FOXY Lady Drivers Club supports today’s research findings that the cost to the UK of scrapping the annual MOT could be as much as £1.5 billion.

Government claims that reducing MOT frequency will also reduce the financial burden on motorists are challenged today in a report which shows the opposite – that proposals to scrap annual testing will hit both motorists and the UK economy hard.

The report by Pro-MOTe is titled “A cost too far” and includes research that the average female motorist would be more than £57 worse off under a less frequent MOT system than she is today.

It also shows that the overall cost to the UK in increased costs of road deaths, injuries and damage, as well as 40,000 lost jobs and reduced tax revenues, will be some £1.44bn.

The research compares costs of the existing 3-1-1 MOT system (where cars over three years are tested every year) with the 4-2-2 system more commonly used elsewhere in Europe (where cars over four years old are tested every two years).  It estimates that under 4-2-2, the average motorist would incur annual SAVINGS of £24.44 a year made up of:
- £20 a year in saved MOT fees
- £3.30 a year in saved personal time
- £1.14 a year in saved fuel costs as a result of fewer visits to a MOT station

But the average motorist would incur annual INCREASES of £81.81 under 4-2-2 from:
- £30.59 in additional repair costs
- £46.05 in additional insurance premiums
- £5.17 in additional fuel costs of £5.17

The research was carried out using data from the DfT and the Treasury, and motor industry sources.  Pro-MOTe is supported by the RAC, AA, road safety campaigners, industry groups and insurance companies to campaign against plans to reduce MOT frequency.

Commenting on the report, Pro-MOTe co-ordinator, Bill Duffy, said:

“This research shows that scrapping annual MOT testing would not only be dangerous but prove very expensive too, to both drivers and taxpayers alike. The Government has suggested that reducing the number of safety tests would reduce the financial burden on motorists.  Yet the truth is exactly the opposite.  Moving to two-yearly tests would mean extra repair costs, extra insurance premiums and extra fuel costs for already hard-pressed motorists. And the cost to the UK economy in lost jobs and higher costs arising from the additional accidents that we would see due to less frequent testing would be significant.”

Hear hear Bill. This is a poorly considered proposition and it’s time it was scrapped. This is also costing road safety, consumer organisations like ours and directly affected motor industry businesses a lot of unnecessary time and money attempting to do this research for our Government.

An interesting and possibly previously ignored dimension here seems to be that insurance companies plan to respond to the scenario of an increased number of unroadworthy cars by raising premiums for us all.   Then motorists would surely hold the Government responsible for another rise in the cost of motoring…

So it’s time to shut the UK’s back door to this proposal now. Heaven knows we all have more productive things to be getting on to benefit not threaten the UK economy and its motor industry.

FOXY Steph

For further information go to the Pro-MOTe website or contact Ed Owen at EdO@pro-mote.org.uk or on 07774 759653. Pro-MOTe was launched in October 2011 to press the Government to drop plans to reduce the frequency of MOT testing. The launch report “Dangerous, expensive and unwanted” is available at http://www.pro-mote.org.uk/assets/download/PRO-MOTE_launch_report.pdf

Supporters of the Pro-MOTe campaign include AA, Andrew Page, Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel, Autoglass, Aviva, Brake, British Cycling, Confused.com, Driver’s Edge UK, Euro Car Parts, FOXY Lady Drivers Club, Garage Equipment Association, GEM Motoring Assist, Halfords Autocentres, Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation, Kwik Fit, MOTEST, MOT Trade Forum, MOT Club, National Tyre Distributors Association, Parts Alliance, RAC, The Retail Motor Industry Federation, Road Safety Analysis, Road Safety GB, The Scottish Motor Trade Association, Tyre Industry Federation, UNITE.

According to Tesco Cars, thousands of mums and dads are averaging more than 200 miles every week acting as taxi drivers taking their children to and from after-school activities, sporting events, parties and other commitments. Converted into current fuel prices, this additional mileage could add a staggering £1800 a year to an already stretched family fuel bill.

Tesco is now looking for the Parent Driver of 2011 in a competition to recognise the one that is going above and beyond the call of duty by providing their children
with the ultimate ‘parent taxi’ service.

The competition runs from 19 September to 14 October and is open for nominations now.

The study found on average parents make three trips per week, covering 50.02 miles to transport their children to various events and activities.

Parents in Wales recorded the highest average weekly mileage, around 65 miles, whilst North East parents drive the least at 39.5 miles. Just under one in seven parents (15.95%) said they don’t drive their children to any events or activities at all, with some citing the high cost of running their vehicle as reason and using public transport instead.

