The global economic downturn has had a major effect upon the car market and indeed, buying habits.

Anyone listening to the news for the last few months would know the effect that the recession is having upon the car industry. General Motors nearly went under and some of the world’s major brand names are looking for handouts.

When the recession hit the world, people stopped buying cars. It was that simple.

But for anyone who wants to compare car breakdown cover between the AA, RAC and Green Flag, it’s doubtful whether the already competitive plans on offer will be reduced anymore, for the simple fact that people are now keeping their cars longer.

Whereas two years might be a quite usual time to swap a car for a new, or newer model (pretty straightforward when there was plenty of cheap credit around), people are now thinking of keeping their car an extra year, if not two years.

The has been necessitated by not only a drop in people’s disposable income, but also by fear of job losses, salary reductions and fewer personal loans.

So, people have opted to keep their cars that bit longer and make sure that there car breakdown service is kept up to date.

So, ironically, although the new car market has effectively collapsed, the second hand car market has strengthened.

Those still with jobs and money can achieve some amazing new car deals – such as a reported 40% reduction on new Vauxhalls – which makes the Government scrappage scheme look a little flaky of course, but most people are looking for good second hand cars.

Those around two years old, with a full service history and in good condition, are attracting good prices. It is these that drivers hope that will mean less problems when it comes to car insurance breakdown cover.

Also in demand are cars that are meagre in fuel consumption terms and ones that have low emissions. It would appear that in Europe, and increasingly across the pond in the U.S., that ‘gas guzzlers’ are going to become a thing of the past.

And another beneficiary of this decision to turn away from the new car market is the parts business. Tyre fitters for example are doing a roaring trade as people who keep their cars longer, are forced to keep their tyres in good condition.

Tags: AA, AA - Automobile Association, Car Breakdowns, Car Market, Green Flag, RAC

When it comes to comparing rescue and recovery services, there is very little in substance to what the major brands – such as the AA, RAC and Green Flag – offer a consumer in terms of service and price.

Actually one of the main differences between the AA and the RAC, and Green Flag for example, is that the later do not own and operate their own fleet of breakdown vehicles; they rely on vehicles from garage operators, although most are branded with their logo.

Each of the companies are sophisticated operations which are able to keep the majority of the British driving public on the roads with few problems.

Most people tend to opt for one of the two big names, the AA, or the RAC, because they have been around really since the start of motoring and because they have the best known brands. But the likes of Green Flag are a significant prescence in the market.

Also, some of the smaller operators are better known in the market as offering a contract service to their major customers, such as car manufacturers and insurance companies, so they can in turn offer their customers a comprehensive service.

But when it comes to car breakdown cover UK, there’s not a lot of difference. You should still expect a wide range of schemes that offer value for money car breakdown assistance. You should also expect the breakdown van to be with you in an hour and try their best to get you going from the roadside.

The schemes on offer should be varied and cover all the eventualities you might encounter and this is where you need to have a think about your exact needs.

If you just do the school run and back every day, you might just need the basic cover that means that if you break down, a recovery vehicle will come out to you and tow you to a safe place. You can then add the options until you get the desired level of cover that matches your driving routines. You might think Home Start is a good idea, especially if your car can be a little tricky to get going. If you travel greater distances, the full recovery service might seem a necessary option and if you travel abroad, then car breakdown cover in France and other mainland countries would be vital.

Their pricing structure is also very competitive and allows you to commit to only what you need.

The large breakdown service companies are all very open when it comes to comparing rescue and recovery services, so ensure that you check their websites and literature, and get a feel as to what each offers and how it would suit you.

So remember, when you compare car breakdown cover, play the options game and get the service that matches your lifestyle and driving habits.

Tags: AA, Breakdowns, Car Breakdown, Car Breakdowns, Green Flag, RAC

If we forget the recession a minute, there still is that awkward problem about global warming and this is where green driving comes in.

In fact, the greener driver you are, will most probably also mean you will see less of your car breakdown service.

The idea is to drive non-aggressively and therefore increase your cars’ miles per gallon, and its lifespan.

Hard driving has a negative effect upon your car’s performance in so many ways and could mean that when you compare car breakdown cover, you might not be able to get the best deal.

Nowadays drivers are encouraged to have a degree of empathy with their car. Jumping in, switching it on and immediately screaming off in a blaze of exhaust fumes, tyres squealing, burnt rubber and red-lining each gear change, is now no longer the accepted method of starting off from the kerb.

