7 Seater Chevrolet Orlando Review

As far as buying a fashionable car goes you can’t get much worse than buying an MPV unless you fancy a tractor. MPV’s have long been criticised for making their owners look like they have given up on singledom and style in favour of family and practicality. However, I would like to argue that this is no longer the case; people carries of late have actually been rather good, not just at carrying numerous people but also as actual cars. Ford’s C and S Maxes are excellent, dynamic vehicles in their own right while Citroens C4 Picasso makes you feel like you’re driving a space ship…. you can’t get much funkier than that. All this brings me on to Chevrolets latest MPV offering, the Orlando, another irritatingly good people luger.

Chevrolet Orlando Review

Before getting down to the nitty gritty of gadgetry, performance and price it is important to point out how good this car looks, it’s not just any old van with windows. It might be unashamedly square in appearance but thanks to those flared wheel arches, creases running along the side and chunky front end the Orlando looks big purposeful and handsome, with just a hint of a smirk on its face if you look at it head on. Aiding the Orlando’s appearance is its comparatively low roofline for an MPV, it makes the whole car look lower, wider and ultimately more car like. Similarly the side windows narrow the further back they go, riding the car of any slab sidedness. All this is perfect for keeping the stereotyped image of an MPV at bay.

There are 3 models of Orlando available and true to Chevy’s previous form they come packed with extras all as standard. In the base LS model how does air-con, 6 airbags, traction control, stereo with MP3 connection, electric windows and door mirrors, flat load bay and the obligatory 7 seats sound? If that’s not quite enough for your needs then the LT and top of the range LTZ offer alloy wheels, part leather interior, rear parking sensors, climate control, auto wipers and headlights, auto dimming rear view mirror and cruise control. Now if all that still isn’t enough standard equipment for you then quite frankly you’re just being greedy. Accompanying all this Chevy’s Orlando will be available with either a 1.8 litre petrol mated to a 5 speed manual or a 2 litre turbo diesel with a choice of 6 speed manual or automatic. The engine to go for is most definitely the diesel as it gets the best balance between performance and economy. The engine comes in two states of tune, with either 130bhp in the LS or 168bhp in the LT and LTZ, both power outputs return 47mpg combined. The adequate torque available from both engines mated to the aforementioned 6 speed gearbox should also make light work of any family outings which encompass motorways too.

Lastly and quite possibly most importantly the prices for all this 7 seater SUV luxury and performance start at an almost comically cheap £16,410 for the LS. Even the top of the range LTZ model starts at £18,310. Not bad at all for families car shopping on a budget. In comparison a similarly spec’d 2 litre diesel Ford S-Max Titanium would cost £26,500 while an equivalent Volkswagen Sharan SEL costs a not inconsiderable £32,205. Think about all the things you could do with an extra 18k if you bought the Chevy!

So to conclude, Chevrolet has managed to make quite a good case not only for the humble MPV but also for themselves by building the Orlando. It is a versatile, good looking, well performing and ultimately good value people carrier, but importantly it is a people carrier you can drive without having to hide your face in shame, that honour is saved for the people in a Ssangyong Rodius.

Article from | November 8th, 2011 | Category: Car Reviews | Comments are closed

In-car Camera to reduce Car Insurance

With so many people looking for ways to save money on a new car or their car insurance, there are many tips that companies are willing to offer. One of these is to start installing cameras in your car. Amazingly you could save up to 35% on your auto cover!

In-Car camera can reduce your car insurance

There is a new camera that has been designed to be placed in your car. This camera films everything in high definition and also retains all the information about any journey that you have done. This has been designed primarily for younger drivers who need to prove to their insurer that they are sensible and a safe driver. After all, young drivers are the most hit when it comes to insurance costs – the average price for a young driver (under 25) is £2300!

Another benefit is that the camera is there when it comes to an accident. The camera will act as an eye witness and will show the reasons for the crash. This is more reliable and will help to determine whose fault the crash was. This makes the decision for the insurance companies much easier, as well as helping with compensation and any police reports.

The camera will also record when the car has been stolen. The journey information will be recorded to help with catching the person who stole the car and any damage that has been done. This makes it much easier to put someone behind bars or suspend any licenses.