Parents living in the West Midlands are some of the most generous with their time and fuel budget, with just under 8% – or one in 12 – regularly topping the 200 mile mark each week as acting ‘parent taxi.’

Surprisingly, parent drivers living in traffic infested Greater London will regularly clock up an average of 52.5 taxi miles each week.

FOXY Steph

Who can you think of to wish a nightmare car on? One that broke down every other month and cost an average of £2,050 to fix each year?

I can think of a few prime candidates I’d like to nominate for such motoring stress…

By combining the cars with the worst and fairly predicable faults across the categories that make up its Reliability Index Warranty Direct has come up with the ultimate nightmare car based on its experience of what makes cars unreliable and unreasonably expensive to run.

Just for the record, the nightmare car in question has a MG TF engine, BMW M3 suspension, Renault Megane electrics, Land Rover Freelander gears, Audi A8 brakes, Mercedes-Benz V-Class ignition, SEAT Alhambra’s air conditioning and SEAT Toledo’s heating and cooling system.

Added all together, the ultimate nightmare car achieves a Reliability Index figure of over 500 – more than five times that of the average car.

Warranty Direct managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher said: “Nearly 40 percent of BMW M3s require repairs to axle and suspension components each year, while the same proportion of Renault Meganes report an electrical fault. One in five Land Rover Freelanders suffer transmission glitches each year and the same number of Audi A8s will need repairs to their brakes. Close to a quarter of MG’s TF sports cars will experience engine troubles, while if you like keeping cool, beware the SEAT Alhambra; more than one in eight will need their air-conditioning fixed during a typical year.”

Yet motorists continue to buy them not realising that there is always a more foxy new car which is more reliable (and often safer and better value) in each category.

What a shame these facts aren’t made compulsory reading before motorists buy these unreliable cars…

FOXY Steph

I have always thought that chipped finger nails, scuffed knees and a strained back were too high a price to pay to show that I can change a car tyre as well as a man. All I’d be saving on car breakdown insurance could be something like £30 a year anyway.

No way would I sacrifice this peace of mind as a female motorist and I don’t know any foxy lady driver who would drive without their essential breakdown contact details and a mobile phone in their handbag either. But we all know that times are tough and we are told that many motorists, women in particular, are scrimping on car maintenance and garage visits. Perhaps driving without breakdown cover might be seen as another economy for them, oblivious to the hidden safety costs.

I can only hope they’d know a lot better than this if they were members of FOXY Lady Drivers Club…

In my experience, you’d be back on the road quicker and your car might even be safer by getting a roadside breakdown sorted by a professional and experienced engineer.

Yet with so many garages and dealerships organising car maintenance evenings for women one thinks there MUST surely be a female DIY car maintenance demand here unless <thinks she cynically> this is a way for industry men to show off their mechanical prowess to women. Which is daft really because most women are perfectly happy to let men do this oily stuff so they don’t have to.

In fact I know exactly what to do should my car break down.  I don’t want to wield a jack and more to the point if I have a car full of children, I can’t leave them unattended. Nor am I likely to demonstrate to passers by that I am a lone female without any breakdown service to contact.

Instead I’d call my emergency breakdown company, explain if I’m on my own or stranded with children and look forward to a shining knight in (branded) armour being with me in less than an hour – often much less. And just for the record, if I was stranded on a motorway I’d know to get out of the car fast and wait behind the barrier. If I wasn’t on a motorway, I’d sit in the passenger seat so nosy gawpers would think I am not alone.

FOXY Steph

When it comes to the cost of motoring, most women drivers have a breakdown policy in place, just in case. If you’d like to have the same peace of mind when your car needs an expensive repair doing, you may choose to budget for this by buying a car warranty product.
According to car warranty provider Warranty Direct, one in three* repairs to vehicles aged between three and seven-years old will be due to a wear-related failure which is fairly obvious when you think about it. And new car warranties only cover material or manufacturing defects.

Their repair data shows us which parts are most likely to wear out over time. Smaller parts like bearings in a water pump could cost c£200 to fix whereas larger components like automatic gearboxes cost on average £1,378.65 but are thankfully very rare.

TOP TEN* parts that fail due to ‘wear & tear’
Component/Percentage of all repairs/Average repair cost
Suspension arms/ 5.86%/ £230.60
Ball joint/3.89%/£223.80
Steering rack/3.88%/£377.68
Turbo/2.18%/£794.78
Water pump/2.07%/£209.00
Wheel bearings/1.86%/£150.31
Fuel pump/1.38%/£415.30
Flywheel/1.05%/£630.92
Injector/0.86%/£400.26
Automatic Gearbox/0.38%/£1,378.65

As in life, it’s important to read the small print with so many warranties on the market. Vauxhall offers a lifetime warranty, restricted to 100,000 miles and one owner; Kia has a 7 year one (same mileage but more reliable cars), Hyundai offers 5 years and the more typical warranty is a 3 year term.

