After an extended holiday period, RAC predicts that 4 January 2010 will be one of the busiest days in 2010 for vehicle breakdowns as millions of motorists return to work.

The severe weather in the eight days prior to Christmas led to RAC attending almost 80,000 breakdowns. Since then many motorists have not used their cars and, given the ongoing wintry weather conditions, a breakdown is now far more likely.

David Hawes, RAC regional manager, comments: “The combination of a long break and very cold or damp weather can be a recipe for disaster. A car’s electrical system has to work a lot harder at this time of year as drivers are more likely to use their lights, heated windows as well as the heater fan. The starter motor also has to work harder to start the engine on these cold mornings making a battery failure more likely.”

RAC is urging motorists to do some basic preparations, such as simply turning over the car engine as well as allowing extra time, to ensure they’re not caught out on 4 January.

To help motorists avoid a breakdown, RAC has put together the following tips:

Don’t leave your vehicle un-used for the whole period between Christmas and New Year. It’s a good idea to start the engine to ensure everything is working as it should be and allow the engine to reach operating temperatures – taking care that it doesn’t overheat

If you have a garage, use it, or try to leave your vehicle undercover

Check oil and water levels. Ensure they are topped up correctly. Pay particular attention to the anti-freeze content of the cooling system. Check your owner’s handbook for information on the recommended anti freeze or consult your local dealer

In cold weather avoid frozen locks by using lock de-icer

Avoid queues at petrol stations by filling up the tank before the morning you go back to work

If the weather is icy, use a windscreen scraper or a de-icer to remove all the frost from your vehicle before setting off. Don’t use hot water from a kettle, as this may crack the windscreen. Also use a windscreen additive to prevent washer bottle freezing and ensure clear vision of the road

Check the battery connections ensuring that they are tight and free from any corrosion

Have your battery and charging system checked before it is too late

Wrap up warm and take a blanket, waterproof clothing, sensible footwear and a fully charged mobile phone in case of breakdown

If travelling a long distance, allow extra time for your journey, ensure you have enough fuel for the journey as not all fuel stations will be open over the festive period. Let friends and relatives know of your expected journey routes and times of arrival if travelling in remote areas

In case of a breakdown, visit www.rac.co.uk

Notes to editors

About RAC

With around seven million members, RAC is one of the UK’s most progressive motoring organisations, providing services for both private and business motorists. Whether it’s roadside assistance, insurance, vehicle inspections and checks, legal services or up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information – RAC is able to meet motorists’ needs.

RAC is committed to providing the very highest levels of service to its members and was the top named service organisation in the July 2009 UK Customer Satisfaction Index from the Institute of Customer Service.

Aviva bought RAC in May 2005. The acquisition brings together RAC’s powerful brand and customer base with the expertise and leading position in motor insurance of Aviva UK Insurance. Aviva is the UK’s largest insurer with a market share of around 15 per cent.

RAC is part of Aviva, the world’s fifth largest insurance group which operates in 28 countries.

RAC’s news releases and a selection of images are available from the internet press centre at www.rac.co.uk/press-centre/

Tags: Car Breakdown, Car Maintenance, Cars, 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

Consumers will benefit from a variety of key offerings, including:
• 24-hour assistance, 365 days a year
• A national network of breakdown specialists
• An average response time is around 30 minutes (source: sample size
of 242,000, Aug-Jan 09) and if they don’t’ get to you within an hour they’ll
give you £10!
• 84% of our customer’s cars are fixed at the roadside (source: sample
size of 242,000, Aug-Jan 09)
• No-callout discounts
• Over 30 years experience in providing breakdown assistance and five
million customers
• Competitively priced Breakdown cover
• Named ‘Best Breakdown Cover Provider’ by Your Money magazine for the
5th year in a row

For more information on Green Flag and Car Breakdown services Visit www.carbreakdowns.co.uk

Tags: Car Breakdown, Car Maintenance, Cars

Selling a car was always a bit risky; the dodgy cheque, the bundle of forged cash, the chance that someone would drive off when test driving, or come back at night and steal it.

But now, what with a lot of cars sold through web-sites and more haggling done via the emails and telephone, those days almost seem quaint and innocent. You now have to accept that there are a large number of people out there ready to take you for a ride, and you have to be on your guard. It’s best to play it really safe and in a way, be cynical of all approaches. A case of guilty until proved innocent.