A car engine needs a few seconds of life before it is asked to reach maximum working load. It will do it of course, but think of all the pressure on the inner workings. Cam belts, water pumps, valves and all the rest of the thousands of components that make-up a modern engine, need carefully handling. Undue stress and they will fail on a more regular basis. And it means you will see the likes of the AA, RAC and Green Flag on a more regular basis.

And you don’t want to be paying over the odds when it comes to car insurance breakdown cover.

So, we now all have to remember to treat our cars kindly. When starting off, give it just a little chance to get warmed up; allow all that oil that has dropped to the sump during the night to get back into those nooks and crannies in the engine block. This doesn’t mean of course leaving it outside running for 15 minutes whilst you have that final cup of coffee. That does nothing for your fuel consumption, or the environment.

Once ready to go, use the throttle as though it has an egg underneath. Apply pressure gradually and thoughtfully. Do not have a ‘heavy’ right boot which means you kick at the pedal like Cristiano Ronaldo shooting from outside the box. And then make each successive gear change way before the red line on the rev counter. What’s a rev counter? For those that need to ask, it’s a dial, hopefully in the middle of your instrument panel, that helps you avoid blowing-up the engine with excessive revving (although your ears should also tell you that). But nowadays, it’s also a great way of keeping your fuel consumption down.

Use your rev counter to make sure you change gear at just the right time – so as not to let the engine struggle and stall, but also to avoid unnecessary revs and therefore wasted fuel.

Also, try not to ever go over 2,500/3,000 rpm (revolutions per minute), depending on your type of car of course. Most engines red-line (danger rev levels) at around 6,500/7,000 rpm, so keeping your car always at half that, will make a significant and beneficial difference to your fuel consumption and therefore your pocket.

It helps in this to also drive by anticipating what’s going to happen next. If you see for example stationery traffic ahead, slow down in plenty of time. Don’t leave it to the last minute, slap on the brakes, then accelerate hard again to pick-up speed.

Watch your revs and you could save yourself a packet. Green driving is not just for those who drive Volvos and live in Sweden.

Tags: Car Breakdowns, Car Insurance, Car Maintenance, Cars, Green Driving

The art of defensive driving is all about keeping you safe on the road, which should also mean you’ll see less of your car breakdown service.

And good defensive driving comes with practice. It is not something that can be picked up overnight and it requires patience, and some concentration.

It’s based on the premise than everyone around you is a bad driver. And it’s all those other guys and gals out there that need to be comparing rescue and recovery services, because they’re going to need them, and not you, because your the best driver in the world!

So, have a go at driving with the attitude that everyone is a bad driver and that rather than you’re going to show how it should be done, you’re going to move quietly along. You are going to anticipate trouble and when you’re proved right, you’re going to steer around the situation and get away. Believe me, you will eventually find this works because you will hopefully avoid a trip to casualty, or the local jailhouse. And it will save you a lot of time when its come to compare breakdown cover.

Most of us feel that when driving, not only are we the best driver in the world, but that we also have an inalienable right to do as we see fit. Therefore, when we see what we regard as poor driving, the overwhelmingly urges comes across most of us to teach that miscreant a lesson.

So, for the slow driver, the favoured tactic is tail-gating at the fattest speed possible to prove that despite there being speed limits, we know the best speed for that road, even if we’ve never driven along it before. And for the driver that might accidentally pull out in front of us and cause us to decelerate from the safe speed of 100 mph in a built up area, we favour flashing lights, complex hand signals and an open window so that we can hurl obscenities in order to enforce our firm views. And this of course whilst overtaking the offender with inches to spare, outside a school and with a juggernaut coming the other way.

And who says men can’t multi-task? Many seem able to change gear, make one-fingered gestures, light a cigarette, text, shout at another driver and find the right track on the stereo, all at the same time, whilst not slowing down. Brilliant; except that there will be one result, premature aging.

So, try something new. Look for trouble and when it happens, act accordingly. Take evasive action and once the situation has passed, get on with your driving. Leave the police to enforce driving standards. And stay calm. Do not think your manhood, or femininity, has been threatened when someone does’t let you pass in the fast lane. Stay cool and keep out of trouble.

Drive looking ahead; thinking about what might happen, if. That way, I am sure, your will see less of your car breakdown service.

Tags: Car Breakdowns, Car Crashes, Cars, Defensive Driving, Driving Standards Agency

Okay, lets not try to get into too many national stereotypes when talking about overseas driving.

Well, we can try, but we may not be able to avoid it and for anyone thinking about driving abroad on holiday, or for business for that matter, it’s worth having a quick think about the differences between a few of our European neighbours.

