Tuesday 12 July 2011

Drivers Reveal Number One Driving Anthem

More than 200 UK motorists have declared The Who's 'My Generation' as the best driving anthem of all time, according to a recent study.

 HiQ commissioned a survey to discover which track is the most enjoyable to listen to in the car, and Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend's inimitable sounds were deemed the most popular amongst drivers.



Meanwhile, a separate poll to find the most popular album put Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' at the top of the charts.

In a top 10 singles list dominated by rock and indie related artists, Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' is second in the chart, with Steppenwolf (Born to be Wild) third, The Prodigy fourth (Firestarter) and David Bowie fifth (Heroes)




The survey revealed the following as the top 10 driving tunes of all time:

1. The Who - My Generation
2. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
3. Steppenwolf - Born to be Wild
4. The Prodigy - Firestarter
5. David Bowie - Heroes
6. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
7. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
8. Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
9. Elbow - One Day Like This
10. Take That - Never Forget

Top albums are: 

1. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
2. The Beatles - Revolver
3. Coldplay - Parachutes
4. Radiohead - The Bends
5. U2 - The Joshua Tree
6. Oasis - Definitely Maybe
7. REM - Automatic for the People
8. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
9. The Stokes - Is This It?
10. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

Do you agree? What's your favourite track to drive to?  Car Arena want to hear from you!

Want to sell your car and buy a new one with an absolutely fantastic music system to blast out your favourite tracks? Try the UK's No.1 car price comparison site for the best deals and hassle-free, quick sales!

Monday 11 July 2011

Renault Frendzy concept (2011) first official pictures


Latest review via Car Magazine


Renault has revealed its new 66bhp electric city vehicle – the Frendzy – and in true concept car style it features non-symmetrical doors (think Mini Clubman) and a TV screen instead of a rear window on the other side (think Pimp My Ride…)


This is the 'Work' installment of new styling chief Laurens van den Acker's series of concept cars showing the different sides of Renault design. It's also a hint of the new Kangoo.
Not a great start then. What about the interior?
At first glance the rear looks like a van with its sloped loading bay, but flipping open a compartment reveals a fold-out rear bench. The minimalistic theme to the interior maximises space, welcome in a compact MPV. The fabric roof can adapt to luggage space.


The Renault Frendzy has two sides – ‘family’ and ‘work’. Its ‘work’ side (right) has a 37in plasma screen where the rear window was and a rear sliding door. The ‘family’ side has suicide doors and the luxury of side windows.

During ‘family’ mode, the Frendzy’s door mirrors swivel round to the horizontal position and the interior is orange-lit. In ‘work’ mode, they sit upright and the interior lighting is green. The point of this is yet to be explained.

Renault Frendzy: catering for the workaholic in everyone
Renault says the Frendzy concept car has all the properties of a mobile office. A detachable Blackberry tablet allows you to work on the move – although a usually safety-conscious Renault doesn’t mention who’s concentrating on the road. 

When can I buy one?
Unfortunately you can’t. The Frendzy is a concept to hint at Renault’s future designs, mainly for the Kangoo, which will be replaced in the near future. One final message to Citroen: when designing future dual purpose cars, remember the Citroen C3 Pluriel…

Looking to sell your Renault?
Make sure you get the best price for your old or new Renault by visiting car price comparison sites such as www.cararena.co.uk to list your vehicle for free and ensure hundreds of dealers get access to it. Hassle free and zero time wasters.

Why Is It A Chore To Sell Your Car?

Selling a car is a real headache for many people. Tyre kickers, advertising costs, day trippers, test-pilots, dealers and dreamers are all issues for anyone selling a car.
It can be a tricky process and, particularly if you are not experienced, you can find yourself losing out on money needlessly.

So, if you want to sell your car, it is worth investigating your options thoroughly. We advise you to go through a professional organisation such as Car Arena or at least check up on the guide price on vehicle registration sites.

Let’s assume you are buying another car – new or slightly used. If it’s a private sale then the seller is not likely to want to take your old car in part-exchange. If you are buying from a dealer a part-ex may appeal, but it can leave you out of pocket.

