Rear End Collision Accident - Hyundai Getz Vs Lorry. Here's what it looks like when a Hyundai Getz is hit from behind by a lorry travelling at around 25 - 30 MPH while stationary at an amber / red traffic light. I think the Getz took the impact pretty well. Luckily, there was no one sitting in any of the back seats at the time of the crash. If there would have been, they would have no doubt had the shock of their lives, and would more than likely have sustained some potentially serious whiplash / back injuries.
Hyundai Getz 1300 (1.3cc) Sport before the accident. Looking good, nice and clean.
After the incident. Oh dear. Better start looking for another car.
As you can probably see, the damage was too bad, and would have cost far more than the car was worth to fix. Needless to say, the car was a total write-off and was scrapped. I ended up being off work for months due to neck and back injuries. Car was hit from behind and was thrown out into the junction around 10 - 15 meters. I wrote about my experience with having to deal with AXA car Insurance relating to this accident. Got a story you want posted on Car Auto. Contact us with the details.
The 2020 GR (Gazoo Racing) 6-Cylinder, 8 speed auto (RWD) Toyota SUPRA is very much a BMW Z4 in disguise. It's shape looks quite similar, and if that wasn't enough it even has the same engine, the 3 Litre Twin Turbo (335BHP). It's a somewhat clever mix of German / Japanese engineering. Although some people, most notably fans of old school Japanese cars would have preferred a new Supra that was, well, more Japanese. Anyway, what is the release date in the UK? Well it seems there isn't an "official" release date.
Everywhere just says the same thing: The end of summer 2019. That's right about now then. Prices start from around $50,000 Dollars, so convert that to UK currency, and add a few more thousand pounds (as the US Vs UK price never remains equal when sold overseas) and that's roughly the cost if buying in the UK (Around £52K for the standard spec model). There are 3 models to choose from. The most sought after is the limited edition A90. This model has the highest spec (all engines are the same throughout the 3 different models) and is expected to cost a little over £55,000 (GBP).
Toyota Supra GR 2020 Review - How it drives
Interested in buying one? Don't get your hopes up. The nine hundred new 2020 GR (Gazoo Racing) Toyota SUPRA's destined for the UK and Europe have apparently all been reserved, which essentially means sold. However, Toyota are opening their books again soon to take the new orders for 2020. So if you want to buy the new Toyota SUPRA be sure to act fast, as demand is extremely high.
Pumpkin Android 2 Din head units have been talked about, and reviewed on this website in the past. That review was about the CN01-03302B-02A model. And overall, it was a decent car stereo / Android computer for the price. Though some people wouldn't agree, as the reviews overall are a big mixture of good and bad.
The latest Pumpkin AA0437B is more of the same, only much more updated. Packing an Octa Core Processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB internal storage space, and one of the latest Android operating systems (Android 9.0 - Pie), it's much more than just a music system. Be aware: Some Pumpkin models are universal (fit many car makes and models), while others are for a specific make of vehicle.
Over time, it's become obvious that many Android multimedia stereos that are not made by the top brands like Kenwood, Pioneer and Sony are not very well made and don't really last that long. They seem to either develop problems, or are just temperamental and poor quality from the start. There are so many new models from unknown brands that have terrible user feedback and review scores that its hard to actually recommend a good one these days. However, there are two double din stereos that do have very good review scores and appear to be the best of the bunch currently doing the rounds online. One is for mainly Vauxhall vehicles, and the other is universal. Find out more about them below.
This model is made for Volkswagen (VW) vehicles. It will fit a lot of models that are double din, including VW Golf GTi, Golf 6, Passatt, VW Scirocco, Jetta, Bettle and Polo's. Although, not all models are compatible, so do check before purchasing the AA0437B.
This model will also fit some models of SEAT and Skoda. For the full list of compatible vehicles - check out the official Pumpkin website.
Pumpkin AA0437B 2 Din Android Head Unit Quick Specification
8 Inch 1024 x 600 Touch Screen Display
Android 9.0 Pie OS
Octa Core Processor (8 Cores)
4GB RAM (DDR3)
32GB internal storage space (Expandable via SD slot)
GPS (works both online and when not connected)
Bluetooth 4.0
3G support
Phone Mirroring
WiFi (Needs aerial / booster - included)
AV OUT
USB connections
FM/AM/RDS
Reverse camera compatible
Output: 4 x 50 Watts
Other features worth mentioning: Supports many of the well known audio and video formats (MP3, MP4, AVI, MOV + many more) and has an extremely fast load up / boot time. The SD card slot makes the internal storage space expandable to an additional 64GB. Also comes with a free external microphone. If you want a closer look at this model, and to see it getting fitted into a Volkswagen and tested - watch the YouTube video below. Video was changed to now show the fitting in a Vauxhall Corsa.