If nothing else, it might help show that car breakdown cover in France, Germany, or Spain for example, is essential.

Lets take the British first. Thanks to successive government initiatives and campaigns, the drivers on this island do appear to be behaving a little better than they have done in the past. So much so, that when comparing rescue and recovery services, it looks like we’re getting some good deals.

The Brits have generally come to terms with drink driving. It has reduced over the years and the police, and many road organisations, believe that despite the Christmas time madness, its now under control.

Now the emphasis is on speed and although many drivers see the blossoming of cameras on every high street a mere tax raising measure, the problems of drivers going too fast has also improved. In many ways, speed is now seen as the new drink driving and for those travelling too fast along the country’s byways, they get the same looks once reserved for the drunks.

Right, so how does driving in say France differ from that of the U.K? And how should this influence someone who is comparing rescue and recovery services, and is keen to add an overseas clause?

Once you’ve been driving in France a little while you’ll soon appreciate that although they have got a grip on drink driving (once the curse of the countryside), speed still remains an issue. Speed cameras are not so widespread and although the Gendarmes still love roadside speed checks (and charge foreigners cash for their misdemeanours), the French still appear to be in love with speed. Travel down any A road in France and you will bear witness to any number of hair-raising attempts to get past, seemingly ignoring what’s on the other side of the road. Don’t join in: just grin and bear it, and be ready to take avoiding action.

Also, when you compare breakdown cover UK with the rest of Europe, remember that there are different systems in place. Take French motorways for example. In the U.K. the motorways, apart from the link road around Birmingham, are state owned. In France, they are owned and operated by private companies.

Breakdown on one of these and you will be rescued not by an affiliate of the AA, RAC, or Green Flag, but by a private operator and you can end up facing a hefty bill. Depending on the time of day, it can cost well over 100 euros to get you towed to a garage where you can then contact your breakdown company for advice on repairs, or car repatriation. This money will of course be reimbursed by your breakdown company, but bear it in mind when
speeding down the motorway.

So, always remember that driving overseas is a different proposition and that the things you take for granted with car breakdown cover UK, is not necessarily the same aboard.

Tags: AA, Car Breakdown, Car Breakdowns, Green Flag, Overseas Driving, RAC

The first cars that began to appear in the streets of the United Kingdom were in the early part of the twentieth century, and they were few and far between. Yet it is interesting to note that the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) today one of the Britain’s leading recovery companies was formed way back in 1897.

It was more than likely that in these times, the RAC was a club in all meanings of the word, and they sent our volunteers who knew something of how the internal combustion engine operated to help one of the few people who owned one of these new fangled “horseless carriages” who had gotten into some form of distress.

When car breakdown insurance became popular to the mainstream of the UK public is pretty vague. Certainly the Automobile Association followed suit a few years later and for more than seventy years, they held the monopoly on breakdown services around the country. As the family car became more commonplace the AA and the RAC enjoyed a friendly but low paced rivalry, with innovations being added every few years to keep the customer’s interest. However what these associations did they do well, with friendly service being a key word?

They began to build a fleet of pick -up trucks to tow away cars that could not be repaired by the roadside, as well as a network of approved garages who had met the standards or service and honesty that either or sometimes both of these organisations demanded.

In smaller towns and villages, it was not uncommon to find a garage that had both the AA and the RAC seal of approval. Every year, these organisations would issue a year book with details of all their local service centres, approved garages and various other contact numbers. Eventually the year book expanded to provide details of hotels and restaurants all over the British Isles, with the next stage being that these organisations began to eventually grade the hotels and restaurants according to stars. This guide became a major source of revenue for both the AA and the RAC, yet never did it deter them from focusing from their core business: coming to the aid of the driver in distress.

In the early seventies, the RAC and The AA were joined on the roads of the UK by the National Breakdown Service who later changed their name to Green Flag. What set Green Flag apart from their more seasoned rivals was that they rarely employed their own service operatives, and instead they farmed out their work to local independent representatives, trained by the company and operating only by their predetermined service standards.

Other smaller and privately owned companies followed suit, and as the number of cars on UK roads continued to increase, and to keep pace with the standards demanded, both the AA and RAC were acquired by private concerns.

Recovery vehicles of today are equivalent to mobile workshops, with every facility that can make the repairman’s job easier in place, in order to expedite rapid diagnosis and repair and get the car and the driver back on the road as rapidly as possible.

