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Filed under: 2015 New York Auto Show, Volkswagen, Wagon, Off-RoadDid you want a Golf with all-wheel drive but not the high-performance, high-priced Golf R? Volkswagen brings good news with the confirmation that the Alltrack wagon is coming to America s…

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Filed under: Recalls, BMW, Convertible, LuxuryBMW is recalling 2,000 examples of the MY2015 4 Series Convertible to reflash the airbag software, lest the driver’s side front bag not deploy on time in a crash.Continue reading 2015 BMW 4 Series convertib…

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, Ford, GMAuto parts supplier Bosch has agreed to pay a $57.8 million criminal fine to the Department of Justice for bid rigging and price fixing of spark plugs, oxygen sensors and starter motors.Continue reading …

Filed under: PodcastsEpisode #424 of the Autoblog Podcast is here. This week, Steven Ewing tells us about his trip to British Columbia to drive four-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, and we preview the New York Auto Show.Continue reading Autoblo…

Filed under: Design/Style, 2015 New York Auto Show, Cadillac, Sedan, LuxuryYou’re looking at the 2016 Cadillac CT6, aided by the almost inevitable internet-aided leak, ahead of its debut at the New York Auto Show this week.Continue reading 2016 Cadilla…

For many young drivers, having their driving licence is a rite of passage and getting their first car a sweet reward, the key to achieving independence. One thing that can stand in the way of this, however, is the cost of insurance. Insurance companies base their quotes on general statistical evidence, which isn’t particularly favourable to young drivers.

According to a BBC report, one in five drivers are involved in an accident within the first 12 months of being on the road. Statistically, an 18-year-old driver is three times more likely to crash than a 48-year-old driver. In addition, more than one in four motor-related injury claims costing over £500,000 involve drivers aged under 25. All these figures add up to one thing: high insurance premiums for young drivers.

This doesn’t always seem fair, especially for those who consider themselves safe and considerate drivers, who are probably more up to speed on the laws of the road having most recently learnt them for their theory test. Because of this, many new drivers are looking for ways to reduce the cost of insurance and, in turn, lessen the total cost.

This is where telematics, or more commonly known as black box technology, comes in. The use of telematics in auto insurance is growing in popularity because it can knock up to 30 per cent off policies, helping young drivers save up to £1,000 in the process.

How does it work?

Black box insurance aims to offer young drivers a less expensive alternative by basing premiums on the actual driving style instead of relying on those statistics. In black box insurance, the car is fitted with a small device that’s close to the size of a smartphone. This device records the time of day the car is driven, the number of miles travelled and the average speeds on different types of roads.

In addition to the basics, the black box also evaluates the driving style by monitoring acceleration, cornering, and braking. The collected information allows the device to build up a comprehensive profile of a driver and come up with a driver score.

How can it help lower premiums?

Drivers who have a black box installed are given access to a secure website where they can see how they are performing, and if they need to make improvements to the way they drive. There are also tips to improve their driver score and ultimately decrease the cost of insurance. Insurance policies linked to black boxes charge premiums on a monthly or quarterly basis, so the insurer can lower the cost to reward safe driving while setting a higher premium for risky drivers. If you don’t travel too far you might also find yourself paying less.

In a sense, black box insurance not only helps young drivers with the cost of car insurance but also makes them safer drivers. The feedback and messages sent to insured drivers show the areas in which they’re driving well as well as where they can improve.

Black box insurance is an excellent choice for young drivers, especially those who can’t afford the cost of traditional, statistics-based policies and who can benefit from safe driving tips.

The post Is Black Box Insurance The Best Choice For Young Drivers? appeared first on Automotive Blog.

Is this damaging your car?

Even the best drivers sometimes treat their car with a little less respect than it deserves, and a few technical mistakes in driving won’t cause too many mechanical issues here and there. However persistent laziness and contempt will cost you, both in terms of the car’s efficiency and, in the end, its working life. For you that means replacing parts and perhaps even the entire car prematurely, so expect your wallet to take a battering.

If you’ve purchased a new or barely-used car from somewhere such as Jennings Motor Group the last thing you want to do is kill it off; here are five ways in which lazy driving may be slicing years from the life of your pride and joy:

Incorrect gear

Driving in too high or low a gear is wrong, and there’s little excuse because even a novice will realise how awkward it is to start off in third gear or drive through a built up area in fifth. And yet sometimes, for the sake of a simple depression of the clutch and adjusting the gear stick, we just coast a long a little longer than we should.

Riding the clutch

A guaranteed way of wearing away the clutch plates – pressing the clutch for too long when changing gear, or keeping it depressed when stationary. Simply put, the clutch essentially provides a mechanism for the engine to disengage and then couple back with the drive shaft, necessary when they’re operating at different speeds. Putting the plates under pressure will shorten its effectiveness.

Driving off when the car is ‘cold’

Can’t be bothered to wait for the engine to heat up before hitting the motorways? Then expect it to conk out before its time. Anyone doing exercise should warm up before they run and a car is the same; when cold, the petrol mix will be richer which can lead to increased toxins being released into the engine and the engine mechanism will be placed under higher strain. Cold oil also flows less well.
If you’re not pushing the engine to its upper level then idling might not be necessary, as this Washington Post piece proclaims, but that doesn’t mean you should bomb up to 60mph straight away, if not for financial reasons.

Revving too much

There’s conjecture among some petrol heads over whether ‘redlining’ is damaging to a car, but no-one disputes that it does place enormous strain on the engine and puts it under enormous pressure – imagine running for an hour but periodically sprinting for a minute or so, and the stress on your body that would cause (unless you’re an athlete). Moving components such as the rods could be thrown out, especially in an older engine.

Incorrect tyre pressure

Not only does this burn fuel at a faster rate and ramp up the danger of punctures, but it also leads to crashes. In this recent Yahoo piece police stated 86% of cars involved in reported collisions of vehicles in the UK had at least one incorrectly inflated tyre. Even a small inaccuracy in the level of inflation can lead to a drastic reduction in the tyre’s life.

The post Are you a lazy driver? appeared first on Automotive Blog.

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, United States, ElectricIllinois will end its government rebate program for buyers of plug-in vehicles.Continue reading Illinois pulls plug on state-funded rebates for electric vehiclesIllinois pulls plug on state-f…