Pumpkin AA0437B Double Din Shortcomings
When it comes to Android stereos in general, so many other them are not an all-in-one solution. To really use many other features the manufacturers promise, most require additional leads and antenna's that make the whole process a bit messy. The Pumpkin AA0437B is no exception. But anyone who wants as many features as Android based stereos now provide should expect, or at least be willing to sacrifice all the extra leads and antenna's involved, and longer set-up process, in order to have this level of technology at their disposal.
Also worth noting is the price. This unit is not cheap. And for this type of money there is a lot of choice out there, a lot of them for the same price are admittedly not as advanced in terms of having their own fully fledged on-board Operating system, but they are offered by some of the top stereo brands, including Pioneer, Sony, Kenwood and JVC. Furthermore, with the new Android Auto / Apple CarPlayupdates, be sure to shop around before making your decision of what aftermarket stereo to buy.
With a price tag of $9 million dollars, and a top speed of 236 MPH, there's not much in the same league. The Bugatti Centodieci has 1,578 BHP and can go from 0 - 60MPH in 2.4 seconds. Centodieci means one hundred and ten in Italian, and this model was built because it is the 110th year since the Bugatti company opened its doors. It was also made as a mark of respect for an earlier model of Bugatti, the EB110.
Want to buy a Centodieci? Well, you're out of luck. Production was limited to only 10 cars and they have all been sold. You'll have to make do with the video. It's a real beast of a supercar.
Car tax: Every driver would like to find a way to legally avoid not paying it. Usually, the bigger the car, the larger the amount to be paid. Big cars also involve a lot of other expenses. Their parts are expensive, and they even consume a lot of fuel. However, not all big cars demand high taxes, and these days with so many economical hybrids and diesels out there for sale, some big cars can be surprisingly cheap to run in certain areas.
The cars that emit less than 100 g/km of carbon dioxide do not need to pay any tax duty. Similarly, cars emitting carbon dioxide in the range of 101-110 g/km demand just £20 as tax from their owners. On the other hand, owners of cars emitting more than 110 g/km of carbon dioxide have to pay more than £20 each year. But its not much more, just £10 extra (so £30 per year). When going over 121g/km, that's when it starts getting more costly. The thing to keep in mind here is that these figures are only applicable to cars registered between February 2001 and April 2017. Newer cars follow a different tax rate.
Here is a quick list of 5 car models that are good for daily use and do not become a burden on their owners when it comes to paying taxes. Although do note that all the car brands listed below have a good mix of models that are expensive to tax and some that are cheap to tax.
#5. Audi A4
While some people might not think it, the Audi A4 is indeed a potentially green car with some models that produce a very low level of carbon dioxide emissions. It offers its owner a modern design and a quality drive. Some models have a turbocharged engine, and many are designed in a way to increase the driver’s awareness of their surroundings in order to try and prevent accidents. They also have a lot of street cred, and a lot of the top of the range models look much more expensive than they really are to buy.
A few models that are very cheap to tax include: Audi A4 Saloon 2.0 TDI Ultra SE 4d (made between 1 Sep 2015 - 31 Mar 2017) - Tax price: Zero annually. A4 Saloon 2.0T FSI SE 4d S Tronic (1 Sep 2015 - 31 Mar 2017) - Price: £30 per year. 2.0 TDI S Line 4d - Price: £20 a year. 2.0 TDI (190bhp) S Line 4d - £30 year. There are many more.
#4. Renault Kadjar SUV
The 1.5-litre engine of the Renault Kadjar SUV emits just 99 g/km of carbon dioxide. The car provides a large space for passengers and is a bit of an attention-grabber. Kadjar SUV is well-equipped and provides a fairly reliable and safe driving experience, but the car itself is a bit costly. Most models have cheap tax, but the 1.5 dCi Dynamique Nav 5d (1 Sep 2015 - 31 Mar 2017) literally costs nothing per year to tax. Yes, tax cost is zero each year.
#3. Skoda Octavia Estate
The Skoda Octavia Estate (2.0 TDI CR SE 5d) provides a lot of space for passengers and is not bad when it comes to the overall driving experience. It emits about 129g/km of carbon dioxide that will allow you to pay less tax every year. In the list of family cars, it is considered one of the best. The car also provides a tough build quality.
#2. Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid
A tough competitor to the Toyota Prius, Ioniq is a hybrid car that attracts buyers with its looks, warranty and cheap running costs. It provides a plug-in hybrid version as well which is powered purely by electricity. It emits no more than 84 g/kg of carbon dioxide, which makes it a low-tax car.