But don’t expect the car warranty salesman to explain your choices or help you find the best for your circumstances because commission is involved! You must do your homework for yourself and be aware that some warranty policies include a low hourly rate payable to garages, meaning you might decide to top this up to use one you would prefer, based on measurable quality reasons, as explained in FOXY Good Garage Guide for example.

Where ‘wear and tear’ is excluded the motorist will be required to pay for worn out parts which are normally related to heavy mileage, the car’s age or a change in any existing warranty terms as the car gets older.
*figure of one in three based on total failures due to wear and tear (34.4%). Top 10 accounts for 23.4% of all failures

Warranty Direct cover starts from £15 a month.
FOXY Steph

NB: FOXY Choice lists female friendly garage repairers that won’t overcharge, patronise or sell women services they don’t need.

We all know that worn tyres can cause accidents. Think about the trust we place on a bit of rubber when we floor the accelerator… and then remember when you last looked to see if your tyres are safe.

Fortunately women drivers who are members of FOXY Lady Drivers Club can have their tyres checked by a garage professional as part of their quarterly Car Fitness Check regime – no extra charge AND all participating garages have signed the female friendly FOXY Promise to ‘never overcharge, patronise or sell women things they don’t want to buy.’
So there’s peace of mind that you won’t suffer the sort of sales pressure at a FOXY garage that you might if you choose a rogue fastfit or garage by mistake.

But you still need to check your tyres more regularly than this; ideally once a month and, to quote the meerkat,  it’s simples to do.

Just insert a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your car tyres – if the outer rim of the coin is covered by the tread, this indicates sufficient tread depth to be safe and legal. If the outer rim of the coin is visible, your tyres need attention.

And if the seven year olds in the TyreSafe photo can do it, then so can you.

It’s also a good idea to get into the habit of walking round your car every time before you get in it. You’ll then become used to looking for the likes of a slow puncture or tyre wall damage caused by kerb scuffs or worse.

simples for tyres

Current UK law requires a minimum of 1.6mm of tread across the central three quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. If your tyres aren’t legal you can be fined up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.

In 2009/10, 2.3 million vehicles failed their annual MOT test where ‘tyres’ was one of the reasons for referral and 1.6 million of these were because the car’s tyres did not meet the 1.6mm requirements. I shall remember this stat because of the 1.6 numeric coincidence…

Additionally, the number of drivers prosecuted by courts in England and Wales during 2008 for driving on defective tyres totalled 4,300 convictions (up by 14%). And you would imagine the 2009 figures will reflect the same sort of recessionary pressures to save money on car maintenance (without thinking…).

So in case you have ever doubted it, it really does make safety and financial sense to be a FOXY Lady Driver because our car checks are free and carried out by measurably good and female friendly garages (fast fits and dealerships too).

Why not join the Club now? Or tell your friends and family. All it costs is £23 for a lifetime sub and £3 of that goes to a cancer charity.

Priceless surely when it comes to driver safety alone.

FOXY Steph

Worrying research carried out by ‘not for profit’ road safety organisation TyreSafe suggests that male and female motorists are more likely to buy part worn tyres than they were 12 months ago. One assumes that this is due to the escalating cost of motoring and the financial pressures that we are all facing.

The problem is that whilst part worn tyres may seem cheap they are a false economy because they can pose a significant safety hazard to the driver, her passengers and other road users. In fact, in 2008 illegal, under-inflated or defective tyres are said to have contributed to the deaths of 34 drivers and the injuries of more than 900 other motorists.

The Chairman of TyreSafe, Stuart Jackson, reminds us that tyres play a critical role in vehicle safety and that there are very strict requirements to do with the sale of part worn tyres. But that, apparently, does not stop part worn tyres getting into the system from unreliable sources that do not meet the required standards. Stuart’s advice is simple and to the point…

“Whilst we understand the financial pressures being faced by [female] motorists today the risks associated with fitting part worn tyres are too high and we would always recommend fitting brand new tyres.”

Unsurprisingly TyreSafe research found that younger and novice drivers are much more likely to compromise their safety by buying part worn tyres compared with older drivers. One in five drivers aged between 18-34 said they were more likely to buy part worn tyres (compared with 12 months ago), whereas only one in twenty drivers aged over 55 said they were more likely to buy part worns.

Part worn tyres can come from a variety of sources making it extremely difficult to know their history. Some come from vehicles which have been written off following an accident; others are put back into service having been changed by their original owner; and many arise from situations where drivers switch between a set of summer and winter tyres and choose to refit brand new tyres rather than refitting their old set.