There are quite a few cons out there, but basically all work to the same theme, and unfortunately they rely on people being gullible and trustworthy. Some will involve chancers who operate on the margins in this country, earning a good living by creaming off a few hundred pounds here and there from people selling anything, not just cars, and then there are the more organised crime gangs, often based in other countries, who are sophisticated and very clever at parting you and your money.

One of the more popular cons at the moment is the forged cheque technique.

You have a car to sell and someone emails you offering to buy it, but then sends you a seemingly sound looking cheque (certified, cashiers, building society, or bankers draft) for too much money. You get the cheque, you email them and they, all sweetness and light, say not to worry, when their cheque has cleared, could you please send the surplus via money transfer to their shipping agent.

Quite reasonable you think. So their cheque clears in three days, you send the surplus money as requested, and then, some two weeks later, your bank informs you that the cheque was actually stolen and claims all the monies back, including your surplus payment which you have no chance of claiming back because it was by money transfer and when you look at your emails with the buyer, you have no idea where this person actually is.

Basically, your are blinded by the sense of fairness of it all. You end up having not sold your car and having forked out a few hundred pounds for the priviledge.

Now, let’s not go into the banks role in all this, which seems to regard you as the sole judge of the legitimate status of a cheque and leaves you to carry the can. Rather, lets look at a few basics. There is one great rule in life; there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If someone offers you more than you are asking for the car, then why would they do that: are they stupid, on the make, or have made a genuine mistake. Rarely do people happily pay over the odds for it and if that is what happens to you, then stop right there.
Report the email and send the cheque to the authorities; or, if you think it a genuine mistake, ask for the correct amount of money to be sent and for a longer period for the cheque to be cleared, informing your bank that it might be suspect.

Also, have a close look at the email that comes from the alleged buyer. Poor English is often a sign that it is coming from far afield, from someone sat thousands of miles away with no intention of buying your car. Also, look at the email address. If it’s from one of the free services, then remember that anyone, anywhere can create such an address, with few details, in seconds.

Basically, if it doesn’t feel right, then it most probably isn’t.

A less sophisticated con, but one quite effective nonetheless, is targeted at people selling their cars through web-sites and listings magazines.

A company emails, or rings someone selling a car and says I represent ABC Ltd (it will be a very respectable name, with references to cars in it) and have a firm buyer for your car, but you need to pay a deposit, lets say £99 (they judge the price just right, so as to avoid the tricked person spending too much on chasing them) to secure the sale, otherwise the buyer, tired of being gazumped, will walk away.

Great you say, what’s £99, if I have a firm buyer for my car and the £99 will be refunded after the sale anyway. Wrong. That’s the rule of any transaction. He who comes first with the loot, gets the deal. Why should you pay anyone to have anyone secure the deal? And when you think about it, the prospective purchaser hasn’t even seen your car, so why would they enter into such an agreement?

But of course, people pay over the £99, no buyer transpires and no-one ever answers the telephone at the company who’s just fleeced you of £99. And most people say nevermind, put it down to one of life’s lessons and walk away embarrassed.

Above all, remember that if it doesn’t sound right, don’t touch it with a barge pole!

Tags: AA, Car Insurance, Car Maintenance, Cars, Fraud, Phishing Scams

The majority of drivers seem to think that their car is an inanimate object which will go on and on for ever without the slightest bit of attention.

They expect to come running out in the morning, fire up the old jalopy, screech down the road and roar off to their latest destination without giving their steed a second thought. Even putting screen washer into the bottle is regarded as an irksome and irritating task.

So when it comes to checking tyre pressures, many people just can’t be bothered, waiting until the tyre has to be repaired, to be replaced after a puncture, or pumped up for an MOT, or service.

But this should not be the case. A car is a sophisticated piece of engineering and relies on a huge number of parts all working in harmony.

The tyres are an integral part of the car. Without them performing properly, not only will a driver hurt his wallet, he will risk damage to his car and also risk his life.

Consider that most cars can reach 100 mph these days and at that speed, you best hope that everything about the car is ship-shape.

Incorrectly blown up tyres could cause the car to aquaplane on a very wet road, fail to hold the line in a corner, or make it difficult to stop the car when braking. Manufacturers provide strict guidelines when it comes to the amount of air that should be in their tyres. Ignore that on a regular basis, and you are taking unnecessary risks.

Tyre pressures can reduce on a daily basis, caused by varying air temperatures, small leaks (say from damaged tyre walls, or bent wheels which break the tyre seal), or hard use on a long drive, or across a pot-holed road.

