DRIVING COSTS continue to increase at an alarming rate with no sign of let up for the beleaguered motorist.In Europe fuel costs and taxes are particularly high - especially in the UK. For instance in 2008 according to the AA the average motorist played £1,800 in fuel duty and VAT, road tax and other levies to the Government. A lot of money to find from already taxed income! However there are ways that you can ease the burden of ever increasing motoring costs -

SAVE MONEY ON FUEL In your area there could be a difference in price of as much as 17 pence per litre between the cheapest and most expensive garages. Go to petrolprices.com enter your post code and the site will tell you the current cheapest petrol or diesel within a 10 mile radius. When buying fuel show no loyalty to any garage or brand - the cheapest is the best.
Boy Racers waste fuel. Steady driving is the key - avoid sudden braking or acceleration. For instance driving at 85mph uses 25% more fuel than driving at 70mph, also you won't be nicked for speeding or increase your chances of being involved in an accident. Maximize rolling power by maintaining tyre pressures at or just above recommended readings. Air conditioning increases fuel use, so switch it off and open the windows instead.
SAVE MONEY ON MOTOR INSURANCE Always shop around using the price comparison web sites, never accept your existing insurer's renewal quote. For a lot more information on really getting the best deal you must go to our own car insurance page.
SAVE MONEY ON CAR BUYING It is vital to always be objective, however most people shop for cars and even hardened Buyers sometimes weaken when confronted with making a choice of car. (find out if you are you a shopper or Buyer? - by going to our Shopper/Buyer page). Shoppers will make their decision based on subjective emotions - concerned about image, style, fashion, neighbour reaction etc. Logically, if you wish to save money, behave as a Buyer and make decisions based on objective facts. A car is a machine designed to carry humans from A to B not as an extension of a someone's personality. Research value for money items such as fuel economy, matching specifications to your real needs, discount available, servicing intervals, spares and maintenance and costs, lifetime costs, residual values etc. Never pay the list price for a car, shop around and you will always get a discount. Even if you are buying on credit don't forget it is illegal for a seller to offer less discount than for a cash sale. Try not to fixate on just one make or model - the more you have to chose from the better your eventual bargain. Maintain a healthy scepticism for anything that car sales people tell you, many are in the same league as estate agents and double glazing salesmen.
For used cars buying privately can be advantageous but always get an expert mechanic to check it out. The AA will do it for £122. Check out prices in one of the used & new car guides such as Kelly Parker or Glass which can be found in most newsagents.
For a lot more information now read our CAR BUYING page
Our buying cars from abroad page also has many tips that are also applicable to the UK.
SAVE MONEY ON ROAD TAX The Government seems bent on greatly increasing tax bands depending on amount of carbon emissions. We have no sympathy for Chelsea tractors being highly taxed but you should go to www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk to check the emissions and tax bands (varying from A to G) for your chosen make and model. It may even pay you to trade down to lower emission vehicle.
SAVE MONEY ON MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS Once again the advice is shop around as prices vary greatly from garage to garage. If you wish to check labour charges in your area go to www.labourrates.co.uk The perceived wisdom is for a new car it is best to uses the main dealer as the stamp in the service record helps the residual slightly, however with with flashy main dealer showrooms to pay for we wonder if this still the case.
SAVE MONEY ON CAR PARKING According to Direct Line parking charges in the UK have risen on average by 40% since 2000. The average cost of leaving a car for two hours has risen from 86p to £1.21 nationally. Compare parking prices at www.youcanpark.com See also our Airport Parking page
SAVE MONEY BY DEPLOYING ECONOMIES OF SCALE Don't drive alone, share your car with a colleague who drives the same route to work. Advertise in local media to start a Car Sharing Scheme or join an existing one.
SAVE MONEY ON MOTORING - THE BIGGEST SAVING OF ALL With the average motorist spending around £3,000 per annum, when depreciation is included many people are wondering if it is worth it any more. So for people with low local mileage it is debatable if a car offers value for moony - after all £3,000 buys an awful lot of taxi journeys! Or join a Car Club - they operate as non profit making cooperative ventures where Club members can hire cars by the hour as they need them. Go to our Car Clubs page for more information. Perhaps you can cycle to work? If your employer belongs to the UK government "Cycle to work scheme" you can even get the taxman to pay up to half the cost of a new byke costing less than £500. www.cyclescheme.co.uk
SAVE MONEY BY CAR SHARING If you think it is a bit drastic to get rid of your car and have a regular commute type journey why not set up or join a car sharing sceme? Links for advice include -
National Car Share
Liftshare
Carshare.com

SORRY but we do not have the resources at the moment to advise on individual motoring problems