Many people are having to use their cars for work purposes and to help out with collecting groceries for local people etc. These types of journeys may not be covered under your car insurance if you do not have business use listed on your policy.

It may be that you have an accident whilst running one of the errands and then find that your not covered. Most insurers have now come out to say that they are extending cover to these people who need to now use their vehicle for these purposes. It may be that you are volunteering with administering the vaccine or that you are taking elderly people to doctors appointments. It is vital that all of these things continue and it is nice to see that insurers are offering this to many customers without trying to charge them extra. If you are having to do any of these types of additional journeys then it is worth ringing your insurer to check that you are covered. You also need to keep an eye on how many miles you do and inform them if you think you are going to go over as they make need to adjust your policy for you.

When it comes to buying a new car or van you have to choose whether to go for petrol, diesel or electric. They all have their advantages and disadvantages, but often electrically cars simply just too expensive and as they are not very old, there are not a lot of cheaper second hand ones.

People often think diesels are cheaper to run than petrol and this may be the case in terms of fuel but there are other factors you need to take in to account.  Diesels can be more expensive than the equivalent petrol version but they also retain their value well, meaning that when it comes time to trade in or sell on, you’ll get more money for it. Sometimes the price for fuel is the same for petrol or diesel and often the difference is only very small.

As a diesel will usually do more miles to the gallon so is more economical, this will often contribute to the increase in the price. As well, diesel cars do seem to out live their petrol equivalent.  

When buying a diesel car is the cost of the road tax as often it is much higher than on a petrol so you do need to bear this in mind when factoring in costs.

There are few things as frustrating as getting into your car, turning the key in the ignition and the car failing to start especially if you are about to go to work or go for an appointment. If you have breakdown cover that covers you from your home address as well as when you are away from home then sometimes the simplest solution is to give them a ring and arrange for a mechanic to come out to you however if you do not have cover or if you have but it does not cover home start it will be necessary to either find a local mobile mechanic to come out to you or get the car towed to a local garage. There are always going to be occasions when your car breaks down unexpectedly but there are measures that you can take to prevent some breakdowns or at least minimise their frequency.

One of the major car parts that fail particularly during the winter months is the battery. As soon as the weather gets colder and the nights draw in meaning that we need to use car lights more frequently our car batteries are put under more pressure and some older batteries then let us down.

It is worthwhile asking your usual car garage to check the battery when your car is in for its service or MOT to see whether it is holding its charge efficiently so avoiding the situation of the car failing to start due to battery failure.

Unfortunately, the summer is long gone, and we are faced with the prospect of the cold and frequently wet winter months ahead. Some people do not worry about preparing their cars for winter and expect them to start first time and run well every journey. With a brand new car this may be true but if you find yourself driving a car that is more than a few years old it is a sensible idea to plan ahead for the winter months saving yourself the worry of the car breaking down.

One of the most important issues for a car in winter are the condition of the tyres. It is worth investing in specialist winter tyres on your vehicle if you can afford it as safety should be a priority, if however the current tyres are still roadworthy an extra set of wheels with winter tyres on them could be put on to the vehicle and changed back in the summer months. Often a set of wheels can be purchased cheaply from a breakers yard and for a small charge a garage can swap them over for you.

Probably the part of the car that fails more frequently during the winter months is the battery. It is worth getting it checked to make sure it is maintaining its charge and if not, a new battery should be purchased and fitted.