FOXY’s advice echoes Stuart’s -  don’t buy part used or worn tyres unless you know their pedigree.

But how can the industry convince young student drivers, for example, who are unlikely to be reading blogs like this but who need every financial save they can get, living in debt and on limited funds?

The answer is surely to formalise the supply chain so that any used tyre sale comes with an approved provenence, with liability attached to the seller…

I suspect that is easier to write than do.

FOXY Steph

For more information about tyre safety or the dangers of part worn tyres, visit TyreSafe.

Find out how foxy lady drivers save money on everyday motoring costs

A recent survey carried out by Delticom AG, Europe’s leading Internet tyre dealer, found that women drivers in Germany were appreciating the time and money savings that internet searching for tyre deals brings.

Which might be another way of saying that they are being foxy (as in smart) by doing their car, garage services and tyre buying online in advance because they are fearful of being ripped off, patronised or sold something they don’t want to buy in an intimidating garage environment?

Basically, men and women give the same arguments for online tyre purchase.

buying tyres online saves women drivers time and money

But women appreciate the comfort of ordering from home more than men.

• 96 percent of women rate it as an advantage, compared to 89 percent of men.
• Women are also the bigger bargain hunters amongst tyre buyers.
• For 95 percent of women drivers the low price is an important argument for online purchasing.

In the UK of course, women drivers can check out the credentials of a female friendly garage that has signed the FOXY Promise© to ‘never overcharge, patronise or sell women services they don’t want to buy’.

FOXY Steph

Find out about other motoring offers to help women cut the cost of motoring at FOXY Lady Drivers Club

ONE than five million motorists are driving dangerous cars says leading breakdown service Britannia Rescue. Its survey found that

• The most common faults were worn tyres, defective brakes and faulty exhaust pipes. It goes without saying that worn tyres and faulty brakes cause accidents and could lead to a motorist being held responsible for injuries caused to another.

• One in five drivers had known about the fault on their vehicle for more than six months but not bothered to do anything about it.

• One in three said they could not afford to fix the problem whereas one in 10 said they did not have time to get their car repaired, neither of which would be an excuse in law if they caused an accident and someone was injured or killed.

• Some 5% of vehicles in need of repair had broken or missing wing mirrors, while about the same number had broken head or tail lights.

Steph Savill of female friendly marketing service FOXY Choice suspects that some motorists have become complacent about their cars, imagining that if they are fairly new they are probably safe.

“Just as the recent vehicle recalls by so many manufacturers tell us, even nearly new cars can have serious safety issues and we mustn’t treat our cars like household appliances, doing little to take care of them and expecting to throw them away when they get old. Even those of us who are competent at checking our car’s tyres, oil and water levels can miss important safety concerns because we don’t have the professional eye to spot the unusual.”

Steph recommends that all motorists have their cars checked by garage professionals on a regular basis and explains that

“A dangerous car can cause a serious accident that could kill or seriously injure the driver, passengers, pedestrians and the occupants of other cars. Those who own a poorly maintained car may find that their insurer withdraws cover if it can be proven that the accident was caused because the car owner had neither carried out regular maintenance nor had it serviced often enough.”

Find out where the good and female friendly garages are in your area.

Find out how women drivers can save money on everyday motoring bills including garage charges.

FOXY Steph

Much as the stories about women drivers being unable to read maps disappeared with the arrival of satnav systems hopefully the tales of our not being able to park will fade away with the arrival of parking sensors…

Not that I accept that we are any worse than men at doing either by the way but these (usually male driven) perceptions give women drivers a bad name and being peace makers by nature, we are more likely to accept blame for things we aren’t always responsible for… knowing that many men feel the need to believe/convince us that they are the better drivers

Parking sensors make sense to me (and I must say that it isn’t just women drivers who need these in our household…) because…

• Repairing a scuffed bumper costs £460 on average
• Bumps and scratches can reduce your car’s value by £00s
• 37% of all accidents are caused whilst reversing
• The majority of minor car repairs are likely to come out of your insurance excess

Well worth checking that your new car has these and to find out how much parking sensors cost to be fitted to used cars.

If you live near Peebles or Galashiels, female friendly Ford car dealership David Harrison lists costs from £270 on their website.

And female friendly Inchcape Ford car dealerships in Farnborough, Guildford, Wokingham and Guildford are advertising these from £234…

Needless to say you’ll also find some great new and used Ford car deals at both locations.

FOXY Steph

PS To check out female friendly garages and dealerships near you, use the FOXY Choice search finder on the home page…