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For More information on specific Recovery Agents use these links

• The AA
• Green Flag
• The RAC
• More Than
• GEM Motoring Assist

For more detailed information and all the best deals from the AA visit www.aa-cover.com/

Tags: AA, Car Breakdowns, Car Maintenance, Cars, Green Flag, RAC

What is a car breakdown? There are many reasons why a car stops moving forward which is generally interpreted as a breakdown and they can range from the most banal to the incredibly technical. Whatever the reasons for the breakdown, they can in ninety nine percent of the cases they can be solved, usually by a simple case of deduction or initiative on the part of the driver or in the more extreme cases after many hours of discussion and dedication by a team of diagnostic engineers in a spotless workshop/garage/laboratory in Milan.

To get our feet back on the ground regarding car breakdowns, you may be amazed to discover that the majority of car breakdowns are caused by the car running out of petrol. While it may not necessarily be the driver’s fault directly, as the fuel gauge may have suddenly ceased to carry out its role as designated, if you are setting out on a long journey or at night or in the rain or snow, or all of them together, make sure that the tank is full. Don’t trust the gauge too much. Fuel and carburetor problems are linked and they mean that engine won’t get the fuel it requires to keep the pistons rotating, and the car will stop. That is the only reason why a car will actually stop on a journey, short for the engine seizing, which is altogether a much more unpleasant and more expensive experience. Engines seize due to chronic overheating which can be caused by oil escaping from the engine, water escaping from the radiator or the timing belts in the engine snapping. Try to avoid this happening at all costs, by making sure that your oil and water levels are as they should be, and your timing belts are changed according to the manufacturers specifications.

Other reasons why a car will have to be stopped is if the driver experiences problems with the car during a journey that their diagnosis tells them that something is not functioning well in the car. The driver’s diagnosis can be either that the engine is in danger of malfunctioning and to continue the journey may result in extensive damage to be caused to it. Other problems may be electrical, steering, braking systems, tyres and wheels. Any of these systems are vital to the car and how it handles. Many drivers make the critical mistake of ignoring these problems in the hope that they will disappear. Instead they will get worse, and instead of parking their car on a well lit road, in a motorway service center or in the driveway of a relative or friend so that they can call out their breakdown recovery service, they insist on pressing on with their journey and instead breakdown in the middle of nowhere, or even worse cause an accident.

There are a number of reasons why your car could break down, most of them preventable. You can also ease the inconvenience that having breakdown causes, by joining one of the many breakdown recovery services in the UK. And yes, in case you wondered, most of them carry a few gallons of fuel with them

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For More information on specific Recovery Agents use these links

• The AA
• Green Flag
• The RAC
• More Than
• GEM Motoring Assist

For more detailed information and all the best deals from the AA visit www.aa-cover.com/

Tags: AA, Car Breakdowns, Car Maintenance, Cars, Green Flag, RAC, Tesco

In an ideal World, we buy a new or used car, keep it for as long as we want to keep it, get it serviced regularly, and sell it when we get bored with it, and move on to the next one. And the good news is that, at least as far car ownership is concerned, the World is still not quite ideal, but it is getting closer. Cars are much more reliable than they used to, and that’s a proven fact.

Yet, that doesn’t mean that as car owners, we don’t have our responsibilities. Cars do need to be serviced regularly, and unless you don’t want to spend some of your time waiting for a patrolman to come out and doing running repairs on your car, then you should listen to the advice of your garage, when they tell you that such and such a repair is going to come up soon or a major parts will need changing before the next service is due. The question is will you do a preventative repair or wait till the next service comes around. If you opt for the latter option, you should be prepared for the inconvenience and the possible danger to yourself and your loved ones, of delaying the inevitable.

The most common parts that will wear out on a car over time are as follows:

Fuel System problems: Always problematic, and even more so in the cars of today. The secret of avoiding problems is never to allow your petrol tank to get less than one third full, and prevent blocking the carburetor jets. These are highly sensitive parts and very expensive to repair, yet if left alone and kept filled with pure fuel and not the gunk from the bottom of your tank will ever give you any problems.

The battery: Batteries can last up to five years, irrespective of the mileage that the car does doing that time. If the car is a “city car”, in other words does only short journeys, eventually the terminals and clamp connections will come loose. During its routine service, your garage will check for this. However they will not be sure how your car is handled, so it is not a bad idea to ask them to check out the condition of the battery, and even to charge it if necessary. If your garage informs you that the battery is on its last legs and you choose not to change it, be prepared to be the idiot at the party walking around saying “has anyone here got jump leads”.