And even if you overlook the dangers on running on below pressure tyres, then think about the effect on your wallet. Incorrectly inflated tyres will wear out quicker and will need replacing earlier than well cared for tyres. Also, wrongly inflated tyres will increase the petrol consumption, sometimes by quite a factor, so losing a few miles every gallon will hurt your bank balance, as well as the planet.

So, check your tyres regularly and just make sure you know how to inflate your tyres at the local garage.

Those garages that use the old air lines with a gauge in the steel handset, are a bit trickier than the modern automated inflators, but with a little practice, anyone can get the hang of it.

Firstly, just have go around each tyre and unscrew the valve cap. Whilst taking the cap off, have a quick look at the tyre itself. See if you have an uneven tread (which might tell you that the car is running untrue), or even that the tread is below the legal limit (get them replaced immediately; it’s a lot cheaper than a fine, and a lot safer). Also, if you see a nail, or other sharp object in the tyre, don’t pull it out. It will most probably be sealing the leak it caused and once out, the tyre will need to be repaired.

So, get the airline handset and place the end of the line attachment onto your tyre valve. You should feel the resistance and if you quickly press the air plunger on the handset, then release it, the handset gauge will tell you the tyre’s pressure in BAR (metric), or PSI (imperial measurements). You’ll find your car’s tyres optimum air pressure range in the car handbook, near the car driver’s door, on a board at the garage, or find out before by looking it up on the web. The range covers the car with only a driver in, to one with a load of passengers and luggage. Then keep pressing the plunger until the tyre is inflated to the right amount.

With the more modern automated machines, it’s simplicity itself. You set the digital reading on the machine and place the airline attachment over your valve and wait until the buzzer sounds. Hey presto, a correctly inflated tyre.

Also, it’s a good idea to buy your own inflation gauge which is about the size of a fat pen, fits in the glove compartment and will give you an accurate reading each time you inflate your tyres. The trouble with some garage equipment is that it is wholly inaccurate and could lead to a false impression.

So, there you have it; set yourself a little rule. Maybe once a week, or on the tenth visit to buy petrol, drive over to the airline and spend a few minutes checking those tyres. It could provide dividends, in more ways than one.

Tags: Car Insurance, Car Maintenance, Cars, MOT, Tyre Pressures

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

A cut and shut. The very phrase should end a shiver down a car owner’s spine. Yet there are many of these “ticking bombs” driving along the roads and highways of the UK. The majority of the people driving and travelling in these cars are blissfully aware that they are in an “accident waiting to happen.”
Some are, simply because they are stupid and selfish enough to be willing to drive a car which externally looks the part, but has no legal right to be driven on public roads.

So what is a “cut and shut”? As the term implies a cut and shut is actually two cars, both the same model and year, who have been involved in a car accident, serious enough to have been written off by the insurance company and are supposed to be broken up and sold for spare parts. Due to lack of proper jurisdiction, these cars sometimes wind up in the hands of unscrupulous welding shops or “chop shops” as they are sometimes known. These chop shops take the two cars, with an ideal example of one that has suffered serious rear end damage and another that has been damaged at the front end. By using no certain amount of skill, they succeed in matching both sections and welding them together so that they appear to be one car in perfect condition. A nice paint work, a new and stolen identity and the car is back on the road, looking as good as new.

There are many people willing to buy a cut and shut, from the car dealer who is aware that the car is illegal, or the private buyer who is also aware but is prepared to take the risk with their lives as well as anyone else in the vicinity, when their car goes out of control or breaks up. Sadly many of the owners of these cars do not know that they have bought a car that is unroadworthy, and sadly a few find out when it is too late.

When all is said and done, anyone actually buying a “cut and shut” only has themselves to blame. Any car, no matter how good it looks, what a good buy that it is and how much the seller presses them to make a swift decision, should stand their ground and insist on taking the car for pre-purchase examination. And not only that but at an examination center of their choice, preferably operated under the auspices of one the major car owners associations such RAC or the AA.

If the car is a “cut and shut” then this will show up in a matter of minutes, and not only should any deals be cancelled, but information on the seller be passed on to the UK Offices of Fair Trading. Make no mistake about it ,the practice of “cut and shut” is illegal and anyone dealing in this horrendous practice is punishable by law.

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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: Auto Cover, Car Insurance, Car Maintenance, Cars, Cut and Shut