#1. Mercedes E-Class (E 300e) Hybrid Saloon
Mercedes is one of the leading car brands, which most of the time doesn't disappoint its customers. The E300e model of Mercedes is a hybrid, and on just electric alone (no petrol needed), it can travel about 30 miles. However, this model doesn't just rely on electric. It uses a combination of petrol, a battery pack and an electric motor. It offers excellent MPG and superb performance to go with it (impressive BHP). The performance of this car is brilliant, and emits about 49 g/kg of carbon dioxide. It's an incredibly eco-friendly car with high-end features.
The cars with low emissions of carbon dioxide not only reduce the amount of tax charged but are also very environmentally friendly. There are many cars that allow you to pay less tax each year, but the cars in this article are some of the best big cars when it comes to style, space, features and tax reduction. Although, a recent update to car tax charges has just been implemented. Even small cars like 1 litre Nissan Micra's and Toyota Yaris' have gone up a considerable amount. So don't be surprised to see a price increase on your own car tax, even if you drive a tiny, low tax low insurance group car.
Sent in by a visitor. Most people have probably never thought that stopping on amber traffic lights can potentially be dangerous. Or maybe most people are aware. After all, driving on the roads in general poses a threat to ones safety. Especially these days with there being more cars on the road than ever before. Add to that the increased impatience of people, where everything now has to be instant. And also distractions like Smartphones, SAT-NAVs, passengers and Android stereos, where you can now watch movies, sitcoms etc.
Not forgetting some people potentially driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol (drink / drug driving). Put all these dangers together, and the considerably high chance of being unfortunate enough of coming into contact with at least one of them at some time or another the more years you are behind the wheel, and you can see how many potential dangers there are. Combined, and going on the law of averages, it's a potent recipe for potential destruction to you and your car.
Such is the case when considering whether to stop at an amber traffic light or not. Of course, the rules are, if you can make it through safely then that's perfectly within the law. However, just because you can make it through safely, what about the driver behind you, do they also think they can make it through before the light turns red.
And what happens if this thought process is reversed. Your intention is to stop on Amber because you feel it is the right thing to do, and there isn't enough time to make it before the light turns red, but the person behind you thinks they can sit close to your bumper and make it through while the light is still on Amber. But then you stop for the amber light, when they believe you are going through. That scenario has all the ingredients for a crash. And I bet an accident under these circumstances happens almost daily in the UK.
I was the victim of such a crash. I stopped on an amber light, but the driver behind me thought I was going through and they tried get through themselves, travelling too close behind. Needless to say, their vehicle went straight into the back of mine causing quite a lot of damage to me and my car. Their vehicle was a lorry / dumper truck. My car ended up being an insurance write-off and my injuries have slowly been healing.
However, mentally I can't say that this incident hasn't made me feel a bit apprehensive when stopping on an amber light, because in the back of my mind I don't truly know if the driver behind has the intention of trying to make it through the lights. I suppose this will fade after a while, and to be honest, it is becoming less of an issue week after week.
But as of right now, I have started going through more amber traffic lights if I'm close enough to safely make it through (and looking in my rear view mirror to see what the driver behind is doing) rather than stopping at them. Safely of course. While this is perfectly legal if you're too close to stop, I used to side more with caution and stop on amber almost all of the time, so its definitely the after effects of the crash which have altered the way I react at traffic lights. Got a story you want to share? Get in touch.
Cars have made traveling much easier. We can now travel far distances in a short time thanks to these incredibly convenient inventions that so many seem to take for granted these days. While the ever-evolving enhancements being made on cars are improving the comfort and safety of our travels, cars are also becoming more expensive to keep on the road. Tax, Insurance, MOT, fuel, and their parts can be pretty expensive too.
Don’t worry too much though, this list of 5 small UK cars with cheap insurance costs (another list here) will help keep the price of motoring down a bit. Among other things, increasing your no claims bonus should help lower your insurance premiums further.
Nissan Micra
The newer models of Nissan Micra have various litres of turbocharged engines available and a sharp, sporty design. No more bubbly ladybird body for the Micra. It is one of the best mini cars available at a very decent price. It has engines that sit within the 70 – 89 bhp range that have been proven to give a respectable amount mileage per gallon, especially the smaller engined examples. 104 Nm of torque is produced by the Micra with an engine displacement of 1198 cc. Go for one of the lower CC petrol or diesel models and the insurance is very cheap. Good safety features are also present in the new Micras.