Alternators

An alternator will wear out on a car over time; it’s all a case of how soon. When it does the car won’t start, when your garage tell you that the time has come to change the alternator, do yourself a favour and listen. It’s not a part that can be repaired, only changed.

Fan Belts:

The part that operates around the alternator, radiator and water pump. Low cost and highly important. If the fan belt breaks, and the driver is not diligent enough in recognising the signs, you can blow the engine and cost yourself a lot of money. There are temporary solutions available for building a temporary fan belt, the most romantic being a lady’s nylon stocking in the pre war years. Nowadays most ladies don’t wear any kind of stockings, so you maybe carry a spare fan belt in your car.

On the subject of belts in general, when your garage tells you that the time is approaching to change one of them, ignore their words with caution.

Starter Motors: They will also wear out over time, but if maintained properly can last up to 250,000 miles these days.

Alarms and immobilisation systems: A modern day Trojan horse, planted on us thanks to a joint effort by the car thieves and the insurance, car alarms and immobilisation systems can cause more harm than good. Many a good evening has been ruined while a car owner tries to figure out why the system has failed him. Try and understand how to override the system in cases of emergency, as well as keeping it maintained.

These are the main mechanical parts that can cause you problems, although there are a few more. Many of these potential breakdown causers can stand a running repair, or at worse a call to your breakdown service. There are many companies who provide this service, with the following companies AA , Green Flag, Tesco, RAC, Insurance Choice (IC) being the leaders in the UK field.

However the best cure is prevention. It is always better to anticipate these problems before you get to experience them

Sourced from http://www.carbreakdowns.co.uk/

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For More information on specific Recovery Agents use these links

• The AA
• Green Flag
• The RAC
• More Than
• GEM Motoring Assist

For more detailed information and all the best deals from the AA visit www.aa-cover.com/

Tags: AA, Car Breakdowns, Car Maintenance, Cars, Green Flag, RAC, Tesco

Most people have had recurring nightmares, which in most cases they keep to themselves. Yet those who have been prepared to share their experience with others have helped to build a picture of the common nightmare, and it is: being exposed and helpless in the most difficult of conditions.

For UK residents the last year or so has been difficult. The credit crunch has affected most people in one way or another and the change in weather conditions in the UK caused by global warming has not helped to improve the national moral.

Indications are that the winter of 2008/2009 is going to be difficult and all of us have to be prepared for its challenges. A lot of our efforts will need to be placed in preparing and keeping our car in as good a working condition as possible, and thus avoid a winter car breakdown that can be traumatic for everyone caught up in it.

Breakdowns can be prevented, yet they are not always totally avoidable. Car owners should always make sure that they have breakdown insurance not just in the winter but all year round. There are many companies who provide this service, with the following companies AA , Green Flag, Tesco, RAC, Insurance Choice (IC) being the leaders in the UK field.

With your breakdown cover sticker proudly on display, you can then begin to prepare for the coming winter’s test

The first port of call should be the car’s battery. Make sure that all the cables and connections are in tip top condition, bearing in mind that when the temperature drops your battery’s power is being tested, especially if you have a diesel car. Depending where you live, you could install a battery blanket which is a form of heating pad. Sounds obscure but might just give that extra ounce of power to get the juices flowing, especially when you are in the car park of your supermarket, with two trolleys full of shopping and the only thing that is running is the children’s noses.

Another area where you might have problems during a cold and wet winter is the exhaust system, If there has been a lot of snow and frost, the local council will spread salt on the roads, which will considerably speed up the rate of corrosion on the system. Before winter conditions stat to extract their toll, you should have your exhaust system thoroughly checked over, and replace whatever parts that look vulnerable.

The underside of the car is a problem in winter, and another area which is potentially dangerous is the axle joints. Loose or worn joints may not cause a breakdown but they will certainly cause an accident, so have they checked out while the car is up on the ramp.

Car engines are stretched to the hilt during the winter. Adding antifreeze is a must and can prevent major breakdowns and major expense, so make sure that it is applied in time. Other overall factors that need to be taken into account are tyres, brakes, steering, demisters, heaters, windscreen wipers among others. In many case, your car service centre will offer you a pre winter check up, which might be a good investment to prepare you and your car for the rigours of the coming winter.

Sourced from http://www.carbreakdowns.co.uk/

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For More information on specific Recovery Agents use these links

• The AA
• Green Flag
• The RAC
• More Than
• GEM Motoring Assist

For more detailed information and all the best deals from the AA visit www.aa-cover.com/

Tags: AA, Car Breakdowns, Car Maintenance, Cars, Green Flag, RAC, Tesco