Buying a new car? Read this first: 3 cars that hold their value

We all know that when you buy a brand new car, the moment you drive it out of the showroom it loses a lot of its value. But with the finance deals many showrooms now offer, it could be more financially viable to purchase a brand new car than a second-hand one.

Many dealerships now offer to contribute to your deposit, or even put down the entire deposit on your behalf. Combine that with benefits such as three years free servicing and road tax for a year, it may well be the best option. But one thing you can’t avoid when buying new is the depreciation rate. This is something that dealerships can’t control.

But, by doing a bit of research, you can find cars which don’t lose as much of their value, making them the best deal. Here are some things to consider:

Fast cars are inevitably expensive, and are notorious for high depreciation levels. However, due to recent popularity levels and consumer trends, some sports cars are now better at holding their value. Take the Porsche 911 GT Coupé, which has a retained value level of 72% after three years.

If you’re after a more practical, family-friendly car, then you should consider the BMW X3 diesel that has a retained value of just over 70% after the first three years.

 
Don’t want a family car but don’t want a crazy sports car either? Then the Audi A1 diesel is a great city car yet still comfortable for longer journeys. This model currently holds a 63.6% retained value after the first three years or 30,000 miles.

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The ugliest cars in the world

They’re the automotive eyesores we love to point and gawp at, but rarely bother to quantify. Thanks to the Daily Telegraph which polled its readers on the matter, we now have an unofficial and highly contestable list of the world’s ugliest cars.

The nation's retired colonels, or whoever reads the Telegraph nowadays, have made some interesting choices. Alongside some real stinkers like the Nissan Cube and Peugeot 1007, they’ve included some merely awkward-looking vehicles such as the Porsche Panamera and even the classic Morris Minor and Jaguar XJ-S. Here's their 'top' 10:

Range Rover Evoque
Ford Ka
Morris Minor
Suzuki X-90
Nissan Cube (pictured)
Porsche Panamera
Austin Allegro
Peugeot 1007
Jaguar XJ-S
Nissan Juke

What do you think?

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Thousands in line to be let off speeding fines

Have you been convicted of a speeding offence recently? If so, you may be able to contest your conviction due to a technical error involving many of the UK’s road signs.

The Crown Prosecution Service says a cock-up on the M42 in Warwickshire means many of the speeding tickets issued on two stretches of road could be voided because the variable speed-limit signs didn’t meet traffic regulations. Some of the electronic signs which inform drivers of changing speed limits – Advanced Motorway Indicators – are said to have been in the wrong sized font.

  

This may seem like a triviality, and it is. But there could be a lot to gain from this little loophole. Thousands of people were caught by speed cameras on that stretch of road – between junctions 3a to 7 and junctions 7 to 9 – until November 2012, when Warwickshire police stopped using the signs and halted prosecutions.

It’s estimated as many as 11,000 people could be entitled to claim back their fines and have their points reinstated. The Highways Agency says the signs did comply with the regulations, although the CPS and Warwickshire Police are advising people who were nabbed on the M42 before November last year to seek independent advice, as they could have been falsely prosecuted.

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Best and worst service stations in the UK

Every driver will sooner or later have to familiarise themselves with the motorway service station. This will mean getting used to poor quality food at rip-off prices in an environment of unbearable drabness. You may not think it, but some are actually better than the others. But seeing as they all blend into one identikit, low-roofed hut in our imaginations, it’s often difficult to remember which ones were worth holding on for, and which should be skipped.

Thankfully one loveable anorak has put together a rankings system for every motorway convenience in the UK. What emerges from the results is that – perhaps unsurprisingly – they're all mostly terrible, with very little to distinguish between the awful and mediocre.

By popular consensus, the best roadside convenience in the UK is the Tebay, on the M6 near Penrith in the north west of England. So far apart from its peers is Tebay that it is described as the Keira Knightley of service stations. It boasts unusually clean toilets, a decent array of health food, a children’s play area, and even a butcher’s onsite. In short, it’s everything we’ve come to expect a service station not to be.

Unfortunately, Penrith is only one of two independent service stations in the UK. The other is Cairn Lodge on the M74 in Scotland, but the reviews suggest this one’s no better than its big corporate rivals. Of the big chains, facilities run by Moto are scored highest, while Welcome Break is considerably worse, and Road Chef outright dismal.

Next time you need a break, consider this, and hope you’re in the vicinity of Penrith near the Lake District, or at least an establishment run by Moto.

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McLaren unveils new green P1 at Geneva Motor Show

It’s only February, but already there’s a contender for the year’s best super car. And not just any top-end speed monster, either – the McLaren P1 is a green machine. And since the press shots show a yellow paint-job, this can only mean ‘green’ as in eco-friendly.

Even though it can hit 62mph in three seconds, the impact of revving it up can be consolidated by the P1’s innovative energy-saving technology. Running on petrol with an additional electric motor, its CO2 emissions will be way below that of most other super cars. At 200g/km, it’s 10-20% greener than its competitors, and even includes an electric-only mode with zero emissions, which runs for around six miles.

Then take a look at the thing – a snarling speed buggy that outstrips even the “best car in the world,” McLaren’s own 12C Spider, in the cosmetics department. True, it’s almost exactly the same as the prototypes revealed last year – the only difference being a couple of air vents ahead of the front wheels. But with the look of a Lotus Elise reimagined by George Lucas, this is the motor that really looks like it’s operating in another dimension. Unfortunately, this kind of whizz-bang doesn’t come cheap, even by super-car standards.