A private sale is usually a testing and time consuming experience. Firstly you have to advertise the car, or maybe advertise it in your local paper. You have to pay to advertise. Advertising doesn’t come with money-back guarantees, but you’ve paid the money, uploaded the pictures and you are sat waiting by the phone. Sadly the most frequent callers for advertised cars are other advertisers trying to get you to advertise with them instead. When you do get an interested caller you have to make sure it is clean (again), and arrange a time for them to view the car. Maybe they will turn up, maybe they won’t.
The next problem is do you really want strangers coming to your home? It’s OK for bright, young confident men to show their car to prospective buyers, but if you’ve less confidence it could be a potentially nerve wracking experience.

And what are you going to do if the potential purchaser wants a test drive? What about the insurance? What if they want the car inspected and you have to take more time off work? If the sale does go through, how are they going to pay for the car? Is the cash real money or have they printed it at home? Will the Banker’s Draft turn out to be a forgery?

So what about a part-ex with the dealership? Unless you really know the market I would steer clear, it’s hard to know if you’re getting the right price or deal.

Most car dealerships specialise. That becomes your problem as they can’t give you the best price on a car they don’t deal in as they themselves have to resell it within the trade.
Even if your dealer is a main dealer and you are buying the same make again, when you are part-exchanging any chance of discount will be bundled up in your part-ex valuation, making it difficult to work out whether or not you’re getting a good deal.

So where to turn? Well try a simple and free vehicle registration checker and get the guide, market price for you car, then why not list it quickly and easily on a Car Auction website who’s audience is professional dealers or car tradesmen (in other words, not timewaster!) Sit back and then simply wait for the offers to roll in, there’s no stress and you won’t be under any pressure to accept offers given – but if you do then you can be sure to receive your money quickly and have your car picked up by the dealer themselves.

Car Arena will make you a cash offer for your car,  the whole process should take a matter of minutes. It’s so easy!

Wednesday 6 July 2011

BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe - New Pictures!

Latest spy shots reveal BMW's new Mercedes CLS rival in all its glory

It's been a long time coming, but finally BMW has a rival for the Mercedes CLS – and the Audi A7 too. This is the new Gran Coupe, the firm's four-door version of the 6 Series.

First revealed at the Beijing Motor Show last year, the new model has appeared on German roads almost unchanged from the original 'concept' that previewed it. 

Apart from some of BMW's usual swirly disguise on its flanks and rear lights, this prototype shows that the new model is a very handsome machine – looking every inch the more practical and spacious 6 Series. 

At the front is the traditional kidney grille flanked by aggressive LED headlights.



In profile, all the BMW hallmarks are present and correct – there are short overhangs front and rear, a long wheelbase and a coupe-like roofline which is a full 10cm lower than a 7 Series. The C-pillar features the latest interpretation of the Hofmeister kink, which will be outlined in chrome on the finished car.

At the rear, there are L-shaped LED lights, tailpipes on either side and a concave bootlid. One change over the concept is that the third brake has been moved from the top of the rear windscreen (as on a Bentley Continental GT) to the top of the bootlid.

Inside, expect BMW to offer a spacious rear seat layout with just two seats, allowing occupants to stretch out in more comfort. Just like the 6 Series two-door coupe and convertible, the Gran Coupe will get the same range of engines too, including BMW’s latest direct injection 3.0-litre turbo petrol and diesel engines, as well as a flagship V8 petrol. 

The Gran Coupe is set to star at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September with sales starting in early 2012. Prices will kick off at around £45,000.

Selling your BMW?
Make sure you get the best price for your old or new lotus by visiting car price comparison sites such as www.cararena.co.uk to list your vehicle for free and ensure hundreds of dealers get access to it. Hassle free and zero time wasters.

Lotus to unleash Britain's fastest car

Esprit Superleggera hits 212mph, has sub-three-second 0-60mph, city car also set to join line-up in 2014

The battle lines are drawn. The race to build Britain’s fastest and most 
powerful production 
car is on. But it’s not McLaren, Bentley or even Aston Martin that aims 
to lead the way. It’s Lotus.