There are question about whether this camera will help when it comes to car break-ins. There are questions about whether the camera will be able to record, even when the engine is not running. This will help to catch the person who broke into the car and all of the items that were stolen.

The downside to the camera is that they are looking to cost around £320 to buy. This is a lot of money, when car insurance is already something that many people are worried about. However, the cost will also include extras, such as a hazard warning light, triangle and even a high visibility jacket – three items that all drivers should have but most of them do not. The camera is also high definition and installed into the car without being obstructive. But, you also need to think about the cost of adding the camera to your car.

Of course, when considering the cost of the camera, it should be looked at as an investment. This is something that has been designed to help with the reduction of car insurance and is a one-off payment. Over the course of the years that the camera will be in the car, the insurance will drop and that £320 and more will be saved.

Article from | November 3rd, 2011 | Category: Car insurance | Comments are closed

New 2012 BMW 3 Series Review

Step aside everybody and stop trying to build midsize saloons, because the new BMW 3 series has been revealed and your efforts will undoubtedly be pointless. The 3 series has been BMW’s bestselling model for years. In 2010 it ranked as the 8th most popular new car sold in Britain, with an impressive 42,000 people buying one. Appearing in the top ten bestsellers amongst a bunch of hatchbacks and city cars, it looked slightly out of place. Testament to how good the 3 series is, its closest rivals, from Audi and Mercedes, didn’t even get a look in. So it goes almost without question that the new one will be a rather good car.

New BMW3 Series 2012 Review

Due for release early next year the new 3 series will feature the usual bewildering array of specification and engine choice. So as to not bore you too much with an in depth pricelist, the starting price for the most basic 316d ES model will be £24,880 rising to £37,025 for the 335i Luxury. If that’s sounding too steep then consider used BMW cars.  Based on the last generation the most popular engine is likely to be the 320d, managing to be both efficient, 62mpg combined, and suitably powerful with 184bhp. Depending on the model choice, this engine will cost anywhere between 28 and 30 thousand pounds. For all the speed freaks and badge snobs out there, the aforementioned 335i will be the most powerful and most expensive 3 series available until we get a new M3. Despite its misleading badge it will get BMW’s latest 3 litre straight six twin turbo engine offering a handy 306bhp and a 0-62 time of 5.5 seconds. Whatever the engine choice it will be plonked into an undoubtedly excellent chassis, if the previous generations are anything to go by, making for some entertaining B-road blasts.  Every model will be offered with a baffling array of options, BMW even claiming that there are over 20,000 unique combinations of cars, engines, wheels, paint and gadgetry available. So even the niche’est of buyers can get their hands on that beige 328i with cloth seats, horrible fake wood and tiny alloys they always wanted. The final plus point to mention apart from the rather fine build quality of course is that thanks to the 3’s high demand second hand values are likely to be strong too. Not a bad bunch of credentials!

New BMW 3-Series Review

Styling wise the 3 series has moved up in world, it has always been a handsome chiselled looking brute, but now it is strikingly similar to its big brother the 5 series. The nose is low and wide, emphasised by those thin headlights, which, in my opinion are ever so slightly reminiscent of the ones seen on the latest generation of Audi’s. There is a crease which runs the length of the car, starting behind the front wheel arches, becoming more pronounced as it reaches the rear lights. Because of this crease and the wide angular rear end it flows into, its rear three quarter view is where the new 3 series most resembles the 5. This helps give the 3 presence on the road, something the old 3 series never lacked anyway. Despite the thousands which grace our roads, I still find myself looking longingly at one whenever it drives past, especially with the M sport kit on. Yet more testament I feel to how all-encompassing the 3 series is.

So to conclude then, the new 3 series may be the predictable choice. But it is effortlessly stylish, will be beautifully made, likely to be excellent to drive, have a great bunch of engines and hold its value rather well. Not to mention benefit from the brand image that comes standard with a BMW badge. So if you happen to be in the market for a new midsize saloon next February, save yourself the hassle of looking and just go buy the BMW, it is going to be good, trust me.