Limited to a fleet of 375, the McLaren P1 will set you back £866,000 when it hits the mega-exclusive forecourts this Autumn. A first glimpse of the P1 is being offered to attendees of the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Ask a mechanic nicely and he may let you take one for a spin – or not.

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Why more people are buying new

Despite tight economic conditions, new-car sales continue to rise. More vehicles were driven off the forecourt than the previous months in January, an 11% increase on 2012. This is the eleventh consecutive rise in monthly sales. There are a number of reasons this is happening.

It’s cheaper (sometimes)

It can actually be cheaper to buy new if you’re paying through a finance scheme. Auto Express recently compared the prices of new and used versions of the same vehicle, and found that with cheaper and mid-range models such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Scirocco, customers saved up to £3,200 with a new car. Combined with increased warranties and better insurance deals, it’s no wonder 70 per cent of new cars are now bought this way.

Technology

"Some motorists are looking to the new car market to take advantage of the latest technologies that offer enhanced fuel efficiency and lower running costs," a spokesperson for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders told the Guardian. "Very little movement in the housing market may have also shifted focus to new car replacement."

New-car smell 

There aren’t any figures relating to the number of people who buy a new car for its unique scent. But the new-car smell is certainly a factor in the emotional appeal of buying a new car. Getting a whiff of that leathery freshness signifies success, security and freedom.

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Petrol price looking to go up 4p in the next few days

Campaigners are warning the public that petrol prices may increase by 4p a litre in the next couple of days.

The Petrol Retailers Association has reported that a review of the wholesale fuel market was needed as "despite recent arctic weather cutting fuel demand across northern Europe and refinery chiefs complaining at their glut of petrol capacity" wholesale costs of petrol have risen 5p a litre in the four weeks after Christmas.

PRA chairman Brian Madderson said: "The shock rise in wholesale costs is just one of the reasons why the Petrol Retailers' Association has been knocking on the door of the Office for Fair Trading, since this time last year, to demand a full investigation into the workings of the UK market for road fuel".

Motoring journalist Quentin Wilson said: "A 4p rise is going to be cataclysmic for motorists, for families, for businesses across the UK. In some parts of the country we are seeing diesel as high as 148p so this will tip it over the psychological threshold of 150p...and it's unsupportable."

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The best of the 2013 Detroit Auto Show!

The two day event has come to an end and we have pulled ourselves together to sit down and bring you the best bits and top news from the spectacle.


Shelby GT500 & Super Snake Widebody

Can we just say… WOW! Shelby are known for retuning Ford products into racing demons and they’ve done it again with their Ford Focus ST. With an upgraded suspension, hard hitting breaks and exhaust system, the car is a beast of a machine. 

 Buyers can upgrade the 252 horespower output to over 300 and production of these cars will be limited to 500 units.

Along with the internal upgrades, Shelby released a new body kit, the Super Snake, which is a wider option that will accommodate the 10 inch front and 13inch back wheels.

To get your hands on one of these beauts prepare to spend around £22,000 for the Ford Focus ST and then another $14,995 for the original kit and $28,995 for the Super Snake.

 

Acura NSX Concept Car

Don’t expect to get your hands on this gem for a few years, but Acura’s hybrid supercar is still pulling in admiration. The exterior is sleek and almost Batman like while the interior reveals maroon leather bucket seats and a “human connected space” which we determine means loads of snazzy buttons and high tech amenities. 

Lexus Entry Level Sports Car

Lexus are keeping their word on broadening their market by introducing affordable, yet stylish vehicles. The new Sedan’s design is sleek and flawless and will be available from 2014. 

2013 Bentley GT Speed Convertible

This car left tongues wagging and soft whimpers escaped the crowds of admirers that surrounded Bentley’s new speed devil.  With 616-horsepower, 6.0 liter W12 engine and top speed of 202mph, we dare you not to be impressed. The latest ME17 engine management system, capable of performing 180 million individual calculations per second, provides enhanced turbocharger control and torque management, enhancing drive ability. In common with all W12-engined models, the GT Speed convertible features an energy recuperation system.

2014 BMW Z4

While we aren’t into the current Hyper Orange package on display, the new Z4’s 335 horsepower, 332 pound-feet of torque and a 7-speed DCT gearbox totally makes up for it. 

2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray

We left the best for last here! The C7 seemed to take on a life of its own at the show and like a giant magnet, drew us in and never let us go.  Slightly smaller than previous models and with a slick, aerodynamic design, this machine will give the appearance of flight down an empty highway. Boasting 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque to the promised 0-60 mph of under four seconds, what more could we really ask for? Oh, Did we mention the four massive rear end valves?

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MINI JCW Paceman Photos Revealed!

Released just ahead of the Detroit Motor Show!

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1 in 16 Commuters sleep in car to save cash

RAC and FairFuel UK launched a survey recently which discovered that 1 in 16 commuters have resorted to sleeping in their cars in order to save money on fuel. A further 3% have admitted to camping out near work to avoid the skyrocketing petrol prices.

 A spokesman for FairFuelUK, Quentin Willson said: “As a society, we’ve never seen this financial pressure on personal mobility.

Last year, Brits spent an incredible £26 billion in fuel, nearly three times more than in 1990.

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