‘I think everyone should be forced to learn the basics of how a car works as part of their driving test. It can be a lifesaver if the vehicle will not start in the morning or you are stranded at the side of the road.
‘Start by learning how to open the bonnet and then find where the oil filter and water filler is – and ensure they are correctly topped up.
‘Regularly check tyres for both pressure and wear and tear so you can drive safely.’
When it comes to essentials such as oil – the lubricant essential to keep your engine parts moving – only two thirds have the skill to use an oil dipstick and fill up if the oil level is low. Without oil the engine will seize and a repair can cost thousands of pounds.
The purchase of a Haynes manual on the vehicle you own is a good starting point – and is a wise investment at £23. It will help you understand what lies under the bonnet and offers advice on essential DIY checks.
Those willing to get their hands dirty with more challenges, such as giving the car a service or changing brake discs, can find support from videos on the internet. Websites such as FirstCar and How Stuff Works are helpful while adult education website Hotcourses has details of more than 450 mechanic workshops nationwide you might like to attend.
BE COVERED FOR A BREAKDOWN
HOWEVER well you look after your vehicle, there will always be occasional problems that often hit at the worst time.
The price of annual breakdown cover can be more than £100. For many this may seem like a luxury but when you consider it can cost £250 to be towed off the hard shoulder of a motorway, it is worth investing in.
Traditionally, the AA and RAC have been the rescue services to turn to as they have their own fleet of vehicles and trained mechanics. But they are among the most expensive.
You should usually opt for breakdown cover which includes a home start – where most problems occur. But for these both the AA and RAC charge at least £121 a year.
Other breakdown providers offer cheaper premiums by getting local garages to come out and provide roadside help. One of the most well known is Green Flag but others include GEM Motoring Assist, AutoAid and Britannia Rescue.
Check out their average response time and ability to fix problems on the spot – not just their prices.
Motor magazine Auto Express rates GEM Motoring Assist as the best despite it taking an average 76 minutes to arrive – beaten by nine competitors. This is because most drivers get a temporary or permanent fix to their car, enabling them to continue their journey rather than being towed home or to a local garage. Fully comprehensive cover with GEM starts at £81 a year.
Most people who ring emergency services at this time of year are complaining their car will not start – there is just a click when they turn the key. The main reason for this is a dead battery. You may have accidentally left a radio on, left the motor standing for three weeks – or, if more than five years old, the battery may have stopped working and be in need of replacement.
Part of an emergency breakdown investment should include a battery charger costing perhaps £40 that can top up battery power if connected overnight.
Alternatively a jump-starter pack, costing around £80, will be able to power up the engine and start the car straight away – though not solve any underlying problem. A set of longlength jump leads for £20 can also get the car started if you are able to hook up to another vehicle.
TAKE AN ADVANCED MOTORIST COURSE
PASSING your driving test should be seen as just the first step. Further training will make you an even better and safer driver – saving you money in the long run.
Additional courses to consider include the Pass Plus motoring course overseen by an approved driving instructor. This includes six
separate hour-long lessons learning skills in driving on the motorway, rural lanes and different weather conditions.
Although it can cost £150 it may lower your car insurance premiums by 5 per cent as well as make you a safer driver.
Motorists are also shown how smoother driving can lower fuel costs and result in fewer mechanical problems due to less wear on the clutch and brakes.
There are other courses. The Institute of Advanced Motorists RoadSmart offers an advanced driver course costing £149. It takes three to six months and involves volunteer experts showing how you can improve your car skills.
Rebecca Ashton, head of driving behaviour at the institute, says: ‘It is not about driving slower but enjoying your motoring.
‘Everyone behind the wheel seems to be stressed and in a rush these days, but we aim to increase the pleasure of your driving – improving skills and showing how to better read the road.’
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents offers a number of courses including a £55 one-hour experienced driver assessment where you find out just how good you are behind the wheel.
GET A DASH CAM
YOU can knock more than £100 off the cost of your annual motor insurance by installing a dash cam. This handy-sized ‘spy’ camera costs between £50 and £200 and records what is going on through the windscreen. It can save you hundreds of pounds by proving your innocence in an accident. Insurers offering up to a 20 per cent discount on premiums for those with a dash cam fitted include Swiftcover, SureThing! and Adrian Flux. Car insurance now costs on average more than £800 a year.
SHARE A CAR JOURNEY
HAVING passengers on your journey to work means you can share the cost of petrol – and maybe have a more enjoyable drive.
Car sharing is growing in popularity. Websites such as Liftshare and BlaBlaCar enable you to tap in details of where you live and where you hope to go and see if there are like-minded people who want to share the same journey. Liftshare calculates a suggested contribution for a journey as a passenger. It does not charge for using its service. BlaBlaCar has a ‘service fee’ where it will charge at least £1 for anyone who uses the website to book a ride. A fee of at least £1 is also paid to the driver.
Alternatively, if you do not need to travel regularly then a car club might be a sound option. This enables you to pay only for when you need to use a car – with insurance and fuel costs included.
Clubs such as Zipcar have a range of options. Its most popular is a £6 a month membership with charges of between £3 and £10 an hour depending on the car used and when you want to borrow it.
The deal often includes 60 miles of motoring at no extra cost with any additional miles charged from 25p a mile. Cars are usually returned to the start point of a journey or elsewhere if you are willing to pay extra.
Members get a Zipcard or can use their smart phone to unlock the vehicle with the keys left in the glove compartment.
Charity Carplus offers details of more than 80 car and bike clubs across Britain. Its website includes a map listing groups by location.