Latest news for W 
A third of 3 to10-year old cars will suffer some mechanical failure this year(11/05/2011)
According to Warranty Direct, a third of the 16m DVLA-registered three to10-year old cars will suffer some degree of mechanical failure over the next 12 months. As a result, one in three British motorists will share a £1.6bn unwanted repair bill this year, with some facing bills as high as £7,239. Data held on Warranty Direct’s Reliability index shows that the two-seater Mercedes Benz SL (02-) has the highest average repair bill of £742.10, wi... [more]
UK drivers feel they get ripped-off every time they visit a motorway service station(01/03/2011)
According to research by What Car?, Britain’s motorway services are among the most expensive places to shop in the UK. The research was carried out after a What Car? poll revealed that two thirds of consumers feel they get ripped-off every time they visit a service station. What Car? editor-in-chief Steve Fowler said: “It is unforgiveable for retailers to take advantage of motorists in such a brazen manner. With fuel prices at an all-time high... [more]
The roads are going to deteriorate incredibly quickly over the coming months(03/01/2011)
Potholes are caused by water or snow filling existing cracks in road surfaces and freezing. The expansion this causes breaks open the road, which is revealed when the ice melts. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles cause maximum damage. Last year, it estimated that British motorists paid out £320m in repairs to everything from wheels and tyres to suspension failure. “That figure could pail into insignificance,” warns Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty D... [more]
Warranty Direct reveals top 10 car parts most likely to fail(19/11/2010)
Manufacturer new car warranties only cover material or manufacturing defects because wear-related failures increase in frequency as a vehicle ages and moves outside the traditional three-year cover period. Warranty Direct has revealed the top 10 car parts most likely to fail due to simple wear and tear. Suspension arms top a list which shows that around one in three repairs to vehicles aged between three and seven-years old will be due to a we... [more]
The Honda Jazz is the most reliable student car(15/10/2010)
Warranty Direct has analysed its 50,000 live policies to produce the reliability list of small used cars that come with a price tag suitable for parents or cash-strapped students. As tens of thousands of new students leave home and head for university this month, Warranty Direct reveals that the best car to pack them off in, for the student-sized budget of under £3000, is the Honda Jazz. The diminutive Jazz is the least likely runabout to leav... [more]
The rules governing the sale of used cars must be tightened up to protect consumers against unscrupulous dealers(21/09/2010)
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has revealed that complaints about second-hand cars rose 18% in the first six months of the year, with advice service, Consumer Direct, taking 38,138 complaints about vehicles bought from dealers. Motorists pay an average repair bill of £425 for faults that occur shortly after buying a used car, according to the OFT report. But Warranty Direct managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, says these costs can be av... [more]
Japanese cars are more reliable but European cars are cheaper to repair(21/08/2009)
Japanese manufacturers may still hold sway when it comes to building the most reliable cars but, if you want a vehicle that’s cheap to repair, buy European - That’s the message from Warranty Direct, as it unveiled its Manufacturer Reliability Index of the most dependable used cars (3-6 year old) for 2009. Honda claims top spot as the brand least likely to break down with fellow Far East manufacturers Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan and Mitsubish... [more]
Car scrappage scheme will benefit small car buyers(26/05/2009)
Consumers most likely to benefit from the £2,000 car scrappage incentive are those who are buying a small car - such as a city car or supermini – as the scheme will deliver at least a 20% discount if the car’s list price is £10,000 or less. The car scrappage scheme will benefit small car buyers and the government but it may not the best option for everyone. To qualify for the £2,000 discount, the car being scrapped must have been registered on... [more]
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