During an exclusive gathering at the company’s HQ in Hethel, Norfolk, chief technical officer Wolf Zimmermann told  of his plans to build a flagship Superleggera version 
of the next-generation Esprit – and we can show you what it will look like here:





Bosses held the meeting to face critics of the New Era plan, which in June 2010 revealed five new cars would be launched in five years. As well as confirming the flagship Esprit, Lotus unveiled plans for a city car called Ethos – to rival the Aston Martin Cygnet 
– plus the 2+2 Elite, four-door Eterne and the Elise Evolution.

There was also news on the 
next Elan, which Lotus says it will put on hold until 2017, when it will replace the Evora. The range-topping Superleggera features an upgraded version of the firm’s 562bhp 4.8-litre V8 engine. This generates maximum power of 612bhp at 9,000rpm. It will also get a special 
aluminium body that promises to be even stronger and lighter than the one in standard models.

According to Zimmerman, the car will not simply be a stripped-out racer for the road, but a 
carefully designed evolution of the standard Esprit. In fact, the Superleggera will be the fourth model in the range, alongside 
the coupé, convertible and a glass-roofed Targa edition.

Based on projected figures for the standard car, the Superleggera could sprint from 0-60mph in under three seconds, and 
hit a top speed of 212mph.

A seven-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic gearbox will offer rapid shifts, while an electro-
hydraulic power-steering system will give the driver as much ‘feel’ as possible. “This car will not be like the McLaren MP4-12C,” said Zimmermann. “It will be cooler 
– there will be more emotion.”


Selling your Lotus (Perhaps you’re making way to be first in line for this one?!)
Make sure you get the best price for your old or new lotus by visiting car price comparison sites such as Car Arena to list your vehicle for free and ensure hundreds of dealers get access to it. Hassle free and zero time wasters.

Car Manufacturers turn up their ‘eco’ credentials in bid to sell more cars

Manufacturers turn up the ‘eco’ volume.
Car Manufacturers are continuing to turn up the ‘eco’ volume on their model ranges, just at the time when recent research is showing greater demand for lower emissions cars.

Volkswagen announced details of its Up supermini (which as noted on numerous sites seems to have sensibly dropped the exclamation mark at the end of the model name), which will achieve just under 100mpg. The car will use a derivative of the engine found in the XL1 super-sleek concept car. The Up essentially runs one half of VW’s existing 1.6-litre four-pot turbodiesel, with a power output of 47bhp from the engine and an extra 26bhp from an electric motor. Perhaps somewhat unexpectedly for a car of this size, it will have a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Stop-start and regenerative braking are both utilised to achieve the emissions figures, which will undoubtedly be well below 100g/km.

The German brand is also planning a Golf that is capable of achieving 100mpg by 2020. There is pressure on all manufacturers to get their average emissions figures for their models down to 95g/km within the decade, so electric and hybrid drive is likely to be seen not just in VW’s fleet, but in most manufacturers’ model ranges.

Competing in the Golf segment, although coming to market immediately, is Peugeot’s revised 308. The super-frugal version of the new 308 will use the e-HDi motor with stop-start technology and other ‘green’ features like low rolling resistance tyres to achieve tailpipe emissions of just 98g/km.
In the segment above, Ford is also lowering the emissions of its Mondeo with a new derivative that will kick out just 114g/km CO2. Stop-start technology helps the 113bhp model achieve the figure from its 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine. The Blue Oval brand has confirmed that the engine will also appear in its S-Max and Galaxy models, with further details still to be confirmed.

Looking for an eco car or trying to sell yours? Try online car sales sites such as www.cararena.co.uk to see what they believe your best offer should or could be.

Tuesday 28 June 2011

Getting the price you want for your car Here’s some top tips for getting the most from your car when you sell it

You've loved it, taken care of it, serviced it religiously and cleaned it come rain or shine. Perhaps you’ve decided you’d like something bigger, smaller, more economical or simply fancy a change. Whatever the reasons it’s now it's time to sell your car. So what should you do to get the best price for it?