Hyundai i10
The Hyundai i10 is a combination of great value for money, style and comfort. This model of Hyundai is one of the smallest made by the company, but owning it could make you come to the conclusion that you do not need anything else. Just like many owner reviews have stated. The i10 is a tidy small car with a small engine, good safety score, and its reliable. It sits in 6th place out of the top 100 UK cars on reliabilityindex.com. Add to that the cheap insurance brackets throughout the range and the i10 is a very smart choice.
Toyota Yaris - Best Choice*
Another small car that is affordable and reliable, Toyota Yaris gives you a quality drive. I should know, I've owned several over the years. Although they have been older models, so the "best choice" is rather bias. However, they have an excellent track record and are capable of high mileage.
Some of the newer models comes with a hybrid option. This model has an engine that is efficient enough to provide you 209 bhp. I believe it is the only mini car that really stands out in the market place with a petrol-electric engine. Although, bear in mind that a car with 209 BHP is not going to be the cheapest to insure. However, there are many new-shape Yaris' (1.0L - 1.2L) that are situated in much lower insurance groups. And the Toyota brand overall is still well up there at the top of the reliability ratings.
Ford Ka+
Looking more like a lean mini Fiesta than an old shaped KA, this is a small city car that gives some good competition to all the mini cars in the market. While it is a budget car, it comes with some great features, such as auto start - stop (turns the engine off automatically when car is stationary), SYNC 3 (voice controlled technology for Smartphones, stereo, etc) and lots of cutting edge built-in safety equipment. It gives you a smooth ride and is easy to handle. Most models of KA+ are cheap to insure.
Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo is the perfect example of a sophisticated small car. It is one of the classiest minicars sold in the UK. It gives strong competition to all small premium cars. Looking more like a Golf, the Polo is deceptively spacious. The 2019 model has been given the top prize by WhatCar? as the best small car of the year. Although only available with 5 doors, so not one of the smallest on this list, the potentially low insurance groups, super smart technology, and high level safety features definitely makes it worthy to be on this list.
Sent in by a visitor. AXA Car insurance has some of the worst customer service I have ever had the misfortune of having to deal with. None of the departments that deal with accident claims seem to know the right department to put me through to. It appears to be so unorganised that its been close to impossible to get the answer to what should be a very simple query. The funny thing is, I'm not even insured by AXA. It's the person who caused the accident who is insured by AXA. I'm the third-party.
But still, having to go through them in order to get the matter resolved has been met with stumbling blocks all the way. They have dragged their heels at almost every step. From taking a long time to make first contact after the crash (with me having to re-contact the person at fault in order for them to ask their car insurance company (AXA) why they haven't made contact with me), to paying me the settlement for my car being a total loss. Everything has been so slow.
But the worst and most shocking thing about dealing with AXA has been trying to establish what address to write on the online form that notifies the DVLA that the car has been written off. Or in my case, sold to the AXA Insurance company. Failure to inform the DVLA can result in a one thousand pound fine. I'm not sure what the timeframe is for notification but with AXA not replying to emails, and with it being near impossible to phone and get put through to the right department that knows the answer to this question, weeks were going by and I was no nearer to finding the answer.
Every phone number that I was given by AXA employees, who said to call them if there was anything I needed help with, all said the same thing. Either "This isn't the right department", and I'll have to transfer you (which still didn't help resolve the issue because the other department didn't know the answer either), or "We can't find you on the system", even though I gave them all the reference numbers I had been given by AXA. Some of their staff were also quite rude. Their telephone manner was generally abrupt.
To get the answer to this simple question (What address to use to inform the DVLA AXA had bought my total loss car), it took several weeks. Many ignored emails later, and phone calls which resulted in me being left on hold for over 1 hour each time and being so annoyed I eventually had to hang up. One day I thought to myself; Today I need the answer and I'm not getting off the phone with AXA until I have it. For the final call I had to be transferred to at least five different departments, spanning what appeared to be by the change of accents, the whole breadth of the UK, and spent another full hour on the phone.
After each representative claimed its was not their area of expertise and palming the problem off to another department (left on hold every time), the end result was the correct address. But wow, what a nightmare company to have to deal with. Overall this was a very shocking and disappointing experience, and I'm glad that I don't use AXA for my own car insurance.
The key realisation that I came away with after this experience, is that when it comes to car insurance companies, if you have trouble with your own company and feel like they are not providing a very good service, you can always change and go with someone else. But when its the car insurance of the other party, in my case the person responsible for the crash, and you have to go through them to resolve the matter, you are basically forced to have to deal with them no matter how terrible they turn out to be. If you want to share your experience of dealing with a car insurance company, good or bad. Let us know.
