Month: October 2019

More than a third of drivers who use their cars for work or commuting call in sick for at least one day a year because of car-related back pain, new research has found.

The research, which was conducted by carmaker Volvo, discovered that out of a sample of 2,000 adults who drive to work or for work purposes, 35 per cent admitted to having taken at least one day off work in the past 12 months because of back pain caused by uncomfortable car seats.

Applied to the 22,032,000 motorists in the UK who drive for work or commuting, the scale of the problem sees the economy hit by losses of £8.8 billion each year in lost productivity.

In addition, one in 10 said that they had taken a full working week off because of back pain.

Not only that, but the research discovered that nearly one in five of those surveyed had swapped out their cars for a more comfortable model to combat back pain, therefore putting additional stress on fleet operators. One in three also had to visit their local GP or physiotherapist for back pain – costing the NHS £191.94 million in appointments and hospital visits.

Kristian Elvefors, managing director for Volvo Car UK, said: “Back pain from poor quality car seats costs the UK economy billions in lost productivity, but also adds pressure on fleet providers to ensure their cars are comfortable for all drivers.

“Finding a replacement vehicle at short notice isn’t easy and costs money. Volvo is committed to ensuring that all of its customers, regardless of shape or size, find the seats in their car incredibly comfortable and pain-free.”

According to the Swedish manufacturer’s research, 63 per cent of drivers prioritise seat comfort above everything else when it comes to cars. Also, one in 10 of those drivers surveyed said that they have had passengers refuse to ride in their car because of its uncomfortable seats.

More than half of British drivers wait more than two months before getting faults with their car fixed, a new survey has revealed.

A survey of 2,020 drivers revealed that not only do motorists put off repairs for two months, but also showed that over half couldn’t change a tyre if they needed to.

In fact, 14 per cent of those questioned only fix faults when it’s urgent, while more than a quarter don’t know how to check the oil. Of the MOT tests taken this year, one third were fails while one in 10 was because of dangerous faults.

And yet, despite motorists agreeing that repair costs could be cheaper if addressed earlier, UK drivers spend £574.50 a year on repairs.

Lucy Davies at Green Flag, who commissioned the survey, commented: “Green Flag would like to help educate drivers on the importance of consistent and timely vehicle maintenance.

“Regular car inspection, maintenance and repair will ensure that future repair costs are minimised, hence we encourage all UK drivers not to underestimate the importance of proper car care”.

Green Flag says that each week, drivers should be alert to signs that a car isn’t running as smoothly as normal and listen out for if the engine turns over more slowly than usual when started – this could be a sign of a battery nearing the end of its life.

In addition, tyres should be checked each week for any cuts, damage or reduction in pressure.

People who smoke in their cars could be knocking up to £2,000 off the sell-on value, according to vehicle valuation experts.

HPI says that many smokers are unaware of the smell and physical damage to the interior that smoking can cause, putting off future owners.

It also suggests that giving the car a deep clean can cost up to £150, but doesn’t guarantee the smell will be gone. In some cases, the smoke can work its way deep into the fabric, requiring a complete retrim to fix.

Furthermore, repairing marks, stains and cigarette burns that may have appeared can knock profits further down.

Fernando Garcia, consumer director at HPI, said: “Smoking in cars is bad news as far as re-sale health is concerned. The first thing a car dealer will do when looking at a car being sold by a smoker is knock down the price of the part exchange.

“A car for part-ex has to be made fit for re-sale and this becomes considerably more difficult and expensive when that car was previously driven by a smoker.

“There is often no obvious visual damage, but the smell of smoke is a major problem for motor dealers. Smoke becomes ingrained in the fabric of the car and climate control system, requiring a professional valet and a specialist tools to clean the air conditioning.”

As the winter months approach, it’s often best practice to shield a classic car away from the elements. Gritters, increased rainfall and less-than-pristine road surfaces can all play havoc with a classic, ruining fragile parts and damaging bodywork.

It’s why most classic car drivers put their pride and joy into hibernation over winter. However, what do you need to do beforehand – and during – to ensure that your car is left without damage during its deep sleep, and awakes in the spring as right as rain? Read on…

Give it a wash

This step is a reasonably obvious one. Giving your car a thorough clean will ensure that any contaminants on the bodywork or in the cabin will be removed, and therefore won’t be left to fester after the car is put away.

Even when a car is stored, any dampness left behind can eat into bodywork and components – so make sure that it’s thoroughly dried off before you put it away.

Find a proper place to store it

Again, a pretty obvious step. You’ve got to make sure that you have a proper place to store your car over the winter, be that a garage, lock-up or large shed – and anything in between. The most important factors are that it is watertight, dust-free (as much as possible) and void of damp, too.

You can also find inflatable car storage ‘bubbles’ which circulate treated air inside, effectively isolating the car from any outside fluctuations it humidity or temperature.

Disconnect the battery and equip a trickle charger

If you don’t disconnect the battery, it’ll eventually run out of charge and the car won’t start. Sure, you can just ‘jump it’ to get it started, but if the battery is left too long without charge it’s bad for its health.

By disconnecting the battery from the car and connecting a trickle charger, you can ensure that some charge is constantly put into the battery and slowly discharged, keeping the elements within it healthy. That means when it comes to starting your car up in the warmer months, not only will it start the first time, the battery will be in good health.

Pump up the tyres, or jack the car up

Keeping your tyres in good condition is really important. Not only are they the only point of contact with the road and therefore the first point of concern for safety, but flat spots can also create a really annoying rattle as you drive along.

And that’s exactly what you’ll get if you leave your car in the garage for months and don’t take care of its rubber boots. Leave the car standing and the weight of the car on the ground will flatten the contact point.

To avoid this, either put the car up on jacks or pump the tyres up to a higher pressure.

Check fluids

After a long summer of driving, it’s probable the fluid levels in your classic need a check over to ensure they’re all optimal and ready for next year.

Check the car’s oil to see if it’s in a healthy condition, there is a good amount — too little or too much can result in components seizing. Have a look to see if brake fluids and coolants are at good levels too, while it’s also worth topping up the windscreen washer reservoir.

Car cover

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Huge thanks to @classicadditions and @andrewduncanparker for the fantastic service and help with this cover for the P1. Should have got one years ago! #Carcover #ClassicAdditions

A post shared by Ted’s Car Valeting (@car_photographs) on Mar 31, 2018 at 1:38pm PDT

Once you’re done with the pre-storage cleaning, checks and other TLC bits, it’s time to put your classic away for the winter. We’d recommend storing it in a garage if possible, though whether inside or out, it’s always worth putting a car cover over it.

This will keep the bodywork away from the elements — working to prevent damage to the paintwork, and aid in protecting from corrosion. Car covers come in all different shapes and sizes, so it shouldn’t be a problem finding the right one for your car.