Getting your car ready for sale is essential. Clean the car inside and out and make sure it's tidy. It's also worth getting a new MOT as this says a lot about the car's basic condition. Many people like to see the car has a certain number of months still taxed so if possible try and see with some cover still left.

Time to Impress
Key point If your vehicle has a serious defect and is unroadworthy, you could be breaking the law by selling it, if you haven't described it accurately.

Consider a full, professional valet service. It can really make a difference to the price and how easily you can sell the car. Repair any minor paintwork damage or simple mechanical faults too.

Now you're ready to market your car, so here are some tips for a stress-free sale.
Ten Top Tips for a Smooth Sale

1.    Price your car realistically. This is vital if you want a quick sale.
  • Check the prices of similar cars in popular classified ad magazines or online
  • Try car price comparison sites such as http://www.cararena.co.uk or car buying sites such as http://www.bestcarbuyer.co.uk or www.freecarvaluations.co.uk

2.    You can't sell a car with outstanding finance. 
  • This includes outstanding hire-purchase or conditional sale agreements. 
  • If you do want to sell, get the finance company's permission or settle the finance first.

3.    Don't make false or reckless claims. Take care how you word your advert. 
  • Lines like 'First to see will buy' won't convince anyone.

4.    In adverts, stick to facts that will interest potential buyers. 
  • Describe the car as accurately as possible.
  • Quote the year/number plate, how many months are left on the MOT and where you are based.

5.    State the condition of the car in adverts and on the receipt. 
  •  If it's being sold for spares only, or it requires substantial repairs, say so.
  • Include this information on the receipt once you've agreed to sell.

6.    Have all documents and history handy. 
  • Keep receipts for work carried out.
  • Have all MOT certificates and service records to hand.
  • A fully-stamped dealer service record adds value if you've got one.
  • Don't forget to hand over all relevant documents when you sell.

7.    Check the buyer is insured to test drive the car. Your own insurance may cover you. 
  • Always go with them.
  • Key point Avoid becoming a victim of car theft – if you change seats part way through, take the keys with you and hand them over when you get back in the car.

8.    Build in a margin for haggling. 
  • That way the buyer's happy and you still get close to the amount you want.

9.    Provide a 'Sold as seen, tried and approved without guarantee' receipt. 
  • Bear in mind that no wording on the receipt is foolproof.

10.    Get paid.
  • Don't let anyone drive your car away until you're satisfied that you've been paid in full.
  • Cash or CHAPS transfer directly into your bank account are always the best ways to be paid
  • If you are given a personal or building society cheque, wait for it to clear in your bank before you hand the car over.

Would you go electric?

A new study shows that people would be more willing to ‘go electric’ if there was easier access to charging posts and a better understanding of the cars themselves.  

Increased access to more electric vehicles charging posts could hold the key to greater Electric Vehicle (EV) sales if the results from a recent survey are to be believed.

The study, conducted by charging point provider Elektromotive, claims that nearly two-thirds of UK drivers (65%) would be tempted to fork out for an electric vehicle if more recharge points were made available at places like car parks and roadsides.

The fear of being stranded with a juiced-out EV is at the heart of motorists’ decisions the study claims.
The development of electric vehicles has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, but many consumers are understandably concerned that if they buy a new EV they might not be able to easily charge it when away from home or the workplace.

It’s clear that much more needs to be done to create the charging infrastructures that are essential to underpin mainstream acceptance of EVs.

Black-spots

Despite a £5,000 discount off the price of an EV, courtesy of the British Government, only 534 applications were made in the first quarter of 2011.

While 7.8% of the 1,417 respondents insisted that more charging points wouldn’t be enough to persuade them to switch to EVs, it seems a quarter of the market could be swayed, ticking the fence-sitting ‘undecided’ box.

We are finding there are still huge misconceptions and confusion about electric vehicles, not just from the public but, surprisingly, from within the motor industry too. 

People are unsure how EV batteries charge, the physics and science of amps and volts, the range, running costs and the types of chargers available and their capabilities.

Around 200 Elektrobays can be found around London with another 400 located around the rest of the UK.

So what do you think? Will you ever sell your current vehicle and go electric?

To sell your car quickly and securely try www.cararena.co.uk