Article from | October 17th, 2011 | Category: Car Reviews | Comments are closed

Added Extras

When buying a car you want to have as much choice and as many options as possible, so that you can find the best car for your needs. However, just because you need a car doesn’t mean you have to buy new. In fact buying a used car makes a lot of sense.

For starters there are more used cars than new cars so you actually get more choice in the used car market. This means that it is far more competitive and offers far more choice for consumers. With so many used cars on the market there is bound to be one that is perfect for you.

With a new car you are usually sold a basic model and any extras have to be added on. So, if you want an MP3 player or air conditioning, this is added to the model price. If you add in things like alloy wheels, or even leather seats, then you will have to pay more for them.  Even things like mats and electric sun roofs come as an added extra.

This means that a car that looks like really good value on paper could actually land up costing quite a bit of money by the time you add in added extras. In some cases you could even add the cost of a small car onto your purchase. While it means you can customise your car to suit your needs, it does create a dent in your wallet.

However, with a used car all these little extras are factored in the cost of the car. Someone has already added in most of the extras so it is just a case of finding one that fits your specifications.  This means that you know up front exactly what you are getting and what you are paying for, without being shocked by the final bill. It can be easy to get carried away when buying a new car and not consider the full cost of that Sat-Nav system or the metallic paint finish.

However, with a used car the cost is all there in black and white so you know what you are paying and you can compare cars with similar features, making the whole process cheaper and easier.

If you happen to live in Glasgow or beyond the area and are looking to find used cars for sale, check motors.co.uk/ for some of the best offers you can get out there. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you can get.

Article from | October 12th, 2011 | Category: Car buying | Comments are closed

Building a disabled vehicle

The disabled vehicle is all but invisible on the road these days because, surprise, surprise, it not only looks just like any other car, it really is like any other car! You couldn’t spot it from Adam, whether travelling down the motorway or going to the doctor’s surgery, or while doing the weekly shop at your local supermarket. And believe it or not, there are actually tens of thousands of wheelchair accessible vehicles on the roads of the UK on any particular day of the week. Surprised? You shouldn’t be.

It’s been happening unnoticed by the able-bodied community for years, the conversion process which turns an ordinary car into one which a disabled person can make use of or even drive with ease. There are many companies across the country who not only do this work on a daily basis, but have been doing so for years, building a tremendous level of expertise in the process.

Wheelchair accessible vehicle

Let’s get one particular term out of the way right from the off. You may have come across it before – wheelchair accessible vehicle. Maybe not. It’s a bit of a mouthful, let’s face it, so it’s often shortened to the acronym WAV. It simply refers to a disabled vehicle capable of taking on board a person sitting in a wheelchair. The wheelchair user can be the actual driver of the car, because of all the adaptations available making this possible, or simply be the passenger, driven around by an able-bodied person whenever needed. It is possible to set up either scenario given the huge advances in the design of disabled vehicles nowadays.

All WAVs start out as a ‘base’ vehicle, the commercial version of the car anyone might buy from their local car dealer’s showroom. Of course, not every vehicle is suitable for conversion into a WAV because of the extra safety requirements involved when carrying a wheelchair user. Safety is paramount and therefore an extremely rigorous program of testing is first carried out on any vehicle showing potential. Every aspect is examined, from road holding and engine performance to the amount of space available to both the wheelchair user and anyone else who might be on board.

But no matter the vehicle, WAVs tend to have the same sorts of features, such as a means to allow the wheelchair user to get into and out of the vehicle with the minimum of fuss. This is usually achieved by means of a small ramp, normally fitted at the back, which is designed to be deployed easily and then stored away as unobtrusively as possible.

The angle the ramp makes with the ground is crucial because the steeper it is, the more difficult it will be for the wheelchair user to go up and down it. A shallow angle is often achieved because part of the conversion process involves a lowering – and strengthening – of the vehicle’s floor, necessary to take the extra weight of the wheelchair. And naturally, once inside, the wheelchair has to have a system to securely lock it into place.

It really is the case that safety is everything when it comes to today’s disabled vehicle.

Article from | September 19th, 2011 | Category: Car buying | Comments are closed
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